Mar 07 ,2024
Synopsis
European equity futures are little changed amidst mixed session in Asia and higher close on Wall Street overnight. US futures softer. Bonds narrowly mixed. US 10-year yield steady at 4.11%. Dollar softer with biggest move versus yen. Oil up. Gold firmer. Industrial metals mixed.
Focus today will be on ECB interest rate decision at 14:15CET, press conf 14:45. No change in benchmark interest rate is expected. Also, latest ECB staff macroeconomic projections will be released with likely downward revision to growth and inflation forecast. In other events, BOE's Benford speech at 14:00GMT at the Big Data & AI World conf and Bundesbank's Balz speech at 16:00CET. Also today, heads of government of the German states are meeting in Berlin. The afternoon meeting includes Chancellor Scholz, and will focus on migration and refugee policy. A post meeting press conf is scheduled. UK MPs continue debate on the Spring Budget. EU's Simson delivers a keynote speech and participates in a panel discussion at the Offshore Norge's Annual Conf.
In macro releases, Germany Jan factory orders and manufacturing turnover are due at 7:00 GMT, along with Norway Jan manufacturing production, Denmark Jan manufacturing production and UK Feb house price index - Halifax. Switzerland Feb Unemployment Rate (sa) came in at 2.2% and in line with consensus 2.2% and prior 2.2%.
Another busy morning for earnings and trading updates. Of note, out of DACHs, Hugo Boss (BOSS.GR) reported final FY numbers with Q4 EPS €1.23 vs FactSet €1.08 and confirmed previously reported sales and EBIT; group guides 2024 EBIT of €430-475M vs FactSet €492.24M. Continental (CON.GR) reports FY net income €1.16B vs consensus €1.41B and revenue €41.42B vs guidance €41-43B. Merck KGaA (MRK.GR) reports FY EPS pre one-time items €8.49 vs FactSet €8.40 and expects return to organic growth in 2024. In France, JCDecaux (DEC.FP) reports netter-than-expected FY net income at €209M vs FactSet €149.3M whilst EBIT a miss at €266.2M vs FactSet €274.0M; group also proposes no dividend to be paid in 2024 in order to preserve financial flexibility. Eurazeo (RF.FP) reports FY results with Assets Under Management (AUM): +9% y/y to €35B and launches new €200M share buyback program for 2024.
Macro/Politics/ World News:
ECB set to keep borrowing costs steady for a fourth meeting but forecasts to boost case for rate cuts - Bloomberg
EU conservatives set to endorse von der Leyen as bloc's next chief executive - Reuters
UK:
VAT threshold for UK businesses limited by EU rules, Hunt admits privately - The Guardian
Budget fell far short on UK green investment, experts say - The Guardian
UK Is 'On Track' for 4% Hit to Economy From Brexit, OBR Says - Bloomberg
French budget squeeze has only just begun - Reuters
Ukraine:
Top company news
Earnings/updates
CON.GR (Continental) -- FY net income €1.16B vs consensus €1.41B; hikes di by ~47% and guides FY24
ZAG.AV (Zumtobel Group) -- Q3 net income €0.3M vs year-ago €9.7M; confirms FY outlook
DEC.FP (JCDecaux) -- FY net income €209M vs FactSet €149.3M [10 est, €123.1-212.7M]
BOSS.GR (Hugo Boss) -- Q4 EPS €1.23 vs FactSet €1.08; guides 2024 EBIT of €430-475M vs FactSet €492.24M
G1A.GR (GEA Group) -- FY EPS €2.56 ex-items vs consensus €2.30
NEXI.IM (Nexi SpA) -- FY normalized net income €711.8M vs FactSet €726.1M; To proposes up to €500M share buy-back program; guides 2024
MRK.GR (Merck KGaA) -- FY EPS pre one-time items €8.49 vs FactSet €8.40 [15 est, €7.93-8.68]; expects return to organic growth in 2024
PSM.GR (ProSiebenSat.1 Media) -- final FY adj net income €260M vs FactSet €213.2M; confirms FY24 outlook
PBB.GR (Deutsche Pfandbriefbank) -- FY pretax income €90M vs preliminary €90M and FactSet €91.6M
RF.FP (Eurazeo) -- FY net income €1.82B vs FactSet €299.2M [3 est, €108.1-500M]
TIT.IM (Telecom Italia) -- board approves 2024-2026 "Free to Run" industrial plan
UCG.IM (UniCredit) -- moves the date of the board approval of Q1 results to 6-May from 29-Apr
AVOL.SW (Avolta) -- FY core EPS CHF2.21 vs FactSet CHF2.29 [12 est, CHF1.90-3.50]
GLJ.GR (GRENKE) -- FY EPS €1.79 vs FactSet €1.78 [5 est, €1.76-1.79]; confirms forecast for 2024
NFN.GR (NFON) -- FY adj EBITDA €8.4M vs year-ago (€1.0M)
CTPNV.NA (CTP NV) -- Q4 EPRA EPS €0.19 vs year-ago €0.16
TEP.FP (Teleperformance) -- FY net income €602M vs FactSet €798.9M [16 est, €613.5-917M]; proposed dividend of €3.85/sh
CGG.FP (CGG) -- final FY earnings inline with prelim. release: Adj. EBITDA $400M vs guidance $390-400M
JMT.PL (Jeronimo Martins) -- FY net income attributable €756M, raises dividend +21.6% y/y (post EU close 6-Mar)
BANB.SW (Bachem Holding) -- FY net income CHF111.9M vs FactSet CHF106.5M [8 est, CHF100.9-110.9M]; div +6.7% y/y
SPIE.FP (SPIE) -- FY adjusted net income €344.0M vs FactSet €337.1M [8 est, €314-353.9M]
ELIS.FP (Elis) -- FY headline net income €433.4M vs FactSet €414.7M; hikes divi by 5% and guides FY24
