Friday preview: Rain a pain again for Marshalls

5th Jul 2012 18:05

'Rain, rain, go away' should be the mantra for landscaping products firm Marshalls, which issues a pre-close trading update on Friday.In its interim management statement in May the firm grumbled about the rainfall in April being an important factor in sales being down that month by £5m on April 2011, so the wettest June in living memory in the UK will not have pleased management. "Construction markets remain subdued with growth only really visible in larger infrastructure schemes where Marshalls is less well exposed. So, it is unlikelythat we'll see any market-led improvements," suggests Peel Hunt."Marshalls remains very active, however, on self-help measures to underpin the revenue while markets are tough. Ultimate recovery in markets and growth from self-help feeding through to high marginal profitability remains the key attraction," the broker added.INTERIMSSandvine Corp.INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAlternative Networks, Associated British Foods, Cardiff Property, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Debenhams, Grainger, Noble Investments (UK), ShaftesburyQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBritish Assets TrustQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEVerizon CommunicationsINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSIndustrial Production (GER) (11:00)Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)Q2Sandvine Corp.SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEF&C Managed Portfolio Trust Income SharesAGMSNorthern Investors Co, Software Radio TechnologyFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBalfour Beatty, Camellia, Cello Group, Densitron Technologies, First Derivatives, Hill & Smith Holdings, Huntsworth, Judges Scientific, JZ Capital Partners Ltd, M&C Saatchi, Marshalls, Morgan Crucible Co, Prezzo, Stobart Group Ltd., Tesco, Utilico Emerging Markets Ltd (DI), Yule Catto & CoTRADING STATEMENTMarshallsJH