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☆ Delivery Hero confirms talks on partial sale of Asian business
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | 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 Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Delivery Hero (DHER.DE) confirmed talks on a partial sale of its Asia business on Wednesday, adding that the deal's value is still under negotiation. Delivery Hero has been focusing on reaching profitability while maintaining growth as investor confidence in the company started to wane after a pandemic-driven boost. Grab makes most of its sales from its food delivery business and has recently seen strong growth in its ride-share business.

Persons: Andreas Harte, Foodora, Fabrizio Bensch, Niklas Oestberg, Rachel More, Andrey Sychev, Matthias Williams, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Asia, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand

☆ Global watchdog tackles 'vulnerabilities' in leveraged loans
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Global securities regulators have proposed tightening how the leveraged loan market operates to tackle "vulnerabilities" after a prolonged period of low interest rates led to deteriorating standards. Leveraged loans are loans extended to companies that already have high debt, and therefore are at a higher risk of default. Global securities watchdog IOSCO said it had identified "some vulnerabilities in the leveraged loan and collateralized loan obligation markets which may be exacerbated by the behavior of certain participants and market practices." Covenant-lite loans now make up 90% of the leveraged loan market, up from just 1% in 2000, IOSCO said in a public consultation paper on its proposed new guidance. U.S. companies have raised more money in private markets than in public markets in each year since 2009, it added.

Persons: IOSCO, Huw Jones, Mark Potter Organizations: Global, Investors, Thomson

☆ Carlyle weighs options for 'RuneScape' creator Jagex, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Amy-Jo Crowley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Carlyle (CG.O) is weighing options for its UK video games maker Jagex, a business which could be valued as high as 1 billion pounds ($1.25 billion), two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The sources cautioned a deal is not certain and subject to market conditions, asking not to be identified because the matter is confidential. Jagex, Morgan Stanley and Aream did not immediately return requests for comment. Carlyle, which has $376 billion under management, bought Jagex from the U.S. holding firm Macarthur Fortune Holding in January 2021 for a reported $530 million. It could fetch up to 15x EBITDA, or between 900 million pounds and 1 billion pounds, in the event of a sale, they added.

Persons: Carlyle, Morgan Stanley, Jagex, Aream, Amy, Jo Crowley, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reuters, The U.S, Aream, Macarthur Fortune Holding, Financial Times, Thomson Locations: Cambridge

A Barclays bank building is seen at Canary Wharf in London, Britain May 17, 2017. Barclays distributed a presentation on its domestic merchant acquiring unit to potential bidders - mainly specialist payments providers - over the summer, two of the people said, but plans may still be altered or dropped entirely. Our businesses continue to perform well and growing our global payments business is a priority for us." The group drafted in consultants to prepare separate financials for its domestic merchant acquiring operation in an initiative known internally as Project Hyperion, one of the people said. Barclays is also gauging interest in its German consumer finance operations, known as Barclaycard Germany.

Persons: Stefan Wermuth, Sanpaolo, Amy, Jo Crowley, Pablo Mayo, Milana, Lawrence White, Elisa Martinuzzi, Susan Fenton Organizations: Barclays, REUTERS, Barclays Plc, Reuters, Chief, CS Venkatakrishnan, Spain's Banco Sabadell, Italy's, Pablo Mayo Cerqueiro, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Germany, New York

☆ SoftwareOne says strategic review remains ongoing, reports H1 results
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ZURICH, Aug 24 (Reuters) - SoftwareOne (SWON.S) reiterated its full-year guidance on Thursday and said a strategic review to maximise shareholder value remains ongoing, as it reported a 1.7% drop in adjusted earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first half of 2023. The Swiss software provider, which went public in 2019 and has been recently eyed by Bain Capital for takeover, reported half-year adjusted EBITDA of 111.7 million Swiss francs ($127.41 million). ($1 = 0.8767 Swiss francs)Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi, Editing by Friederike HeineOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brenna Hughes, Friederike Heine Our Organizations: Bain Capital, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Swiss

At current prices shares are now down about 16% in the year to date, surrendering gains up to Wednesday's close. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were 320 million euros ($348 million), down 10% from a year earlier and below analyst forecasts of 386 million euros, Refinitiv data showed. Revenue rose 21% to 739 million euros, against Adyen's mid-term forecasts of more than 25% growth. He said the economy overall is slowing and online payments growth may not be quite as fast as it was in the pre-COVID era. A similar margin decline led to a sell-off in Adyen shares when the company reported full-year earnings in February.

