News & Financial Advice

Lindt & Sprungli has increased its net profit in the first half but remains cautious for the year 2010 because of the volatile commodity prices and foreign exchange.

Net income was posted at 24.8 million francs (18.8 million euros) in the first half, almost tenfold from 2.7 million achieved a year earlier, said Tuesday the Swiss chocolate.

Analysts polled by Reuters on average expected 20.4 million.

"Despite the excellent results of the first half of 2010, Lindt & Sprungli sticks to what it was made public in March 2010, the company said in a statement, citing an economic environment not yet fully consolidated and conditions still volatile.

It confirms expected this year organic growth of 5% to 7% and operating profit (EBIT) of 300 to 340 million francs.

The EBIT after exceptionals jumped by 40.7% in the first half, to 33.9 million francs, against 26.8 million expected by the market. Turnover increased 7.9% to 1056.6 million (against 1.043 million expected), after 979 million in the first half of 2009.

In value terms, the group notes that most of the chocolate market grew moderately in the first half, while in terms of volumes, it continues to see a certain stagnation.

Ingenico posted a net income multiplied by more than two in the first half thanks to the increase in transactions in Europe and raised its sales target.

The specialist in payment terminals is now 805-815000000 euros in turnover for 2010 while the group was counting on sales until now included in the top of the range from 790 to 805,000,000.

Its net profit was for the first half of 2010 to 11,200,000 euros, an increase of 133% compared to last year, returning to levels comparable to early 2008, while its net sales reached 395 million, up 10% over the first six months of 2009 on a comparable basis.

"The return to positive momentum in the second quarter we can see our goal of increasing revenue and our target operating margin adjusted for 2010, said Thursday in a statement Philip Lazarus, CEO of 'Ingenico.

The adjusted operating margin target of between 12.5% to 13% is thus maintained for 2010, same as the EBITDA margin between 16% and 17%.

The group had also exceeded its expectations for adjusted operating margin, which stood at 9.3% against a target level "comparable" to 8.6% in first half 2009 pro forma.

The Group's organic growth was driven by its performance in China, Germany and France.Ingenico has continued its acquisition strategy by taking control of both companies in the areas of services related to payments, Transfer To to Singapore and First Data Iberica in Spain.

On the historic market of payment terminals, the main competitors remain Ingenico Hypercom and VeriFone Americans.

At the close Thursday, as the group finished down slightly from 0.1% to 19.40 euros, bringing its market capitalization to nearly $ 950 million.

The industrial conglomerate 3M reported a 43.2% jump in net profit in the second quarter, above expectations, due to strong demand from emerging markets.

The U.S. company, which manufactures both the Post-It notes, Scotch tape as films used in flat screen displays a profit of $ 1.12 billion or $ 1.54 per share for the period April to June, One result cons of 783 million or $ 1.12 per share in the second Quarter 2009.

Analysts on average forecast EPS of $ 1.48 according to the consensus established by Thomson Reuters I / B / E / S.

Turnover rose 17.7% to 6.73 billion dollars according to the forecast given by the company in late June

For 2010, 3M now expects earnings per share excluding items between $ 5.80 and 5.65 and a growth of between 13% and 15% excluding acquisitions against a previous range of 10% to 12%.

The Minnesota company said however that the decline of the euro against the dollar could weigh on its results in the second half.

The German unemployment rate reached its lowest level since December 2008 but the uncertain economic outlook for 2011 could undermine this trend.

The number of unemployed fell by 21,000 in Germany in June, seasonally adjusted data, after falling 41,000 in May (revised from 45,000) to go back to 3.23 million, announced the Federal Labour Office.

The German unemployment rate displays and twelfth consecutive month of decline.

"The unemployment figures have stagnated at this level," said Andreas Scheurle, economist at DekaBank. "The economy is expected to deteriorate in 2011.This suggests that this figure should remain at this level. "

The number of unemployed for the month of May has been revised from 3,246,000 to 3,251,000 people.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged in June at 7.7% of the workforce.

Economists polled by Reuters expected a larger decline in the number of unemployed, with 25,000 applicants for fewer jobs and an unemployment rate unchanged at 7.7%.

In unadjusted data, the number of unemployed fell by 88,000 over the month to 3.153 million.

The director of the Federal Labour Office, Frank-Juergen Weise, it is possible that the number of jobseekers fell below the three million mark by the end of the year.He stressed the good economic performance in the second quarter but had doubts in 2011.

The drop in unemployment follows a surge in industrial orders in April.

"As the order books are filling up, companies must increasingly resort to stop using part-time work or new employees. However, he cautioned against being too optimistic," said Joerg Zeuner VP Bank.

The German manufacturing activity fell further in June, suggesting a slower recovery in Europe in the second half of 2010.

"The impending austerity measures to balance budgets in the euro area is already clouding the outlook," he adds."A further decline in demand would again use under pressure."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel unveiled this month a plan to achieve budgetary savings of 80 billion euros over the next four years, with the objective to comply with the requirements of the European Union by 2013.

Offer Pigasse-Bergé-Niel got the endorsement Monday of the supervisory board of the World allows both parties to enter into exclusive negotiations to resume and recapitalization of the newspaper said Monday the company director of the editors of World.

France Telecom announced earlier in the day that it would withdraw its offer of resumption of the World after the supervisory board, with the competing offer Friday received strong support from employees every day.

Two meetings were held in the afternoon.The supervisory board of the World Ltd has approved 13 votes for and 5 abstentions, while the supervisory board of the World Partners and Associates, which owns 60% of the World Ltd, has voted with 11 votes with 9 abstentions, told Reuters Gilles Van Kote of the Society of Editors of the World.

Nicolas Sarkozy has once again ruled out any increase in compulsory levies to finance the pension reform, but confirmed that efforts would be applied to high income and capital income, Monday, May 10 at the sides.

"There is (…) two solutions that do not seem desirable: touch the pensions of retirees and believe, as so often in the past that rising tax burden would be the answer to all our problems," said M . Sarkozy during his opening statement released by the presidency.

"It would in fact reduce the living standards of the French and penalize growth.I am deeply convinced that a demographic challenge must first demographic responses "such as delaying the age of retirement or increasing the contribution period, he added, referring the issue of pensions, though not the agenda of the Social Summit.

Labour Minister Eric Woerth had mentioned last week, one of the tracks government work, an increase in resources for Old Age Solidarity Fund (FSV), mainly fueled by a fraction of revenues from the CSG (Contribution Sociale generalized).

Nicolas Sarkozy has once again vowed on Monday to trade unions and employers that the planned reform would be "fair", confirming such an "additional financial effort high income and capital income.

The Head of State also confirmed that Eric Woerth made public next week a "guidance document which will indicate the principles set for the reform, which will be a new stage of comprehensive cooperation."