Week Ahead: Experian, Debenhams, UK trade

9th Apr 2010 11:40

Another relatively quiet week is in prospect on the company results front. In the retail sector Debenhams, JD Sports Fashion and Halfords are due to give trading updates, while elsewhere Experian, the credit checking firm, and Rio Tinto, the mining giant, are the other high profile firms due to make announcements.Experian is expected to provide sales figures on Thursday relating to the second half of its fiscal year or, if you prefer, the six months to the end of March.UBS is forecasting organic sales growth of 2% for the period, which suggests a pick-up in the fourth quarter after the company reported growth of just 1% for its third quarter. If that proves to be the case then UBS said it would represent "the first genuine improvement" in the growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2006.Back in January the company itself seemed fairly confident of a solid fourth quarter. "For the fourth quarter, we expect modest improvement in organic revenue growth. For the year as a whole we remain on track to grow profits at constant currency and deliver strong free cash flow,' said Don Robert, chief executive officer of Experian.Shares in department store Debenhams have been on an upward surge since the beginning of March, a trend not harmed by the company's trading update in the middle of March in which it said it saw improving trends.The firm said it had seen increased market share in menswear and childrenswear, though womenswear was affected by the move away from concessions. 'We are pleased with our first half performance which shows continued progress in delivering our strategy,' said chief executive Rob Templeman. On the economic front the UK Trade figures are out on Tuesday and will doubtless provide plenty for campaigning politicians to get their teeth into. Despite the weakness of sterling, the visible trade balance is nowhere near as healthy as Prime Minister Gordon Brown would like and it is not expected to have improved much in February, with the market consensus going for a deficit of £7.3bn compared to a deficit of £7.98bn in January.The non-EU trade deficit is forecast to narrow to £3.80bn from £4.83bn in January.Monday April 12INTERIMSCarr's Milling Industries, YouGovQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEAfrica Opportunity Fund Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBoJ Intrest Rates Minutes (JPN) (23:50)Housing Starts (US) (13:30)New Home Sales (AUS) (00:00)Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)FINALSGlobaltrans Investment GDR (Reg S), Networkers International, VernalisANNUAL REPORTFidelity Japanese ValuesIMSSXP PowerAGMSBank Audi SAL- Audi Saradar Group GDR (repr 1 Com Shr LBP12250)(Reg S), RGI InternationalTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSE2V TechnologiesUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBRC Sales Monitor (11:00)Tuesday April 13INTERIMSDebenhamsINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEIngenious Entertainment VCT 1, Ingenious Entertainment VCT 2INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (US) (13:30)Consumer Price Index(GER) (07:00)Import and Export Price Indexes (US) (13:30)GMSSavile GroupFINALSIntelligent Environments, Oxford Catalysts, TreveriaANNUAL REPORTMecom GroupEGMSMetal-TechAGMSAcenciA Debt Strategies Ltd., Carnival, PorvairUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (09:30)BRC Sales Monitor (11:00)Consumer Price Index (09:30)Industrial Production (09:30)Retail Price Index (09:30)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEFirst Quantum MineralsWednesday April 14INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATEF&C Private Equity, Octopus Eclipse VCT 1, Octopus Eclipse VCT 3, Octopus Eclipse VCT 4QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEYamana Gold IncQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEHenderson Global Property Companies Ltd., Mercantile Inv Trust, Merchants TrustINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBeige Book Fed Survey (US) (19:00)Business Inventories (US) (13:30)Consumer Price Index(US) (13:30)Crude Inventories (US) (18:00)Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)Retail Sales (US) (13:30)GMSAbbeycrestFINALSAGI Therapeutics, Bond International Software, JD Sports Fashion, VelosiANNUAL REPORTTravis PerkinsIMSSAshmore GroupSPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEF&C Private Equity Restricte 'D' SharesAGMSAccess Intelligence, Heavitree, JPMorgan Claverhouse Inv Trust, Octopus Titan VCT 3, Octopus Titan VCT 4TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSAlterianUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSClaimant Count Rate (09:30)Unemployment Rate (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBlackRock Latin American Inv Trust, Lancashire Holdings, Shire PlcFINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEArbuthnot Banking Group, BG Group, Capita Group, Charles Taylor, Charter International, Chesnara, China Medical System Holdings, Davis Service Group, Devro, Evolution Group, Filtrona PLC, Fisher (James) & Sons, Forth Ports, Fyffes, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, IMI, Impax Environmental Markets, International Personal Finance, Invista Real Estate Investment Management Holdings, Kerry Group 'A', Legal & General Group, Octopus IHT AIM VCT 'A' Shares, RPS Group, Sperati (Ca), Spirax-Sarco Engineering, T Clarke, Tullow OilThursday April 15INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (EU) (10:00)Beige Book Fed Survey (US) (19:00)Capacity Utilisation (US) (14:15)Consumer Price Index(EU) (10:00)Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)ECB Report (EU) (09:00)Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (EU) (10:00)Industrial Production (US) (14:15)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (15:00)GMSNew Britain Palm Oil LimitedFINALSAmiad Filtration Systems, Hasgrove, Hightex, Michelmersh Brick Holdings, Westminster Group, X5 Retail Group GDR (Reg S)ANNUAL REPORTPetropavlovskIMSSEagaAGMSBP, Plant Health Care, Rio Tinto, Talvivaara Mining Company, Tiszai Vgyi. GDR (Reg S)TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSExperian Group, Halfords Group, Rio TintoFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEPhoenix Group HoldingsFriday April 16INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATESkywest AirlinesQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEQueen's Walk Investment Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBuilding Permits (US) (13:30)Consumer Confidence (US) (15:00)Consumer Price Index (EU) (13:30)Housing Starts (US) (13:30)ANNUAL REPORTDelcam, Nichols, Rentokil Initial, Sigma CapitalAGMSRaven RussiaUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSRetail Sales (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEChrysalis VCT, Heavitree