Persons: Eva Plevier, Hannes Leitner, Adyen, Toby Sterling, Sinead Cruise, David Goodman, Barbara Lewis, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Company, Netflix, Microsoft, Spotify, JPMorgan, Revenue, Adyen's, PayPal, Jefferies, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, AMSTERDAM, North America, Stripe, Braintree, Fiserv

☆ Payments company Adyen's shares drop more than 20% after earnings miss
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were 320 million euros ($348 million), down 10% from a year earlier and below analyst forecasts of 386 million euros, Refinitiv data shows. Revenue rose 21% to 739 million euros, against Adyen's mid-term forecasts of more than 25% growth. Adyen's EBITDA margin fell to 43% from 59%, which the company said was mostly because of higher wage costs as it takes on more staff. A similar margin decline led to a sell-off in Adyen shares when the company reported full-year earnings in February. Adyen maintained its medium-term targets for revenue growth above 25% and an improving EBITDA margin that it expects to reach 65% in the long term.

Persons: Eva Plevier, Adyen, Toby Sterling, David Goodman, Barbara Lewis, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Netflix, Microsoft, Spotify, JPMorgan, Revenue, Adyen's, North, PayPal, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, North America, United States

☆ Alibaba previews benefits of slimming down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, Aug 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Just months after announcing a six-way breakup, Alibaba's (9988.HK) corporate overhaul is off to a good start. Quarterly sales jumped 14% year-on-year in the three months to June and all its main business units are growing again. That should ease concern that Alibaba is losing market share to rivals like PDD (PDD.O). In logistics and digital media, both reported positive adjusted earnings before interest, tax and amortisation in the recent quarter, versus losses a year ago. It’s early days but a more focused and less bloated Alibaba is starting to emerge.

Persons: It’s, Robyn Mak, Una Galani, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Reuters, HK, Twitter, Siemens, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG

COPENHAGEN, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Denmark's Orsted (ORSTED.CO), the world's No. 1 offshore wind farm developer, on Thursday reported second-quarter operating profit below expectations and confirmed its full-year guidance. Orsted kept its 2023 forecast for EBITDA excluding new partnerships unchanged at between 20 billion and 23 billion crowns. "However, compared to the guidance provided in our annual report for 2022, we now expect higher earnings in Offshore than initially announced," Chief Executive Mads Nipper said in a statement. ($1 = 6.7816 Danish crowns)Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, editing by Terje SolsvikOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Orsted, Mads Nipper, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Terje Solsvik Organizations: Thomson Locations: COPENHAGEN

☆ Deliveroo upgrades earnings guidance despite drop in orders
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

British meal delivery company Deliveroo upgraded its full-year earnings guidance on Thursday after a resilient first half in challenging market conditions that saw its total orders number fall 6%. The company said it expected to make adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of 60-80 million pounds ($76-$102 million) for the year, up from its previous 20-50 million pounds forecast. The company, which had 948 million pounds in net cash at the end of the period, said it would return 250 million pounds of capital to shareholders. The total gross transaction value of its orders increased 3%, as inflation in restaurant and grocery prices more than offset the drop in order numbers. Founder and chief executive Will Shu said the company delivered a strong financial performance despite challenging market conditions.

Persons: Will Shu, Deliveroo

☆ Flutter's US bet drives first half profit 76% higher
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Padraic Halpin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Dublin-based company said this made it the first online betting operator to turn a profit in the U.S and it did so six months ahead of schedule. Analysts at JPMorgan also noted a more cautious outlook on Australia, where Flutter's first half revenues fell by 1%. The U.S. profits contributed to reported EBITDA of 765 million pounds across the group, versus the 731 million pounds forecast by eight analyst polled by Refinitiv. Flutter and broadcaster Fox Corporation (FOXA.O) said last month it would close the FOX Bet sports betting platform. That would eclipse the record full year earnings of 1.4 billion pounds Flutter posted during the COVID-19 online betting boom of 2020.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jefferies, Paddy Power, Padraic Halpin, Louise Heavens, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, JPMorgan, PokerStars, Ireland, Refinitiv, FOX Bet, Fox Corporation, Thomson Locations: Dublin, U.S, Australia

Assets will be sold within Altice France or outside France to repay debt, Drahi told investors on a conference call. "(The aims is) to raise, one way or another, 3 billion (euros) of equity, plus or minus," Drahi said. Altice France's net leverage ratio at end of June was 6.3 times its yearly core operating profits. Altice France's net debt was close to 24 billion euros at the end of June, up from 23.6 billion at end of March, the group said. Total earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell to 1.02 billion euros from 1.08 billion euros a year earlier.

