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☆ Bayer calls off break-up to tackle challenges for up to 3 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Bayer AG logo sits behind silhouetted members of the management board during the company's annual general meeting in Bonn, Germany, May 25, 2018. The cutbacks will reduce annual costs by 2 billion euros from 2026, it added. To shore up its finances, that German drugmaker has slashed dividends, keeping what analysts estimate would have been combined payouts of 6-7 billion euros over three years. Bayer's net debt at the end of 2023 was up 8.5% to 34.5 billion euros. The company said it would seek to reduce net debt by 1-2 billion this year.

Persons: Bayer, Bill Anderson, Anderson, glyphosate Organizations: Bayer AG, Reuters, Monsanto Locations: Bonn, Germany

☆ Glencore's 2023 earnings halve on lower commodity prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An employee stands by a logo for Glencore Agriculture in Glencore Plc's offices in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Glencore said on Wednesday lower commodity prices had halved its earnings last year, and slashed its payout to investors, as the company saves to fund the acquisition of a 77% stake in Teck Resources' metallurgical coal business. After two consecutive record years, adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) halved to $17.1 billion from $34.1 billion a year earlier, in line with analysts' consensus estimates of $17.15 billion. In preliminary 2023 results, the miner and trader said net debt stood at $4.92 billion at the end of the year, from just $75 million at the end of 2022. London-listed Glencore's payout of $1.6 billion announced on Wednesday does not include a new buyback scheme, after the existing one ends this month, nor a special dividend, as the company uses its cash to fund the $6.9 billion acquisition of Canadian miner Teck's steelmaking coal unit.

Persons: Glencore Organizations: Glencore Agriculture Locations: Glencore, Rotterdam , Netherlands, Teck Resources, London

☆ Brenntag to reshuffle divisions amid investor calls for break-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 5 (Reuters) - German chemicals distributor Brenntag (BNRGn.DE), which has come under pressure from activist investors to break up its businesses, on Tuesday said it would reshuffle its units to drive "independence and autonomy" of its two global divisions. The company will transfer all pharmaceutical activities from its essentials divisions to its specialities arm, while moving water treatment and finished lubricants businesses along with some semi-speciality products in the opposite direction. Brenntag is the latest in a series of old and famous German companies, such as Bayer (BAYGn.DE) and Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE), that have been targeted by activist investors to divest part of their business to improve profitability. It said the "operational and legal disentanglement" of the specialities and essentials divisions would create optionality and make Brenntag ready for next strategic steps by 2026. Reporting by Tristan Veyet and Matteo Allievi in Gdansk; editing by Milla NissiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tristan Veyet, Matteo Allievi, Milla Nissi Organizations: Bayer, Thomson Locations: Gdansk

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The owners of fund administrator Alter Domus are pursuing the sale of a stake in the Luxembourg-based group that could value it at more than 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion), three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Alter Domus offers back office services to private capital funds, such as fund accounting and reporting, and oversees around $2 trillion in client assets. Permira, Alter Domus, Goldman Sachs and Raymond James all declined to comment. Alter Domus shareholders were reported in June 2022 to have held initial discussions with potential buyers, but a deal never materialised as soaring borrowing costs and market volatility rocked the deals market. Earlier this year, Reuters reported that buyout group Thomas H. Lee Partners had clinched a deal to invest in U.S. fund administrator Standish Management.

Persons: Alter Domus, Goldman Sachs, Raymond James, Thomas H, Lee, Standish, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Amy, Jo Crowley, Emma, Victoria Farr, Anousha Sakoui, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Reuters, Goldman, Domus, Alter Domus, Lee Partners, Standish Management, Thomson Locations: Luxembourg, London, Frankfurt

☆ Czech gunmaker Colt CZ makes offer for Vista Outdoor
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Jason Hovet | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Visitors look at firearms from Colt CZ Group at the Milipol Paris, the worldwide exhibition dedicated to homeland security and safety, in Villepinte near Paris, France, November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPRAGUE, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Czech gunmaker Colt CZ Group (CZG.PR) has made a cash-and-stock merger offer to Vista Outdoor (VSTO.N), valuing the U.S. sporting and outdoor goods group's shares at a 16% premium. Colt CZ said it proposed keeping the company together, scrapping plans to separate Vista at this time. Colt CZ, along with a majority shareholder and its chairman, together acquired more than 5% of Vista shares, they announced in October. Colt CZ shares fell around 3% at the Prague open on Thursday but had recovered to trade nearly 1% higher by 1053 GMT.

Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Colt CZ's, Vista, Colt, Jason Hovet, Mark Potter Organizations: Colt CZ, REUTERS, Rights, Vista, Czechoslovak Group, Czechoslovak, Colt, CSG, Thomson Locations: Paris, Villepinte, France, Czech, U.S, Vista, Prague

☆ Poland's Allegro sees higher holiday-quarter earnings after Q3 core profit beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Poland's biggest e-commerce platform Allegro (ALEP.WA) said on Thursday it expects earnings to rise 20%-23% year-on-year at home in the crucial holiday quarter, after its third-quarter core profit topped expectations. Allegro's adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 32.4% to 778 million zlotys ($191.7 million) in the Polish market, compared to 760 million zlotys expected in a company-compiled consensus. Gross merchandise value (GMV), an industry metric used to measure transaction volumes, rose in Poland by 10.5% to 13.3 billion zlotys in the reporting quarter. The number of active buyers in Poland grew for a sixth consecutive quarter to 14.5 million, it added. ($1 = 4.0587 zlotys)Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka; Editing by Kim Coghill and Varun H KOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Roy Perticucci, Perticucci, Gross, Anna Pruchnicka, Kim Coghill, Varun Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland

☆ African online retailer Jumia's Q3 losses narrow with further fall expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Workers are seen inside an Africa-focused tech startup Jumia Technologies, pickup station in downtown central business district in Nairobi, Kenya November 16, 2021. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Nov 15 (Reuters) - African e-commerce firm Jumia Technologies said on Wednesday that cost savings had helped it reduce third quarter losses by 67% from a year earlier, with a further sharp drop expected this year. It now expects an adjusted 2023 EBITDA loss of $80 million to $90 million compared to the previously communicated range of $90 million to $100 million. Quarterly active consumers fell 24.3% to 2.3 million, largely driven by deliberate decisions to focus on core categories and reduce consumer incentives. Inflation effects persisted in the period, affecting both consumers' spending power and sellers' ability to source goods from abroad, Jumia said.

Persons: Monicah, Jumia, Francis Dufay, Nqobile Dludla, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Technologies, REUTERS, Rights, Jumia Technologies, New York Stock Exchange, Revenue, Thomson Locations: Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, Rights JOHANNESBURG

☆ Delivery Hero slightly lifts annual GMV outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Andreas Harte, a Foodora delivery cyclist poses in front of Delivery Hero headquarters in Berlin, Germany, June 2, 2017. Foodora is part of the Berlin-based company Delivery Hero, one of Europe's largest internet start-ups. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - German online takeaway food company Delivery Hero (DHER.DE) slightly raised its full-year outlook on Tuesday after reporting a better-than-expected gross merchandise value (GMV) for the third quarter. The Berlin-based company now sees 2023 GMV growth at the upper end of its previous forecast range of 5-7% in constant currency terms. Delivery Hero, which reports earnings numbers only on a half-year and annual basis, said its key Asia-Pacific business reached a positive adjusted EBITDA before group costs in the month of October.

