FTSE 250 Movers: Challenging outlook for PZ Cussons

14th Apr 2011 13:02

Interim results from newsagent WH Smith, a strong riser today, were in line with expectations, with like for like sales down 6% on the high street and 3% lower in the group's travel outlets. Profit before tax edged up to £64m from £62m the year before, despite the fall in group revenue to £686m from £716m.Seymour Pierce, which rates the shares a buy, notes: "With retail making virtually all its profits over Christmas in the first half, the focus will be on the outlook for travel over the summer. Comparables are potentially weaker given the volcanic ash disruption and the number of BA [British Airways] strike days last year."More evidence of the threadbare state of the UK consumer's wallet came from consumer goods outfit PZ Cussons, which said trading conditions in the UK remain challenging. The shares are sharply lower after the company said that trading in its core market of Nigeria may be disrupted this year by the country's electoral process. FTSE 250 - RisersWH Smith (SMWH) 489.40p +8.59%Filtrona PLC (FLTR) 320.50p +4.33%CPP Group (CPP) 130.00p +4.00%JD Sports Fashion (JD.) 870.00p +3.88%Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 37.14p +3.22%Supergroup (SGP) 1,476.00p +3.07%Savills (SVS) 381.50p +3.00%Great Portland Estates (GPOR) 390.60p +2.68%Ashtead Group (AHT) 199.00p +2.58%RPC Group (RPC) 320.80p +2.52%FTSE 250 - FallersPZ Cussons (PZC) 324.00p -5.07%Exillon Energy (EXI) 431.00p -4.22%Henderson Group (HGG) 161.80p -4.03%United Business Media Ltd. (UBM) 560.00p -3.03%Bwin.party Digital Entertainment (BPTY) 129.90p -2.84%Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 335.00p -2.64%Regus (RGU) 107.20p -2.37%SIG (SHI) 137.20p -2.35%SVG Capital (SVI) 250.00p -2.08%Premier Foods (PFD) 29.89p -2.06%