Persons: Patrick Drahi, Philippe Wojazer, Drahi, Dennis Okhuijsen, Altice, Portugal Altice's, Armando Pereira, Pereira, Mathieu Rosemain, Ingrid Melander, Silvia Aloisi, Mark Potter Organizations: Altice Group, REUTERS, Altice, Thomson Locations: Franco, Israeli, Paris, France, PARIS, Altice France, Portugal

An employee of a private security company stands in front of the logo of commodities trader Glencore during the company's annual shareholder meeting in Cham, Switzerland May 24, 2017. Analysts at Deutsche Bank had expected half-year earnings of $9.9 billion, while Citi's estimate was $11.4 billion. The company announced additional returns of around $2.2 billion, including a $1 billion special dividend and a $1.2 billion share buyback programme that will run until February 2024. Glencore in June offered to buy Teck's coal business as a standalone unit, having been rebuffed twice in its $22.5 billon bid to combine the two companies. As part of the deal, Glencore would spin-off and merge its thermal coal business with Teck's steelmaking coal one to form a separate New York-listed company.

Persons: Arnd, Glencore, Gary Nagle, Nagle, MARA, didn't, Bunge, Clara Denina, Pratima Desai, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Canada's, Canada's Teck Resources, Tinto, Teck Resources, Deutsche Bank, Citi, U.S, Thomson Locations: Cham, Switzerland, Canada's Teck, Teck, China, New York, London, U.S

☆ Exclusive: CEZ plans to bid for Czech gas distribution network GasNet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Jan Lopatka | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Electricity transmission lines carry power from CEZ's Ledvice coal-fired power plant near the village of Ledvice, Czech Republic, February 9, 2016. REUTERS/David W Cerny/File PhotoPRAGUE, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Czech electricity producer CEZ (CEZP.PR) plans to bid for the country's gas distribution network GasNet if it goes on sale, CEZ's deputy chairman said, as it would complement CEZ's expansion into gas, a transitional fuel in the shift from coal to clean energy. Pavel Cyrani told Reuters that CEZ would bid when a formal sale process is launched for GasNet, adding the unit would also be a good fit for CEZ's electricity distribution business. GasNet, owned through Czech Gas Network Investments by a consortium led by Macquarie Asset Management and including British Columbia Investment Management Corporation and Allianz Capital, covers 80% of the country's gas distribution through a network of 65,000 km of gas pipelines. "Having gas distribution in the hands of a strong local player would clearly help us in this effort," a spokesman said.

Persons: David W Cerny, Pavel Cyrani, Cyrani, Macquarie, GasNet, Jan Lopatka, Jason Hovet, Susan Fenton, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Czech Gas Network Investments, Macquarie Asset Management, Columbia Investment Management Corporation, Allianz Capital, Thomson Locations: Ledvice, Czech Republic, Czech, Prague, Ukraine

Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) warned on Friday of a steeper decline in global demand for shipping containers by sea this year prompted by muted economic growth and customers reducing inventories. The company, one of the world's biggest container shippers with a market share of around 17%, said it expects container volumes to fall by as much as 4%. Maersk, one of the world's biggest container shippers with a market share of around 17%, transports goods for retailers and consumer companies such as Walmart, Nike and Unilever. Maersk posted record earnings last year due to high freight rates caused by high consumer demand and pandemic-related log jams at ports. But freight rates have tumbled this year amid a global economic slowdown.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Moller, destocking, Vincent Clerc, Jacob Gronholt, Pedersen, Terje Solsvik, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Maersk, REUTERS, Shipping, Walmart, Nike, Unilever, Thomson Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, Europe, United States

☆ Germany's Merck flags steeper drop in earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Ludwig Burger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A logo of drugs and chemicals group Merck KGaA is pictured in Darmstadt, Germany January 28, 2016. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), before one-offs, would fall between 3% and 9%, when adjusted for currency swings, the diversified company said. The foreign exchange effects would be an additional drag of between 3% and 6%, it added. It had previously forecast 2023 adjusted EBITDA to slip between 0% and 5%, with an additional negative foreign exchange effect of 2% to 5%. Merck also reported second-quarter adjusted EBITDA declined 12.8% to 1.55 billion euros ($1.69 billion), slightly above the average estimate of 1.5 billion euros in an analyst poll on the company's website.