VIJ.GR (Viemed Healthcare) -- Q4 EPS $0.09 vs year-ago $0.06
AZE.BB (Azelis Group) -- FY adj EBITA €466.3M vs FactSet €472.6M
KARN.SW (Kardex Holding) -- FY net income €66.9M vs FactSet €60.1M [2 est, €59.1-61.1M]
SFSN.SW (SFS Group) -- FY net income CHF268.5M vs FactSet CHF269.4M [8 est, CHF258.5-280.8M]
HAUTO.NO (Höegh Autoliners) -- Feb trading update: transported 1.1M CBM of cargo on prorated basis
MTU.FP (Manitou BF) -- FY EPS €3.75 vs year-ago €1.43
M&A
ROVI.SM (Laboratorios Farmaceuticos Rovi, S.A.) -- has engaged Lazard to assess potential strategic alternatives
ECV.GR (Encavis AG) -- confirms talks on potential transaction with KKR (KKR);
+SCH.GR (Schenker) -- Deutsche Bahn targeting Schenker sale in H2 of 2024 - Reuters
Healthcare
PFE (Pfizer) -- FDA approves sNDA for Besponsa of treatment of relapsed or refractory CD22-positive B-cel ALL in pediatric patients 1 year and older
DXCM (Dexcom) -- trading sharply higher; analysts see no surprises from Roche presentation at ATTD
BAYN.GR (Bayer AG) -- Bayer confirms there is zero chance of a fresh capital increase - FT
ZLAB (ZAI Lab) -- to present final overall survival (OS) data from Phase 3 NORA study of ZEJULA (niraparib) in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian Cancer (PSROC)
FRE.GR (Fresenius) -- FDA approves Fresenius' Tyenne, second biosimilar of Actemra
VIJ.GR (Viemed Healthcare) -- SEC filing: 10-K
Other
VETN.SW (Vetropack Group) -- starts consultation process on the future of its production site in St-Prex; could result in its closure this year
MTG.SW (Meier Tobler Group) -- replaces the ongoing share buyback program with a buyback offer at a fixed price
STLAM.IM (Stellantis) -- announces €5.6B investment in South America from 2025 to 2030
BA.LN (BAE Systems) -- awarded $181.9M US Navy contract modification for ACV program
MKS.LN (Marks & Spencer Group) -- Marks & Spencer co-CEO Katie Bickerstaffe to step down this year to pursue portfolio career - Sky News
AVOL.SW (Avolta) -- publishes 2023 ESG report
ECV.GR (Encavis AG) -- signs two non-recourse project refinancing agreements in total amount of €203M for its operating solar plants Talayuela and La Cabrera, Spain
EURN.BB (Euronav) -- Index Change: Euronav NV to be included in BEL 20 Index
ELIOR.FP (Elior Group) -- discloses terms of share buyback progam
TPEIR.GA (Piraeus Financial Holdings) -- Hellenic Financial Stability Fund sets offering of Piraeus Financial Holdings shares at €4.00/share - Reuters (6-Mar, 16:32 CET)
MMT.FP (M6-Metropole) -- announces free streaming platform, M6+
Key rating changes
Upgrades
AAL.LN (Anglo American) -- to overweight from equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
ACE.IM (ACEA) -- to outperform from neutral at Mediobanca
ADYEN.NA (Adyen) -- to outperform from neutral at BNP Paribas Exane
ATCO.A.SS (Atlas Copco) -- to equal weight from underweight at Barclays
DOM.LN (Domino's Pizza Group) -- to buy from add at Peel Hunt
EDPR.PL (EDP Renovaveis) -- to buy from hold at Bestinver Securities
IBE.SM (Iberdrola) -- to overweight from equal-weight at Morgan Stanley
LMP.LN (LondonMetric Property) -- to buy from hold at Berenberg
SIGN.SW (SIG Combibloc Group) -- to equal weight from underweight at Barclays
Downgrades
BAYN.GR (Bayer AG) -- to market perform from outperform at Bernstein
GTT.FP (Gaztransport & Technigaz) -- to hold from buy at Berenberg
INTRUM.SS (Intrum) -- to sell from hold at Arctic Securities
MONC.IM (Moncler) -- to market perform from outperform at Bernstein
PIRC.IM (Pirelli & C.) -- to neutral from outperform at BNP Paribas Exane
PIRC.IM (Pirelli & C.) -- to hold from buy at Kepler Cheuvreux
SAVE.SS (Nordnet) -- to hold from buy at SEB
UNI.SM (Unicaja Banco) -- to hold from buy at Jefferies
Initiations
LONN.SW (Lonza Group) -- outperform at Oddo
SCA.B.SS (Svenska Cellulosa) -- underweight at Barclays
STERV.FH (Stora Enso) -- underweight at Barclays
Data
Nikkei (1.23%) to 39598.71
Hang Seng (1.26%) to 16230.55
Shanghai Composite (0.38%) to 3028.43
S&P futures (9.8) vs prior close of 5111.8
€-$ +0.0002 or +0.02% to 1.0899
$-¥ (1.19) or (0.80%) to 148.20
€-¥ (1.32) or (0.81%) to 161.51
This information and data is provided for general informational purposes only. The Bank of New York Mellon and our information suppliers do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, timeliness or completeness of this information or data. We provide no advice nor recommendation or endorsement with respect to any company or securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update or amend this information or data. Nothing herein shall be deemed to constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities.
Please refer to "Terms Of Use".
DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS:
NOT FDIC, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY INSURED
MAY LOSE VALUE
NO BANK, STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY GUARANTEE