Persons: Andreas Harte, Foodora, Fabrizio Bensch, Emmanuel Thomassin, Ozan Ergenay, Michal Aleksandrowicz, Milla Nissi Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Frankfurt, Asia, Pacific, Gdansk

☆ Italy's Nexi confirms guidance after earnings meet forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Italian payments group Nexi is pictured inside their headquarters in Milan, Italy, March 28, 2019. Nexi said it had sold ID, a system to verify users' online identity and data, which it had lined up for disposal during its latest capital markets day to streamline its operations. Nexi's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation came in at 495.8 million euros ($531 million), fractionally ahead of analyst forecasts. Revenues totalled 872 million euros, in line with expectations. ($1 = 0.9343 euros)Reporting by Valentina Za, editing by Giulia SegretiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Alessandro Garofalo, Nexi, amortisation, Valentina Za, Giulia Segreti Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

☆ Agrochemicals group Syngenta indicates $10 bln IPO likely next year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( John Revill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A logo is seen at the headquarters of agricultural chemical maker Syngenta in Basel, Switzerland January 30, 2020. "Given weak market conditions we expect that the company will IPO by the end of next year," a company spokesman said on Thursday after Syngenta reported its Q3 earnings. The IPO update came as Syngenta, which competes with U.S. company Corteva (CTVA.N) and German firms BASF (BASFn.DE) and Bayer (BAYGn.DE), reported its latest earnings. Syngenta, which recently announced a change of chief executive and chief financial officer, has been pursuing an IPO for nearly two and half years. Syngenta was bought by ChemChina in 2017 for $43 billion and folded it into Sinochem Holdings Corp in 2021.

Persons: Arnd, Syngenta, John Revill, Kirsti Knolle, Robert Birsel Organizations: Syngenta, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, BASF, Bayer, Shanghai Stock Exchange, ChemChina, Sinochem Holdings Corp, Thomson Locations: Basel, Switzerland, Swiss, Brazil

☆ Bayer examines break-up options and prepares to cut management jobs
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bayer will remove multiple layers of management and coordination for a "significant reduction" in the workforce, it said. "We are redesigning Bayer to focus only on what’s essential for our mission – and getting rid of everything else," said Anderson. Analysts have said Bayer shares are trading at a massive discount to rivals in agriculture, pharmaceuticals and consumer health activities, partly weighed down by a preference among many financial investors for pure-play companies. Bayer reported third-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and adjusted for one-off effects fell 31% to 1.685 billion euros, hit by lower earnings at its Crop Science division. Bayer added that it expects a "soft growth outlook and continued challenges" to profitability next year.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Bill Anderson, Anderson, Bayer, Werner Baumann, Ludwig Burger, Miranda Murray, David Goodman Organizations: Bayer AG, REUTERS, Rights, Bayer, Consumer, Roche, Science, Thomson Locations: Leverkusen, Germany

☆ Telecom Italia core profit up 9% as grid share deal helps domestic sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

That is ahead of a 1.37 billion euro company-provided analyst consensus. Total domestic sales rose 2.2% in the quarter to 2.98 billion euros, also above forecasts. The company confirmed its 2023 financial targets, including a stabilisation of core earnings and service revenue in Italy. In the nine months, service revenue at TIM's domestic operations fell 1.3% to 7.9 billion euros. TIM's net financial debt stood at 26.3 billion euros as of Sept. 30, marginally up from the end of the previous quarter.

Persons: Stefano Rellandini, Giorgia, Pietro Labriola, Elvira Pollina, Valentina Za Organizations: Telecom Italia, REUTERS, Vivendi, Italy's, KKR, TIM, Thomson Locations: Rozzano, Milan, Italy, TIM's

REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Signals sharp downturn in demandTo review share buyback program for 2024Says industry facing overcapacity and lower prices, demandShares down more than 10% to lowest in three yearsCOPENHAGEN, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), reported a steep drop in third-quarter profit and revenue on Friday and said it would cut at least 10,000 jobs in the face of overcapacity, rising costs and weaker prices. Shares in the Copenhagen-based group slid 11.1% by 0904 GMT, to their lowest level in three years. The group already warned in August of a steeper decline in global demand for shipping containers by sea this year. Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Louise Rasmussen, editing by Terje Solsvik, Miral Fahmy, Elaine HardcastleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jon Nazca, Moller, Vincent Clerc, Morten Holm Enggaard, Maersk, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Louise Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik, Miral Fahmy, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: Triple, Majestic, APM, REUTERS, Shipping, Maersk, Walmart, Nike, Jyske Bank, Thomson Locations: Algeciras, Spain, COPENHAGEN, Copenhagen

