Returning to Asian roots will pay off March 1, 2010 SIR Michael Geoghegan might be in a charitable mood, but investors aren’t; the firm’s stock shed over five per cent to close at 682p yesterday, after worse-than-expected headline figures for the full year. The disastrous acquisition of Household is still the albatross around the bank’s neck. It is busy running off the now-closed division, but [...]
Prudential is back in black as deal looms March 1, 2010 PRUDENTIAL swung back into the black as it reported a £1.7bn pre-tax profit yesterday, marginally ahead of consensus estimates. Bullish after performing solidly through changeable market conditions, the British insurer upped its total dividend by five per cent to 19.85p per share for 2009. However, traders were unsettled by a 24 per cent fall in [...]
Thiam says UK is still key as he eyes move to eastern markets March 1, 2010 THE headquarters of Prudential will stay in the UK, although the new holding company used to buy American International Assurance will be dual-listed in London and Hong Kong. Chief executive Tidjane Thiam said the UK remained “key” to the insurance titan’s strategy. More mature western markets – primarily the UK and the US – are [...]
Investment banks line up for advisers’ fee bonanza March 1, 2010 HSBC, JPMorgan and Credit Suisse stand to take a healthy slice of the action by underwriting Prudential’s $20bn (£13bn) cash call for American International Assurance. The 162-year-old insurer is tipped to pay $735m in fees to the investment banks for underwriting and advising on the rights issue. Dealmakers will enjoy a three per cent upfront [...]
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF PRUDENTIAL’S TAKEOVER OF AIA? March 1, 2010 MARCUS BARNARD | ORIEL SECURITIES “The issue for the market is the scale of the equity issue that’s got to be done and the dilution that will come about as a result. They are issuing a lot of shares at a discount. Once the shares are away the thing could start to re-rate, but it’s [...]
Vivendi cuts losses but stays cautious March 1, 2010 Europe’s largest entertainment group was cautious yesterday despite posting better than expected results. In the last three months of 2009, Vivendi posted a net loss of €958m (£868m), narrowed from €1.38bn a year earlier. The buoyant results were boosted by strong performances from its gaming and telecoms operations. Revenue for the quarter was €7.61bn, down [...]
Hiscox profits surge as storm claims fall March 1, 2010 HISCOX yesterday reported a surge in pre-tax profits after the insurance group saw its figures sky rocket to £320.6m, quadrupling last year’s outcome. The Bermuda based insurer said profits climbed after the company made a series of investments during the year. The diminished number of global catastrophes also affected its figures. “Our catastrophe reinsurance underwriting [...]
Lloyd’s insurer Amlin enjoys bumper year March 1, 2010 LLOYD’S of London insurer Amlin saw profits jump fourfold last year as it benefited from a recovery in investment markets and avoided major natural disasters. Amlin reported a pre-tax profit for 2009 of £509.1m, compared with £121.6m in 2008. The results were almost a fifth higher than most analysts predicted. Bullish Amlin chief executive Charles [...]
TNK-BP profits fall but group grows reserves March 1, 2010 RUSSIA’S third-biggest oil and gas producer TNK-BP yesterday said it replenished its reserves in 2009, helped by a rise in the end-year oil price although its profits fell on lower average prices over the year. TNK-BP, half-owned by BP, said yesterday that under the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s methodology, which uses the year-end spot [...]
Arena profits up after media deals March 1, 2010 ARENA Leisure – the UK’s biggest racecourse operator – has seen pre-tax profit rise three per cent to £4.1m. The group received a boost from a new media rights deal and £55m of new banking facilities arranged with Lloyds Banking Group. Revenues jumped to £65.2m, up from £64.8m in the year to 31 December. Pre-tax [...]