Europe Movers: Antofagasta, Deliveroo, Hermes, L’Oréal, Rentokil, Sainsbury’s, VAT Group

Inga Muller
22 Apr, 2025
Frankfurt

Hermes International S.A. dropped 3.2% to €2,287.00 despite the French luxury products retailer reporting higher first-quarter 2025 sales.

Revenue increased 8.5% to €4.13 billion from €3.80 billion a year ago, as all geographical areas recorded growth.

“In the medium term, despite the economic, geopolitical, and monetary uncertainties around the world, the group confirms an ambitious goal for revenue growth at constant exchange rates,” the company said in a release to investors.

Rentokil Initial Plc. gained 5% to 350.00 pence after the UK-based pest-control company reported first-quarter sales results.

Total revenue was $1.63 billion, an increase of 1.5% from a year ago.

“Pest control organic revenue was up 0.5%, and pest control services for residential, commercial, and termite customers were down by 0.2% as they continued to be impacted by low inbound lead flow and contract sales,” the company said in a release for investors.

Deliveroo Plc. gained 3.3% to 134.40 pence after the UK-based delivery services provider reported first-quarter sales growth.

Revenue excluding Hong Kong jumped 7% to £518 million from £485 million a year ago.

The company reported a 9% growth in gross transaction volume and a 7% increase in orders compared to the prior year.

Deliveroo guided for fiscal 2025 gross transaction volume growth to be at a high single-digit percentage and adjusted EBITDA between £170 million and £190 million, compared to £129.6 a year ago.

L’Oréal Groupe gained 0.1% to €341.85 after the French cosmetics products maker reported higher sales in the first quarter of 2025.

Sales jumped to €11.73 billion from €11.24 billion a year ago.

Comparable store sales increased by 3.5%, and sales in all divisions grew, led by L’Oréal Luxe.

Fragrances and hair haircare remained the fastest-growing categories.

By region, progress was strongest in emerging markets, while Europe continued to deliver robust growth, the company said in a release to investors.

VAT Group AG dropped 3.1% to CHF 271.20 despite the vacuum valve maker reporting higher sales in the first quarter of 2025.

Net sales surged 38.6% to CHF 275.1 million from CHF 198.5 million a year ago.

The company estimated second-quarter 2025 sales to be between CHF 260 million and CHF 290 million, compared to CHF 251 million in the prior year.

Sainsbury’s gained 3.5% to 256.80 pence after the UK-based food retailer reported fiscal 2024 results ending in March.

Revenue edged up to £32.81 billion from £32.24 billion, profit jumped to £242 million from £137 million, and diluted earnings per share rose to 10.2 pence from 5.7 pence a year ago.

The company estimated retail operating profit for fiscal 2026 to be flat at around £1 billion and retail free cash flow of more than £500 million.

Over the past financial year, the supermarket invested £1 billion in lowering prices and delivered its highest market share gain in more than a decade.

Comparable sales in the fourth quarter increased by 3.7%, excluding fuel, and 2.2% including fuel.

In the same quarter a year ago, comparable sales excluding fuel rose 4.8%, and they were up 2.9% including fuel.

The company proposed a dividend of 9.7 pence per share, up from 9.2 pence a year ago, payable on July 11 to shareholders on record as of June 6.

The total full-year dividend was 13.6 pence per share, an increase of 3.8% from 13.1 pence in 2023-24.

The food retailer plans to buy back at least £200 million of shares during 2025-26.

Antofagasta Plc. traded down 1% to 1,538.50 pence after the mining company released its first-quarter production report.

Copper production was 154,700 tons, a 20% increase from a year ago, driven by increased production at Los Pelambres and Centinela concentrates in Chile. 

Gold production was 42,900 ounces, a 29% increase from a year ago, while molybdenum production was up 15% to 3,100 tons.

The company guided for fiscal 2025 copper production to be between 660,000 and 700,000 tons and capital expenditure unchanged at $3.9 billion.