Week ahead: AstraZeneca, Unilver, BP results due

6th Feb 2026 10:18

(Sharecast News) - Next week sees the release of results from AstraZeneca, Unilever, Barclays and BP, among others, while on the macro front, fourth-quarter UK GDP figures will be published, as well as the delayed US non-farm payrolls report.

There are no FTSE 350 updates scheduled for Monday. However, results from BP, AstraZeneca and Barclays are due on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, housebuilder Barratt Redrow and Imperial Leather maker PZ Cussons will release interim results, along with Renishaw. On Thursday Relx, Ashmore and Unilever are slated to report.

As far as AstraZeneca is concerned, Derren Nathan, head of equity analysis at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the pharma giant is headed into its final quarter with strong momentum, and while there was no upgrade following third-quarter results, there's still potential for results to land a little stronger than expected.

"While there can be no guarantee, the market forecasts to beat are for growth of 8.4% in revenue to $58.6 billion, and 7.7% in operating profit to $18.3 billion," he said.

"When the company's shares were admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange this week, Astra reiterated its confidence in reaching its 2030 revenue target of $80 billion. 2025 saw strong clinical progress on drugs whose peak annual revenue potential collectively exceeded $10 billion. But analysts look like they still need some convincing that the 2030 target is achievable. Guidance for 2026 and beyond will be the key metrics to monitor."

Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the recent performance of consumer goods firm Unilever has been better than expected, with all business units in growth territory in the third quarter.

"Next week's full-year results will mark the first update since the demerger of its ice cream business," he noted.

"Due to this spin-off, markets are forecasting total sales to fall by around 11% to €54.2 billion. A mammoth streamlining of the business is underway though, with the group hoping to have delivered around €650 million of cost savings over 2025. As a result, operating profits are expected to fall at a slower pace of around 7% to €10.4 billion.

"More important will be the outlook for 2026, and how that compares to the medium-term underlying sales growth target of 4-6%. Hitting this level will require its current high levels of advertising spending to drive an uplift in brand awareness and market share. Analysts are cautiously optimistic that 2026 sales growth will come in at the lower end of this target range, before ramping up slowly in the following years."

Results from Relx will be in focus after the recent selloff in the shares and the broader software sector due to worries about the impact of AI.

UBS thinks the FY25 results will be in line with expectations. It pointed out that Relx gives limited guidance and full-year organic growth is usually in line with the nine-month period.

"We think commentary around trends/new genAI products in STM and Legal, and the size of the share buyback are key things to watch," the bank said.

On the macro front, fourth-quarter UK GDP figures on Thursday will be one of the highlights, along with US retail sales figures for December on Tuesday. In addition, the non-farm payrolls report for January - which was delayed due to the partial government shutdown - will be released on Wednesday.

Across the pond, investors will turn their attention to earnings from Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Kraft Heinz, Pinterest and Hasbro, among others.

Monday February 09

FINALS

Plus500 Ltd (DI), Porvair, Wynnstay Group

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Netcall

Tuesday February 10

INTERIMS

Dunelm Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

TBC Bank Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Retail Sales (US) (13:30)

Q4

AstraZeneca, BP

FINALS

AstraZeneca, Barclays, BP, Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI)

EGMS

Air Astana Joint Stock Company Gdr (Each Repr 4 Com Shs) (Reg S)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bellway

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

The Sage Group

Wednesday February 11

INTERIMS

Barratt Redrow, MJ Gleeson , PZ Cussons, Renishaw

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

BT Group

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)

MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)

AGMS

Fevara, RWS Holdings

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

Severn Trent

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

BRC Shop Price Index (00:01)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Future

Thursday February 12

INTERIMS

Ashmore Group

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Knights Group Holdings , Rank Group

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Nokia OYJ

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BlackRock American Income Trust, Carnival, GCP Asset Backed Income Fund Limited, NextEnergy Solar Fund Limited Red, Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust , Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV, Pershing Square Holdings Ltd NPV (USD), The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Current Account (GER) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Q4

Unilever

GMS

Invesco Bond Income Plus Limited NPV

FINALS

British American Tobacco, Nexus Infrastructure , Relx plc, Schroders, Unilever

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Ramsdens Holdings

EGMS

Eqtec Eur (CDI), Eqtec Eur (CDI)

AGMS

Anglesey Mining, easyJet, GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Vast Resources

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (07:00)

Claimant Count Rate (07:00)

GDP (Preliminary) (07:00)

Gross Domestic Product (07:00)

Index of Services (07:00)

Industrial Production (07:00)

Manufacturing Production (07:00)

RICS Housing Market Survey (00:01)

Unemployment Rate (07:00)

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

JPMorgan Japanese Inv Trust, Tracsis, WH Smith

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Blackrock Income And Growth Investment Trust, Coventry 12 1/8% Perm Int Bearing Shs #1000, Oxford Metrics, Ramsdens Holdings , Renew Holdings

Friday February 13

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

FIH Group , Jet2, JPMorgan Emerging Markets Growth & Income, Solid State

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE

Thor Explorations Ltd (DI)

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (EU) (10:00)

GDP (Preliminary) (EU) (10:00)

Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)

FINALS

NATWEST GROUP

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Thor Explorations Ltd (DI)

AGMS

Agronomics Limited

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

AJ Bell, Baillie Gifford European Growth Trust , Hargreave Hale AIM VCT , Premier Miton Group, Unicorn AIM VCT