Europe Earnings: Liberty Global, Novartis, Nordea Bank, Sandvik, SAP

Nigel Thomas
17 Jul, 2014
New York City

Liberty Global agreed to acquire ITV for

[R]4:00 PM Frankfurt – Liberty Global agreed to acquire ITV for £481 million. Novartis net rose 1% to $2.59 billion. Nordea Bank net profit plummeted 11% to €686 million. Sandvik profit plunged 17% to 1.54 billion kronor. SAP profit tumbled 23% to €556 million but enterprise software developer lifted outlook.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index fell 0.3% or 23.09 to 6,761.58 and in Frankfurt the DAX index slid 0.2% or 23.98 to 9,835.29.

In Paris, CAC 40 index slipped 0.4% or 17.17 to 4,351.89.

Liberty Global Plc, after the U.K.-based television, broadband Internet and telephony service provider agreed to acquire 259.8 million shares in ITV Plc from British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc for £481 million.

Shares of ITV surged 6.2% to 195.10 pence.

Novartis AG slipped 1.7% to 79.80 francs after the Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company reported net sales in the second-quarter ending in June increased 2.1% to $13.35 billion from $13.07 billion a year ago.

Profit in the year rose 1.4% from a year ago to $2.59 billion compared to $2.55 billion and diluted earnings per share edged up to $1.03 from $1.01.

Nordea Bank AB dropped 2.3% to 93.68 kronor after the Sweden-based retail bank stated net interest income in the second-quarter ending in June fell 2% to €1.37 billion from €1.39 billion a year earlier.

Net profit in the quarter plummeted 11% from a year ago period to €686 million compared to €771 million and diluted earnings per share decreased to €0.17 from €0.21.

Sandvik AB declined 4% to 88.70 kronor after the Sweden-based engineering tools maker said revenue in the second-quarter ending in June dropped 4% to 22.05 billion kronor from 23.04 billion kronor a year ago period.

Profit in the quarter plunged 17% from a year earlier to 1.54 billion kronor compared to 1.85 billion kronor and earnings per share declined to 1.22 kronor from 1.48 kronor.

The company said new orders in the quarter rose 2.3% to 21.19 billion kronor from 20.72 billion kronor a year ago.

Sandvik issued euro bonds of €350 million maturing in June 2026 under its existing Euro Medium Term Note program.

SAP AG climbed 3.5% to €60.01 after the Germany-based enterprise applications provider reported total revenue in the second-quarter ending in June increased 2% to €4.15 billion from €4.06 billion a year ago period.

Profit in the quarter tumbled 23% from a year ago to €556 million compared to €724 million and earnings per share declined to €0.47 from €0.61.

SAP lifted revenue outlook for the year in the range of €1,000 million to €1,050 million at constant currencies.