☆ Amplifon lowers profit forecast on weak demand, global uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Amplifon logo and stock graph are seen in this illustration taken, May 1, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Amplifon SpA FollowOct 30 (Reuters) - Italian hearing aid maker Amplifon (AMPF.MI) lowered its full year guidance for recurring core profit on Monday, citing weaker than expected demand in Europe and global economic and political uncertainty. It now sees its recurring earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at about 550 million euros ($582.34 million) for 2023, down from a previous forecast of between 570-585 million euros. Amplifon's recurring EBITDA stood at 109.8 million euros in the third quarter, marginally up from 109.4 million euros a year ago. ($1 = 0.9445 euros)Reporting by Alessandro Parodi, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, EBITDA, Alessandro Parodi, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Europe, Israel

☆ Carrefour confident over year-end even as Q3 sales growth slows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Dominique Vidalon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A customer pushes a shopping trolley as she shops in a Carrefour supermarket in Montesson near Paris, France, September 13, 2023. Third-quarter sales reached 23.63 billion euros ($25 billion), marking like-for-like growth of 9% which was less than 10.3% growth in the second quarter, Carrefour said, adding it confirmed a cost savings target of 1 billion euros for the year. The sales growth moderation reflected a slowdown in food inflation in Carrefour's core markets of France and Brazil. In France, hypermarket sales rose 4.2% in the third quarter of 2023 compared with a 6.6% rise in the second quarter of 2023. The company said it had achieved 664 million euros out of its 800 million euros buyback programme for 2023.

Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Dominique Vidalon, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Carrefour, Thomson Locations: Carrefour, Montesson, Paris, France, Brazil

☆ Telenor tops Q3 profit expectations, narrows 2023 outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOSLO, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Norwegian telecoms operator Telenor (TEL.OL) on Wednesday reported third-quarter earnings above expectations, supported by growing mobile service revenue and lower energy prices in the Nordics, and narrowed its full-year projections. Telenor's Nordics service revenue grew 4% and EBITDA by 8% in the quarter. Similarly, it expects EBITDA to grow by 3-4% this year, which earlier was also seen at "low-to-mid single-digit growth". Telenor reiterated it expects capital expenditure in the Nordics to be around 17% of revenues for the period. ($1 = 11.1481 Norwegian crowns)Reporting by Victoria Klesty; Editing by Terje Solsvik and Janane VenkatramanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sigve Brekke, Telenor's, Victoria Klesty, Terje Solsvik Organizations: Telenor, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Rights OSLO, Norwegian, Asia, Nordic, Malaysia, Thailand

☆ Philips raises full-year outlook as Q3 profit jumps
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Dutch health technology company Philips on Monday raised its full-year outlook as it beat analysts' expectations for third-quarter core profit and comparable sales. Core profit more than doubled to 457 million euros ($483.3 million), while comparable sales were up 11% at 4.5 billion euros as demand for its medical scanners, patient monitoring equipment and personal health devices increased. Despite the drop in orders, Philips said it now expected 6% to 7% comparable sales growth over 2023, with a profit margin (adjusted EBITA) of 10%-11%. Its previous outlook guided for mid-single digit sales growth with a high single digit profit margin. Analysts in a company-compiled poll had predicted adjusted July-September earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation would rise to 389 million euros from 209 million euros a year before, on 8% comparable sales growth.

