Mid-cap mania to dominate corporate news this week
THIS week is shorter than usual due to the bank holiday and trading volumes are likely to remain low, but there are enough mid-cap firms reporting to keep life interesting.
FTSE 250 biotechnology firm Dechra Pharmaceuticals kicks the week off with its final results, which are not expected to add very much to its pre-close update last month. Investec said that it will be looking for more information regarding progress on recent drug launches, evidence of the impact of the downturn and news on pipeline drugs.
A trading update from lock-up operator Safestore is also expected today.
Hargreaves Lansdown will tomorrow report its full-year results, which it expects to be ahead of upper analyst forecasts of £69.1m, with its fourth quarter performance boosted by the stock market recovery.
Also tomorrow, retailer DSG International is due to release a 16-week trading statement at its general meeting. Numis Securities expects it to post similar trends to the fourth-quarter, with PC World and Curry’s both down 10-15 per cent and Nordic off five to seven per cent.
Investec maintains a “buy” stance, which is “predicated on the group’s self-help measures and cyclical recovery delivering a strong profit uplift over the medium term which is not reflected in the current valuation”.
Thursday is the busiest day of the week for corporate news. Playtech will post its interims and, following the firm’s profit warning last month, analysts will focus on moves to rebuild confidence within the financial community and to improve communications with shareholders.
Premier Farnell will update on its second-quarter performance, and Numis anticipates revenues of £202m.
Recruiter Hays is scheduled to report its finals on Thursday. The group’s July trading statement indicated another tough quarter, with net fees down 40 per cent year-on-year. The consensus pre-tax profit forecast suggests the company will on Thursday confirm a 41 per cent decline from last year to £147m.
Finally, transport group Go-Ahead will report its finals on Thursday. The firm’s bus and rail divisions are expected to have performed well, but its aviation services operation is likely to have felt the impact of the downturn in air travel.