Europe Movers: Bureau Veritas, PostNL, Smith & Nephew

Inga Muller
25 Feb, 2025
Frankfurt

PostNL NV traded flat at €1.08 after the Dutch mail, parcel, and e-commerce company reported higher revenue for fiscal 2024 ending in December.

Revenue increased to €3.25 billion from €3.16 billion, and reported EBITDA declined to €225 million from €261 million a year ago.

The company guided for fiscal 2025 in line with 2024.

PostNL will propose a dividend of 7 cents per share at the next annual general meeting.

Bureau Veritas SA dropped 4% to €30.0 despite the French testing, inspection, and certification company reporting revenue growth in fiscal 2024.

Revenue increased to €6.24 billion from €5.87 billion, net profit surged to €589.2 million from €515.9 million, and earnings per diluted share rose to €1.25 from €1.10 a year ago.

Revenue in the fourth quarter rose 8.5% to €1.67 billion from €1.54 billion a year ago.

The company guided for fiscal 2025 organic revenue growth in the mid-to-high single-digits, improvement in adjusted operating margin at constant exchange rates, and cash conversion above 90%.

Bureau Veritas proposed a cash dividend of 90 cents per share, up 8.4% from the previous year, and payable on July 3 to shareholders on record as of July 2.

Smith & Nephew advanced 5% to 1,095.0 pence after the company reported fourth quarter and full-year results. 

Revenue for the full year 2024 increased to $5.81 billion from $5.55 billion, operating profit climbed to $657 million from $425 million, and earnings per share rose to 47.2 cents from 30.2 cents a year ago.

Revenue in the fourth quarter increased to $1.57 billion from $1.46 billion a year earlier.

For fiscal 2025, the company estimated underlying revenue growth of around 4.8%, and a trading profit margin between 19% and 20%.

First-quarter underlying revenue growth is expected between 1% and 2%.

Smith & Nephew also expects trading cash conversion of 80% to 90% and restructuring costs of around $45 million in 2025.

The company proposed a final dividend of 23.1 cents per share as well as an interim dividend of 14.4 cents per share, payable on May 28 to shareholders on record as of March 28.