Air France Results Lift Airlines; Cobham Tumbles on Another Profit Warning

Sarla Buch
16 Feb, 2017
New York City

Air France KLM net soared 31%. Cobham tumbled after taking charges and issuing fifth profit warning in two years. Coca-Cola HBC net surged 23%. Lancashire net plunged 15%. Nestle net declined 7%. Schneider Electric profit surged 24%.

[R]4:00 PM Frankfurt – Air France KLM net soared 31%. Cobham tumbled after taking charges and issuing fifth profit warning in two years. Coca-Cola HBC net surged 23%. Lancashire net plunged 15%. Nestle net declined 7%. Schneider Electric profit surged 24%.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index fell 21.97 or 0.3% to 7,280.53 and in Frankfurt the DAX index slipped 38.93 or 0.3% to 11,754.31.

In Paris, CAC 40 index dropped 24.70 or 0.5% to 4,900.16.

Atomico Ventures, the London-based venture capital established by Skype founder Niklas Zennström, closed $765 million fund to invest in European tech start-ups.

Air France KLM SA surged 10.1% to €6.04 after France-based airline operator reported revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in December slumped 2.5% from a year ago to €6.1 billion.

Net profit in the year soared 31.2% from a year ago to €362 million compared to €276 million and diluted earnings per share slumped to €0.53 from €0.82.

The airline said earnings in the last year was hit by €130 million due to pilots and cabin crews strikes. Fuel costs is expected to increase $100 million and more in 2018.

Cobham Plc tumbled 17.7% to 111.50 pence after the U.K.-based aircraft voice, data and video services provider warned that the group will book a total non-cash impairment of goodwill and other intangible fixed assets of about £574 million.

Cobham lowered its operating profit estimate in the current year to £225 million from the previous estimate between £255 million and £275 million and also said result of this year ""may be challenging.""

The group said the board had not yet finished its review of the 2017 budget as the net debt as of December 31 was about £1.03 billion and the company needed to strengthen its balance sheet to deliver medium term growth.

However, Cobham also increased charges in 2016 to £179 million, including £150 million against its KC-46 contract.

""The charge to finish the development phase is hugely disappointing,"" Chairman Mike Wareing said.

Coca-Cola HBC AG jumped 3.4% to 1,885 pence after the U.K.-based non-alcoholic beverages producer said revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in December dropped 2% from a year ago to €6.2 billion.

Net profit in the year surged 22.5% from a year ago to €343.5 million compared to €280.3 million and diluted earnings per share advanced to €0.95 from €0.77.

Lancashire Holdings Limited soared 8.5% to 738 pence after the U.K.-based insurance services provider reported gross premiums written in the year slipped 1.1% from a year ago to $633.9 million.

Net income in the year plunged 15.1% from a year ago to $154.3 million compared to $181.7 million and diluted earnings per share decreased to 76 cents from 91 cents.

Nestle SA dropped 2.3% to 71.50 Swiss francs after Switzerland-based nutrition and health products maker reported sales in the year increased 0.8% from a year ago to 89.5 billion francs.

Net profit in the year declined 6.6% from a year ago to 8.5 billion francs compared to 9.1 billion francs and diluted earnings per share fell to 2.75 francs from 2.89 francs.

""There''s no beating around the bush, it came in lower than we expected,"" said chief executive officer Ulf Mark Schneider who was appointed last month.

Schneider Electric SE plunged 4.7% to €65.62 after the France-based electricity distributor reported revenues in the fourth-quarter ending in December plummeted 7.3% from a year ago to €24.7 billion.

Net profit in the year surged 24.1% from a year ago to €1.8 billion compared to €1.4 billion and diluted earnings per share jumped to €3.12 from €2.47.

In the year, the group repurchased 14.9 million shares for about €853 million with an average price of approx €57 per share.