Persons: Roy Jakobs, Philips Organizations: Philips, Reuters Locations: China

☆ West’s latest China corporate risk: medical graft
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Karen Kwok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An employee wearing a face mask is seen at a workshop of computed tomography (CT) scanners of medical device firm Siemens Healthineers in Shanghai, China, February 24, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - China corporate risk has spread to Western medical device companies. According to BMI analysts, about two-thirds of Chinese medical devices used by local hospitals and clinics are imported from Western groups. That implies a direct hit to the order and revenue growth for medical device firms. Domestic brands, which have historically lagged in the advanced end of the medical device market, took the whole of last decade just to hike their share from around 20% to 30%, Deloitte says.

Persons: Aly, Philips, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Siemens, REUTERS, Reuters, Volkswagen, Philips, GE Healthcare, BMI, National Health Commission, Siemens Healthineers, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Deloitte, GE, Healthineers, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, People’s Republic, Beijing, United States

☆ ABB flags slowdown in fourth-quarter revenue, shares slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Noele Illien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Swiss power technology and automation group ABB is seen during the company's annual news conference in Zurich, Switzerland February 28, 2019. ABB said it anticipated low- to mid-single digit comparable revenue growth in the fourth quarter after reporting a comparable 11% increase in the third quarter. "Orders in China declined at a low single-digit comparable growth rate particularly hampered by weakness in robotics and construction demand," said Chief Executive Bjorn Rosengren in a statement. For the full year 2023, the group said it expected comparable revenue growth to be in the low double-digit percentage range, and an operational margin to be in the range of 16.5% to 17.0%. Previously it had said it expected revenue growth of at least 10% and an operational margin above 16%.

Persons: Arnd, France's Schneider, ABB's, Bjorn Rosengren, Noele Illien, Rachel More, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: ABB, REUTERS, Rights, Germany's Siemens, Thomson Locations: Swiss, Zurich, Switzerland, China, United States, India, Asia, Europe

☆ Walmart-owned India's PhonePe revenue soars 77% in FY23
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BENGALURU, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Walmart-owned (WMT.N) PhonePe said on Wednesday its consolidated revenue for financial year 2023 surged 77%, as more customers used its platform to send and receive money in India's booming digital payments market. The company's loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation on a standalone basis widened to 17.55 billion rupees ($210.8 million) from 16.12 billion rupees a year ago, PhonePe said in a statement. Consolidated revenue grew to 29.14 billion rupees from 16.46 billion rupees a year ago. PhonePe, which has more than 490 million registered users, had a near 51% share of the value of transactions on India's instant money transfer system, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as of March end. ($1 = 83.2420 Indian rupees)Reporting by Rama Venkat in Bengaluru; Editing by Dhanya Ann ThoppilOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: PhonePe, Rama Venkat, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: Walmart, Atlantic, Tiger Global, Thomson Locations: BENGALURU, India, Singapore, Bengaluru

☆ Umicore cuts investment target after expanding EV battery materials production
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Umicore SA FollowVolkswagen AG FollowOct 17 (Reuters) - Belgium's Umicore (UMI.BR) said on Tuesday it had lowered its net capital expenditure target for 2026 after expanding its battery materials production facilities to North America, with plans to build a new plant in Canada. Umicore expects total net capital expenditure between 2022 and 2026 to reach 3.8 billion euros ($4.01 billion). The group had previously said it planned to carry out phased investments of around 5 billion euros between 2022-2026. Analysts at brokerage Jefferies said that the difference between both figures does not necessarily mean a drop in overall gross capex spending. Umicore also announced a new target for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margins, which they expect to be above 25% from 2026.

Persons: Umicore, Jefferies, Victor Goury, Louise Heavens Organizations: Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: North America, Canada

LONDON/FRANKFURT, Oct 12(Reuters) - Brooks Macdonald (BRK.L) is working with a defence adviser on its strategy amid takeover interest, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Raymond James has had a longer-term mandate for financial advice which recently developed into defence strategy, one of the people said. Brooks Macdonald and Raymond James declined to comment. Shares in Brooks Macdonald have dipped since peaking in late 2021 as market conditions soured. Britain's fragmented wealth management industry has seen increased consolidation in recent years driven by both private equity and strategic players.

