LafargeHolcim Swings to Loss on Impairment Charges, LSE Net Jumps

Sarla Buch
02 Mar, 2018
New York City

Essentra health and personal care packaging division woes continue. LafargeHolcim swings to loss after the cement maker writes down assets. LSE profit surges on record volume in its clearing business. Mondi profit jumped on 7% increase in revenues. Spire Healthcare net plunged 69%.

[R]4:00 PM Frankfurt – Essentra health and personal care packaging division woes continue. LafargeHolcim swings to loss after the cement maker writes down assets. LSE profit surges on record volume in its clearing business. Mondi profit jumped on 7% increase in revenues. Spire Healthcare net plunged 69%.[/R]

In London trading, FTSE 100 index dropped 81.63 or 1.1% to 7,187.05 and in Frankfurt the DAX index plummeted 251.43 or 2.1% to 11,939.51.

In Paris, CAC 40 index declined 105.14 or 2% to 5,157.41.

For the week, FTSE 100 index declined 2.1%, the DAX index plunged 4.4% and the CAC 40 index slumped 3%.

Essentra Plc soared 8.4% to 479.33 pence after the U.K.-based plastic, fiber, foam and packaging products maker stated revenues in the year ending in December jumped 3% from a year ago to £1 billion.

Net in the year swung to a profit £115.8 million from a loss of £39.6 million in a year ago period and diluted earnings per share swung to 43.4 pence from diluted loss per share of 15.4 pence.

Essentra said its health and personal care packaging division decline in financial performance and revenue and margins were affected by hurricane in Puerto Rico.

Lafargeholcim Ltd declined 6.4% to 51.50 Swiss francs after Switzerland-based cement producer reported net sales in the year ending in December fell 2.9% from a year ago to 26.1 billion francs.

Net in the year swung to a loss of 1.7 billion Swiss francs from profit of 1.8 billion Swiss francs in a year ago period and diluted loss per share swung to 2.78 francs from diluted earnings per share of 2.96 francs.

Lafargeholcim booked impairment charges of 3.8 billion francs of which 3.7 billion related to operating assets in Algeria, Malaysia, Iraq, Brazil, Indonesia and Egypt.

The cement producer launched its new five-year strategic plan with focus to increase net sales between 3% to 5% and operating profit to jump 5%.

London Stock Exchange Group Plc slipped 1.7% to 3,874 pence after the U.K.-based financial trading services provider said total revenues in the year ending in December soared 18% from a year ago to £1.9 billion.

Net profit in the year surged to £561 million from £193 million in a year ago period and diluted earnings per share advanced to 143 pence from 42.6 pence.

The trading services provider said operating net debt increased to £1.6 billion from £882 million in the same period a year ago.

Mondi Plc jumped 3.2% to 1,898 pence after the U.K.-based paper packaging maker reported group revenues in the year ending in December advanced 7% from a year ago to £7.1 billion.

Net profit in the year jumped 4.1% to £714 million from £686 million in a year ago period and diluted earnings per share increased to 138.5 pence from 131.7 pence.

Spire Healthcare Group Plc fell 0.1% to 225 pence after the U.K.-based hospital and care centers services provider stated revenues in the year ending in December rose 0.6% from a year ago to £931.7 million.

Net profit in the year plunged 68.7% to £16.8 million from £53.6 million in a year ago period and diluted earnings per share slumped to 4.2 pence from 13.4 pence.