Week Ahead: Prudential operating profit to kiss up to two billion

9th Mar 2012 13:33

Insurance firms will be in focus next week with Prudential and Standard Life set to unveil figures.Representing the High Street we have updates from fashion firm French Connection, pubs groups Marston's and Spirit, hot snacks seller Greggs and Argos-owner Home Retail.Prudential is probably the biggest announcement scheduled for next week. Recent results have tended to beat expectations, giving rise to share price strength following the release, notes Credit Suisse.The Swiss bank is forecasting pre-tax operating profit of £1.98bn for the Pru, with continued strong growth in Asia and on the asset management side of the business, which will contrast with subdued growth in the UK.Credit Suisse is expecting a final dividend of 17.33p per share, which would make the full year pay-out 25.28p, an increase of 5% on 2010. The market consensus forecast for the full year dividend is 25.18p.Japanese broker Nomura Securities reckons that, "following 2.5 years of strong growth in the US, we expect a slowdown in US sales to restrict total group NBV [net book value] growth to 5% in 2011 and to single digit levels in 2012 and 2013."Nomura thinks Pru's US business is likely to plateau, because of: "1) the company's stated intention to moderate its US growth since it was becoming too large a part of the group; and 2) its demanding comparatives in the US over the past three years, when it tripled its market share."Monday March 12INTERIMSTristelINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECPL Resources, Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd.INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATENews Corp. 'A' Shares, News Corp. 'B' SharesINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSHarmonised Competitiveness Indicators (EU) (09:00)Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)FINALSArk Therapeutics Group, Brady, Thalassa Energy Ltd. (DI), Volkswagen AGANNUAL REPORTDrax Group, Heavitree Brewery, Heavitree Brewery 'A' SharesEGMSTalvivaara Mining CompanyAGMSAvesco Group, Cubus Lux, EMED Mining Public Ltd.FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEOMGTuesday March 13INTERIMSBrooks Macdonald Group, RegenersisINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBusiness Inventories (US) (13:30)FOMC Interest Rate (US) (17:15)Manufacturing Inventories (US) (15:00)Retail Sales (US) (13:45)Retail Sales Inventories (US) (15:15)ZEW Survey (EU) (10:00)ZEW Survey (GER) (10:00)FINALSAntofagasta, Cello Group, Computacenter, Futura Medical, G4S, HaloSource Inc. (Reg S), Inchcape, KBC Advanced Technologies, Law Debenture Corp., Prudential, Standard LifeAGMSBlackRock Commodities Income Inv Trust, Downing Income Vct 4, Interbulk GroupUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSUK Trade (00:00)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATECatco Reinsurance Opps. Fd (DI), Catco Reinsurance Opps. Fd (DI) C SHSWednesday March 14INTERIMSCVS Group, EpiStem Holdings, IndigoVision Group, Smiths GroupINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATECash Converters International Ltd, Downing Absolute Income VCT 1, Genus, Hargreaves Lansdown, Interior Services Group, Tracsis, Wilmington GroupQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATELand Securities Group, XP Power Ltd. (DI)INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Payments (US) (13:30)Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)Crude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)Current Account (US) (13:30)Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (EU) (10:00)Import and Export Price Indexes (US) (13:30)Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)FINALSFerrexpo, French Connection Group, Greggs, Hellenic Carriers Ltd., Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Mecom Group, MirLand Development Corp., Modern Water, OJSC Cherkizovo Group GDR (Reg S), SIG, SocialGO, StatPro Group, Tullow Oil, Yule Catto & CoANNUAL REPORTAmec, New World Resources A SharesEGMSInvista Foundation Property Trust Ltd.AGMSJSJS DesignsTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSMarston'sUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSClaimant Count Rate (09:30)Unemployment Rate (09:30)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEAccess Intelligence, Brewin Dolphin Holdings, British Polythene Industries, CQS Rig Finance Fund Ltd., Dairy Farm International Holdings Ltd. (Singapore), FBD Holdings, Fidelity European Values, Goldenport Holdings Inc., Hammerson, Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Bermuda), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Jersey), Hongkong Land Holding Ltd. (Singapore), Jardine Matheson Holdingd Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Matheson Holdingd Ltd. (Jersey), Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd (Singapore), Jardine Strategic Holdingd Ltd. (Bermuda), Jardine Strategic Holdingd Ltd. (Singapore), Ladbrokes, Lancashire Holdings, Mandarin Oriental International (Singapore), Meggitt, Paddy Power, Quadnetics Group, RM, Safestore Holdings, Temple Bar Inv TrustThursday March 15INTERIMSAir Partner, Quayle Munro HoldingsQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATECanaccord Financial Inc., Canadian General Investments Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)ECB Report (09:00)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)New Car Registrations (EU) (10:00)Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (15:00)Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)Q4Premier FarnellFINALSAegis Group, Fairpoint Group, Hill & Smith Holdings, John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd, Playtech Ltd., Plaza Centers NV, Powerflute Oyj (DI), Premier Farnell, Trinity Mirror, TT Electronics, Work GroupANNUAL REPORTHunting, Lancashire HoldingsIMSSSpirit Pub CompanyAGMSBanco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, Chrysalis VCT, Domino Printing Sciences, Henderson Opportunities Trust, Sanderson GroupTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSHome Retail GroupFINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATESinclair (William) HoldingsFriday March 16INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEPenna Consulting, Utilico Investments Ltd (DI)QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATEBarclays, Carnival, M WinkworthINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCapacity Utilisation (US) (16:15)Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)Industrial Production (US) (16:15)U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00)FINALSEMIS Group, Espirito Santo Financial Group SAAGMSBrunner Inv Trust, Hyundai Motor Company GDR (Reg S), KT Corp. ADR, LG Chem Ltd. GDS (Reg S), LG Electronics Inc. GDS (Reg S), Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (ATT) GDR (Reg S)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAnglogold Ashanti Ltd., Catlin Group Ltd.