Persons: Brooks Macdonald, Raymond James, Charles Stanley, Brewin, Andrew Shepherd, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Victoria Farr, Amy, Jo Crowley, Anousha Sakoui, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, British, London, Emma

☆ Ericsson books $3 bln impairment, says Q3 core profit fell 39%
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A logo of Ericsson is seen outside the company's office in Kanata, Ontario, Canada April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Lars Hagberg/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Ericsson (ERICb.ST) on Wednesday announced a 32 billion Swedish crown ($2.9 billion) impairment charge related to its acquisition last year of Vonage, and said core profits fell in the third quarter as demand tumbled in North America. "The impairment charge represents 50% of the total amount of goodwill and other intangible assets attributed to Vonage." Ericsson said a preliminary reading showed its operating profit before amortisation and restructuring and impairment charges fell 39% in the third quarter to 4.7 billion crowns. Ericsson's profits plunged also in the second quarter as a slowdown in consumer spending hit sales of telecommunications gear.

Persons: Lars Hagberg, Vonage, Ericsson, Anna Ringstrom, Shailesh Kuber, Leslie Adler, Terje Solsvik, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Ericsson, REUTERS, Rights, Wednesday, Ericsson's, Networks, Thomson Locations: Kanata , Ontario, Canada, Rights STOCKHOLM, North America, Swedish, Stockholm, Bengaluru

☆ Italy's Prysmian sees core profit rising 34% by 2027 under new strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

This will help it increase its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to around 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in 2027, from 1.49 billion euros last year, Prysmian said in a statement. Milan-listed shares in the company were up 2.6% by 0730 GMT, among the best performers within Italy's blue chip basket (.FTMIB). "Prysmian is uniquely placed to benefit from the opportunities presented by the structural changes arising from the convergence of the energy transition and digital transformation," Chief Operating Officer Massimo Battaini said in a statement. Annual cash flow is seen growing to between 0.9 billion and 1 billion euros in 2027 from 559 million euros last year. "Targets to 2027 are ambitious and above our estimates," Equita analyst Luigi De Bellis said in a note.

Persons: Battaini, Battista, Prysmian, Massimo Battaini, Valerio Battista, Luigi De Bellis, Giulio Piovaccari, Gianluca Semeraro, Sonali Paul, Michael Perry Organizations: Company, Cable, Thomson Locations: MILAN, Netherlands, Milan

☆ Siemens is case study in China de-risking dilemma
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Pamela Barbaglia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

That’s unsettling for the likes of Siemens, $62 billion carmaker Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) and $39 billion chemicals group BASF (BASFn.DE). Factor in the German group’s 32% stake in Siemens Energy (ENR1n.DE) and 75% holding in Siemens Healthineers (SHLG.DE), currently worth 46 billion euros, and it adds up to 156 billion euros. The unit and Siemens’ Airport Logistics unit, which press reports say could be another divestment candidate, may only be worth 4 billion euros combined. Moreover, Kaeser already tried to boost Siemens’ valuation by partially spinning off subsidiaries. As of September, Siemens had bought back 2.5 billion euros of shares since starting a 3 billion euro share repurchase programme in November 2021.

Persons: Roland Busch, France’s Legrand, Busch, Joe Kaeser, he’s, Kaeser, Germany’s Bundesbank, Siemens, Goldman Sachs, Judith Wiese, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, Siemens, Germany’s, Barclays, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Volkswagen, BASF, Software, Dassault, Automation, ABB, Smart Infrastructure, Siemens Energy, Siemens ’ Mobility, France’s Alstom, CRRC Corporation, Siemens ’ Airport Logistics, Siemens Healthineers, Toshiba Corp, Energy, BNP, Bloomberg, Financial Times, Thomson Locations: China, Brussels, Beijing, Germany, EMEA, Swiss, Middle Kingdom, Republic, Shenzhen, Sichuan, Chengdu, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand

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