Persons: Ralph Orlowski, Merck, drugmakers, Ludwig Burger, Maria Sheahan, Miranda Murray, Kim Coghill Organizations: Merck, REUTERS, Science, Thomson Locations: Darmstadt, Germany, COVID

☆ Telecom Italia's quarterly core profit rises as domestic revenues edge up
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

which was above a company-provided analyst consensus of 1.3 billion euros. TIM's net financial debt rose to 26.1 billion euros ($28.57 billion) as of June 30 from 24.6 billion euros in the same period last year. The company confirmed its financial targets for 2023, including a stabilisation of service revenue and core earnings at the domestic level. The government has special vetting powers on any deal involving TIM's grid and wants to join KKR's bid to keep a strategic oversight on Italy's main telecommunications infrastructure. The grid sale has faced heavy reservations from TIM's top investor, Vivendi (VIV.PA), which is demanding a higher valuation to back a deal.

Persons: Yara, Pietro Labriola, Giorgia, Elvira Pollina, Urvi, Chris Reese, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Telecom Italia, KKR, TIM, U.S, TIM's, Vivendi, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Milan, Bengaluru

☆ Apax set to buy stake in Palex Medical in 1 billion euro deal- sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Andres Gonzalez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 30 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Apax is set to agree the acquisition of a 50% stake in medical group Palex in a deal that will value the company at around 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), debt included, according to two sources with knowledge of the deal. Apax would acquire the stake in the medical equipment provider from investment fund Fremman and other minority shareholders, the sources said. Fremman, which was majority shareholder of Palex prior to the deal, would keep a 50% stake in a vehicle that will control the company. Apax and Fremman would partner with Palex's management team, which also owns a minority stake, the sources added. The deal will be announced as soon as next week, the sources said.

Persons: Apax, Fremman, Palex, Andres Gonzalez, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Thomson Locations: Italian, Spanish, Europe, Spain, Portugal, Italy

☆ Italy's Leonardo to focus on 'bytes and data', new CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Alvise Armellini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, July 28 (Reuters) - Italy's state-controlled defence and aerospace group Leonardo (LDOF.MI) needs to focus on the fast-growing cybersecurity and space sectors to keep up with industry trends, its new CEO said on Friday. "Defence is increasingly made with bytes and data, instead of bullets," Cingolani said during a call with analysts, announcing a new industrial plan that will be unveiled in early 2024. In the first half of 2023, Leonardo's new orders rose to almost 8.7 billion euros ($9.60 billion), up 18.9% year-on-year, while group net debt fell to 3.6 billion euros from 4.8 billion euros in the first half of last year. H1 revenues were up 4.8% to just under 6.9 billion euros, while earnings before interest, taxes depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 3.5% to 703 million euros. Leonardo's confirmed guidance for 2023 includes a forecast for new orders at around 17 billion euros, revenues in the 15-15.6 billion euro range, EBITA at 1.26-1.31 billion euros and group net debt of about 2.6 billion euros.

Persons: Leonardo, Roberto Cingolani, Cingolani, Leonardo's, Alvise Armellini, Gavin Jones, Deepa Babington Organizations: Defence, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Italy, Britain, Japan, Leonardo's Milan

Often dubbed "Russia's Google", Yandex has struggled to balance domestic pressures with the interests of its Western investors since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. Yandex's net income fell to 9.6 billion roubles ($106.8 million) while its adjusted earnings before income, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell 4% to 24.7 billion roubles. Revenue continued to grow, however, gaining 55% to 182.5 billion roubles, Yandex said. Yandex's Dutch-registered holding company is advancing plans to divest ownership and control of most of Yandex Group with a corporate restructuring. U.S. sanctions imposed last week on Alexei Kudrin, the former finance minister now spearheading Yandex's restructuring efforts, could hamper those plans.

Persons: Yandex, Alphabet's, Alexei Kudrin, Gleb Stolyarov, Alexander Marrow, Jason Neely, Emma Rumney Organizations: Google, Yandex, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Yandex's, U.S

☆ Universal Music earnings boosted by strong sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

