Week ahead: Retailers in focus ahead of Christmas

9th Dec 2011 09:25

Retailers will be in focus next week, with Carpetright, Sports Direct and Moss Bros among the companies scheduled to report. The outlook statements in particular will be closely-watched by the markets ahead of the key Christmas trading period.However, this holiday season may not be the 'most wonderful time of the year' (to quote Andy Williams) for the sector, with the British Retail Consortium (BRC) revealing on Tuesday 6 December that consumers are keeping "a tight rein on their spending, despite Christmas being so near". The BRC said that UK retail sales values fell 1.6% on a like-for-like basis in November.Nevertheless, with Christmas trading dampened by the harsh winter weather last year - and this year's temperatures being unseasonably warm (so far) - comparisons with the 2010 peak trading season are not looking too bad.Carpetright will present its interim results on Tuesday, a report in which RetailWeek expects to see its worst first-half figures as a listed company following two profit warnings this year.The floorings specialist said in October that group sales had fallen 5.2% in the second quarter and warned that full-year underlying pre-tax profits would be at the lower end of expectations. Lord Harris of Peckham, the carpet retailer's chief executive said, "Looking forward, I see no respite from the challenging environment over the next year." Group sales had fallen by a lesser 1.5% in the first quarter.Singer Capital Markets is expecting the firm to register a pre-tax profit of just £1m in the six months ended 30 October, well under the £9.8m figure achieved in the first half of last year.Shares, trading around 450p on Friday morning, were well under the near-700p level seen at the start of the six-month reporting period (1 May).High street sports retailer Sports Direct will reveal its interim results on Thursday. Revenues are expected to show resilience despite the cautious consumer environment after the firm reported that sales growth had quickened from 0.5% in the first quarter to 11.5% in the first nine weeks of the second quarter. "The group has delivered strong growth through the second quarter, further validating our resilient business model," said chief executive Dave Forsey in October.Suit retailer Moss Bros will present it third quarter interim management statement on Thursday. The group's first half results came in ahead of forecast in September, while the firm said it was on course to deliver better-than-expected growth levels by the year end.Monday December 12INTERIMSBglobal, Ensor Holdings, O Twelve Estates Ltd., Solid StateINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATENippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp.ANNUAL REPORTTopps TilesEGMSDragon-Ukrainian Properties & DevelopmentAGMSAberdeen Latin American Inc Fund , Avation, Capital Lease Aviation, Catalyst Media Group, Cheerful Scout, Henderson Fledgling Trust , Leaf Clean Energy Co (DI), MoneySwap, Quadrise Fuels International, Skywest Airlines Ltd., World Careers NetworkTuesday December 13INTERIMSCarpetright, Imagination Technologies GroupINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEMan Group, PersimmonINTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBusiness Inventories (US) (13:30)Manufacturing Inventories (US) (15:00)Retail Sales (US) (13:45)Retail Sales Inventories (US) (15:15)Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)ZEW Survey (EU) (10:00)ZEW Survey (GER) (10:00)FINALSDomino Printing Sciences, Jelf GroupIMSSTravis PerkinsEGMSGitanjali Gems Ltd. GDR (Reg S), Mentum Inc.AGMSBilling Services Group Ltd., DotDigital Group, KleenAir Systems International, MWB Group Holdings Units, RSM Tenon Group, Tottenham Hotspur, TristelTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSGo-Ahead Group, Petrofac Ltd.UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSConsumer Price Index (09:30)Retail Price Index (09:30)RICS Housing Market Survey (09:30)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEWorld Careers NetworkWednesday December 14INTERIMSeXpansysINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEBraemar Shipping Services, Elektron TechnologyINTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE3i Infrastructure, Babcock International Group, Brulines Group, Caffyns, Cropper (James), Cyril Sweett Group, Hornby, Hyder Consulting, KCOM Group, MDM Engineering Group Ltd. (DI), Mitie Group, red24, Telford Homes, Terra Catalyst Fund (DI), United Utilities GroupQUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATEF&C Commercial Property Trust Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSCrude Oil Inventories (US) (15:30)Import and Export Price Indexes (US) (13:30)Industrial Production (EU) (10:00)MBA Mortgage Applications (US) (12:00)GMSCoal of Africa Ltd.FINALSIDOX, RWS HoldingsAGMSAfrican Medical Investments, Avanti Capital, Bezant Resources, BowLeven, British Assets Trust, Encore Oil, EpiStem Holdings, Firestone Diamonds, FRM Credit Alpha Ltd. Red Part Pref Shares NPV, GETECH Group, Greenko Group, JPMorgan Elect Managed Growth Shares, LP Hill, Pure Wafer, PureCircle Ltd. (DI), Sareum Holdings, Uranium Resources, Weatherly International, Westmount Energy Ltd.TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSNexus ManagementUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSClaimant Count Rate (09:30)Unemployment Rate (09:30)FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATEAberdeen Asset Management, Bellway, CVS Group, Greencore Group, Marston's, Numis Corporation, OMG, Origin Enterprises, Renewable Energy Generation Ltd., Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies Trust, Sportingbet, SVM Global FundThursday December 15INTERIMSCohort, Sports Direct InternationalINTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAseana Properties Ltd., Synergy Health, Vedanta Resources, VictoriaQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATECanaccord Financial Inc., Canadian General Investments Ltd.INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Payments (US) (13:30)Bloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)Capacity Utilisation (US) (16:15)Consumer Price Index (EU) (10:00)Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)Current Account (US) (13:30)ECB Report (EU) (09:00)Harmonised Competitiveness Indicators (EU) (09:00)Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (EU) (10:00)Industrial Production (US) (16:15)Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)Philadelphia Fed Index (US) (15:00)Producer Price Index (US) (13:30)Q3Planet Payment Inc.GMSKesa ElectricalsFINALSHiwave Technologies, Nasstar, Pursuit DynamicsIMSSMoss Bros GroupAGMSBritish Empire Securities & General Trust, Churchill Mining, Fidelity Special Values, GCM Resources, Standard Life Equity Income TrustTRADING ANNOUNCEMENTSKeller Group, Senior, Serco Group, Wood Group (John)UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSInternet Retail Sales (09:30)Retail Sales (09:30)Friday December 16INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEC&C Group, Carphone Warehouse Group, Establishment Inv Trust, IFG Group, TalkTalk Telecom Group , Utilico Emerging Markets Ltd., Wynnstay Properties, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' SharesQUARTERLY PAYMENT DATECarnival, M Winkworth, Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B'INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSConsumer Price Index (US) (13:30)New Car Registrations (EU) (10:00)Wholesale Price Index (GER) (07:00)GMSTXOFINALSJersey Electricity 'A' SharesIMSSSpirit Pub CompanySPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEGleeson (M J) Group, RotorkEGMSUK Select Trust Ltd.AGMSCroma Group, JPMorgan Chinese Inv Trust, Lochard Energy Group, Palmaris Capital, Punch Taverns, Solo Oil, Spirit Pub Company, SportingbetUK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTSBalance of Trade (EU) (10:00)FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAir Partner, Downing Absolute Income VCT 1, Dunelm Group, Henderson Fledgling Trust , Lok'n Store Group, Northern Venture Trust, Octopus Eclipse VCT 1, Octopus Eclipse VCT 3, Octopus Eclipse VCT 4, Plexus Holdings, Tristel