Friday preview: Michael Page, WPP, UBM

4th Mar 2010 17:16

Investors are keen to see if Michael Page did better than Hays in the last six months of 2009 when the white collar recruiter reports final figures Friday. Hays slumped last week when it said interim profit plunged to £3.4m from £100.8m in 2008 and warned that business remains "challenging" in the UK. It's expected to be "broadly similar" in the second half. Michael Page is more focused on the better performing overseas markets and less on the public sector, so Charles Stanley expects news of an improving outlook. "We believe Michael Page is among the best placed of the staffers to achieve considerable earnings growth over the next cycle," it said. "With the potential of the group in our view still not fully priced in, we anticipate further positive share price performance as the cycle matures." But risks surrounding a delay to the recovery remain a concern. Advertising giant WPP's is expected to have been hit by the impact of the global economic downturn on the advertising and marketing industry.Analysts are looking for pre-tax profit of about £780m for 2009 versus £968m a year ago on revenue around the £8.7bn mark.Business publisher United Business Media (UBM) will also deliver final results ahead of the weekend and Singer predicts a fall in pre-tax profit to £150m from £171.5m in 2008 on revenue down to £820m from £887m.INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECPL Resources, Daejan Holdings, Downing Protected VCT IV, Downing Protected VCT V, Latchways, Mattioli Woods, Penna ConsultingQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBoeingINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSConsumer Credit (US) (20:00)Factory Orders (GER) (11:00)Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)GMSHogg Robinson, MinervaFINALSHardy Underwriting Bermuda, Michael Page International, WPP Group, UBMFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEConnaught, ING Global Real Estate Securities, New Europe Property Investments, Northern AIM VCT, Sage Group, Treatt