July 26 (Reuters) - The world's largest record label Universal Music Group (UMG.AS) on Wednesday posted a better than expected second quarter core profit margin, boosted by strong sales from artists including Taylor Swift and South Korea's SEVENTEEN. Universal Music's quarterly margin on adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose to 21.9%, from 20.0% a year earlier, the group said in a statement. Adjusted EBITDA rose by 16.4% to 590 million euros ($653 million), higher than a company-provided consensus of 547 million euros. Universal Music reported revenues of 2.7 billion euros in the quarter, helped by a 10.6% yearly rise in recorded music subscriptions, the company added. Apart from Taylor Swift and South Korean boy band SEVENTEEN, other top sellers in the second quarter were King & Prince, Morgan Wallen, and Stray Kids, Universal Music said.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Lucian Grainge, Prince, Morgan Wallen, Alessandro Parodi, Toby Chopra, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Universal Music, Universal, Thomson Locations: South Korean

July 25 (Reuters) - Further deterioration in demand for glyphosate-based weed killers led Bayer (BAYGn.DE) to cut its full-year earnings outlook and announce a 2.5 billion euro ($2.8 billion) write-down on glyphosate-related assets. That was lower than a previous 2023 outlook of 12.5 billion euros, or slightly higher. Free cash flow would come in at zero, down from a previous prediction of 3 billion euros, the company said. "Based on the anticipated market development, in particular with respect to the glyphosate business, Bayer also expects to record a goodwill impairment of approximately 2.5 billion euros," it said. That would result in a second-quarter net loss of 2 billion euros.

Persons: Bayer, Bill Anderson, Roche, Markus Manns, Anderson, Hurricane Ida, Werner Baumann, Thomas Escritt, Ludwig Burger, Jonathan Oatis, Susan Fenton, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Union Investment, Barclays, FMC, BASF, Bayer, Thomson

☆ Randstad flags tougher job market, earnings beat forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Olivier Sorgho | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 25 (Reuters) - Randstad (RAND.AS), the world's biggest staffing firm, on Tuesday flagged weaker demand in a "challenging" jobs market, even as it beat expectations for second-quarter core earnings. "We've had an enormous surge in demand post-COVID ... from there we have sort of gradually seen demand pull back," he added. The company's shares recouped early losses to rise 3.5% by 1013 GMT, as its quarterly core profit beat market forecasts. Underlying earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) fell 12% to 271 million euros ($299.8 million), but exceeded the 260 million seen in a company-provided poll. An employer survey from the World Economic Forum earlier this year found that employment could decrease 2% by 2027.

Persons: Sander van't Noordende, We've, Marc Zwartsenburg, Randstad, van't Noordende, Olivier Sorgho, Jacqueline Wong, Milla Nissi, Emma Rumney Organizations: ING, Economic, Thomson Locations: U.S, Britain, China, North America, Europe, Northern Europe, Asia, Pacific, America, Gdansk

BERLIN, July 24 (Reuters) - Weak demand for glyphosate-based weed killers led Bayer (BAYGn.DE) to cut its full-year earnings outlook for the second time and announce a 2.5 billion euro ($2.8 billion) write-down on glyphosate-related assets. That was lower than a previous 2023 outlook of 12.5 billion euros, or slightly higher. Free cash flow would come in at zero, down from a previous prediction of 3 billion euros, the company said. "Based on the anticipated market development, in particular with respect to the glyphosate business, Bayer also expects to record a goodwill impairment of approximately 2.5 billion euros," it said. That would result in a second-quarter net loss of 2 billion euros.

Persons: Bayer, Hurricane Ida, Bill Anderson, Roche, Werner Baumann, Thomas Escritt, Ludwig Burger, Jonathan Oatis, Susan Fenton Organizations: Bayer, FMC, BASF, Thomson Locations: BERLIN

☆ Ocado keeps guidance after return to first-half underlying profit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( James Davey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SummaryCompanies First half underlying profit 16.6 mln stgLosses at pretax level widen to 289.5 mln stgShares surged last month on takeover speculationLONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - Ocado (OCDO.L), the British online supermarket and technology group, kept its financial guidance for the year as it reported a return to underlying profit in its first half. However, at the statutory level Ocado's pretax loss widened to 289.5 million pounds from 211.3 million reflecting depreciation, amortisation and exceptional items. Ocado said there was no change to the financial guidance given at its full-year results in February. In the first half Technology Solutions was EBITDA positive, Logistics was flat and Ocado Retail made a small loss. The group maintained its guidance for Technology Solutions to deliver "positive" EBITDA over the full 2022-23 year, with Ocado Retail making "marginally positive" EBITDA, and Logistics making "stable" EBITDA.

Persons: Tim Steiner, Ocado, Spencer, James Davey, Kate Holton, Jason Neely Organizations: Times, Amazon, Ocado, Marks, Logistics, Technology Solutions, Kroger, Casino, Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, Japan, France

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