Associated
British Foods, the company whose operations stretch from Twinings
tea to Primark discount clothing, reported full-year results that beat
analyst expectations and were accompanied by an upbeat outlook for 2010
on Tuesday.
AB Foods shares were dragged lower, however, in the weaker market,
though with a fall of just 1.0% to 824.5p this still marked an
outperformance versus the
FTSE 100 index, which lost 1.3% to 5,036.3 points.
In pre-market deals, AB Foods reported adjusted operating profit up 8%
year-on-year to £720 million on group revenues up 12% to £9.3 billion,
giving earnings per share of 57.7p and a 4% increase in the full-year
dividend to 21.0p per share. The company’s net debt amounted to a
better-than-expected £999 million.
Nicolas Ceron, analyst with Numis Securities, upgraded his
recommendation to Add from Hold following the results announcement,
saying he does not expect to materially change his 2010 earnings
forecasts but that he thinks the good operating profit growth that AB
Foods expects next fiscal year will be delivered across the board with
solid expansion plans for Primark and a rebound of profits in the US and
China.
Panmure Gordon’s Graham Jones was similarly upbeat, raising his price
target on the stock to 910p from 810p and repeating his Buy advice. The
analyst noted that the key growth driver in 2009 was the Sugar division,
while Grocery achieved an impressive 22% growth over the second half of
the year.
The group’s 2009 results are ahead of both Shore Capital’s and the
market’s expectations, analyst Darren Shirley commented this morning,
adding that the numbers beat estimates on almost all measures. As such,
the broker has placed its 2010 forecasts under review but opted to stick
with its Hold stance.
At FinnCap, analyst Charles Pick said that just as AB Foods proved a
safe haven for fund managers in the early 1980s and early 1990s
recessions, this recession has demonstrated the same theme. Describing
the stock as “one to sleep easily at night with,” Pick reiterated his
Strong Hold recommendation.
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AB Foods a "safe haven" with which to sleep easy
Holly Cook, 03/11/09 09:53
The diversified food and clothing manufacturer has again proved itself one to hold on to in times of recession, analysts say
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Associated British Foods, the company whose operations stretch from Twinings tea to Primark discount clothing, reported full-year results that beat analyst expectations and were accompanied by an upbeat outlook for 2010 on Tuesday.
AB Foods shares were dragged lower, however, in the weaker market, though with a fall of just 1.0% to 824.5p this still marked an outperformance versus the FTSE 100 index, which lost 1.3% to 5,036.3 points.
In pre-market deals, AB Foods reported adjusted operating profit up 8% year-on-year to £720 million on group revenues up 12% to £9.3 billion, giving earnings per share of 57.7p and a 4% increase in the full-year dividend to 21.0p per share. The company’s net debt amounted to a better-than-expected £999 million.
Nicolas Ceron, analyst with Numis Securities, upgraded his recommendation to Add from Hold following the results announcement, saying he does not expect to materially change his 2010 earnings forecasts but that he thinks the good operating profit growth that AB Foods expects next fiscal year will be delivered across the board with solid expansion plans for Primark and a rebound of profits in the US and China.
Panmure Gordon’s Graham Jones was similarly upbeat, raising his price target on the stock to 910p from 810p and repeating his Buy advice. The analyst noted that the key growth driver in 2009 was the Sugar division, while Grocery achieved an impressive 22% growth over the second half of the year.
The group’s 2009 results are ahead of both Shore Capital’s and the market’s expectations, analyst Darren Shirley commented this morning, adding that the numbers beat estimates on almost all measures. As such, the broker has placed its 2010 forecasts under review but opted to stick with its Hold stance.
At FinnCap, analyst Charles Pick said that just as AB Foods proved a safe haven for fund managers in the early 1980s and early 1990s recessions, this recession has demonstrated the same theme. Describing the stock as “one to sleep easily at night with,” Pick reiterated his Strong Hold recommendation.
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