ThyssenKrupp Net Jumps; AP Moeller, Nestle Profit Decline

Nigel Thomas
13 Aug, 2015
New York City

AP Moeller profit tumbled 23% to $2.6 billion and announced a share buy-back of $1 billion. Glencore said it plans to write down $790 million of its oil assets in Chad. Nestle net dropped 2% to 4.5 billion francs after a product recall in India. Salzgitter and TUI net swung to profit.

[R]4:00 PM Frankfurt – AP Moeller profit tumbled 23% to $2.6 billion and announced a share buy-back of $1 billion. Glencore said it plans to write down $790 million of its oil assets in Chad. Nestle net dropped 2% to 4.5 billion francs after a product recall in India. Salzgitter and TUI net swung to profit. ThyssenKrupp profit surged.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index slid 5.96 to 6,565.51 and in Frankfurt the DAX index increased 139.43 or 1.3% to 11,064.13.

In Paris, CAC 40 index jumped 80.95 or 1.6% to 5,005.75.

AP Moeller Maersk A/S surged 6.8% to 12,320 kronor after the Denmark-based shipping and logistics company reported revenues in the first-half ending in June declined 11% to $21.07 billion from $23.69 billion in a year ago period.

Net profit in the period tumbled 23.2% from a year ago to $2.61 billion compared to $3.40 billion and diluted earnings per share dropped $121 from $155.

The company plans for a share buy-back program of up to 6.7 billion kronor or about $1 billion to executed in this year.

Glencore Plc gained 0.9% to 181.75 pence after the Switzerland-based natural resource company will write down the value of its oil assets in Chad by $790 million in the first-half ending in June and reduced expenditures to $6 billion this year from the earlier range of $6.5 billion to $6.8 billion.

The company said copper production in the period dropped 3% to 730,900 tons while production in zinc segment soared 12% to 730,300 tons. Production in nickel was flat at 48,900 tons from a year ago period.

Nestle SA jumped 3.7% to 74.90 Swiss francs after the Switzerland-based food and beverages maker reported total sales in the first-half period ending in June edged down 0.3% to 42.84 billion francs from 42.98 billion francs in a year ago period.

Profit in the period dropped 2.4% from a year ago to 4.52 billion francs compared to 4.63 billion francs and diluted earnings per share fell to 1.43 franc from 1.45 franc.

Nestle said sales and profit slightly declined in the first-half due to currency fluctuations and a recall of Maggi noodles in India and the company may continue negative organic growth in the second-half.

Salzgitter AG rose 1.8% to €31.45 after Germany-based steel plates and sheet piling maker stated revenues in the first-half ending in June was nearly flat at €4.53 billion from €4.55 billion in a year ago period.

Net in the period swung to profit from a year ago to €41.3 million compared to a loss of €15.9 million and diluted earnings per share swung to €0.72 from diluted loss per share of €0.33.

TUI AG soared 6.5% to 1,112.50 pence after Germany-based travel group reported revenues in the third-quarter ending in June climbed 6.3% to €5.08 billion from €4.78 billion in a year ago period.

Net in the quarter swung to profit from a year ago to €29.2 million compared to a loss of €26.4 million.

ThyssenKrupp AG increased 1.7% to €22.60 after Germany-based flat carbon steel products reported revenues in the third-quarter ending in June jumped 4.3% to €11.12 billion from €10.72 billion in a year ago period.

Net profit in the quarter surged four-fold from a year ago to €119 million compared to €40 million and diluted earnings per share climbed to €0.35 from €0.07.

The group’s free cash flow was positive in the quarter at €257 million and net financial debt rose 3% to €4.39 billion.