Johnson Matthey gives gloomy outlook for second half
FTSE 100 platinum refiner Johnson Matthey reported a six per cent drop in profits in the first half and said that it doesn't expect things to pick up in the latter part of the fiscal year.
FTSE 100 platinum refiner Johnson Matthey reported a six per cent drop in profits in the first half and said that it doesn't expect things to pick up in the latter part of the fiscal year.
The company, which is a world leader in emissions control technologies, said that pre-tax profits declined from £195.1m to £183.4m year-on-year in the six months to September 30th.
This was on revenues that declined by 17% from £5,900bn to £4,892bn, owing mainly to a large fall in sales in the Precious Metals Products division. Group revenue excluding previous metals sales increased by 1% to £1,310m, but missed the consensus forecast of £1,343m.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
"Against a difficult market environment, particularly the impact of lower average precious metal prices, Johnson Matthey delivered growth in operating profit from Environmental Technologies and Fine Chemicals, although this was more than offset by the weaker performance of Precious Metal Products.Underlying earnings per share were maintained at 72.9p," said Chief Executive Neil Carson.
"Whilst precious metal prices have improved from their lows during the summer, largely due to the labour unrest in South Africa, the outlook in some of our other markets has weakened and visibility remains limited.We therefore expect that the group's performance in the second half will be similar to the first half of the year."
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
MoneyWeek is written by a team of experienced and award-winning journalists, plus expert columnists. As well as daily digital news and features, MoneyWeek also publishes a weekly magazine, covering investing and personal finance. From share tips, pensions, gold to practical investment tips - we provide a round-up to help you make money and keep it.
-
Government launches full review of parental leave and pay – what could it mean for you?
The government wants parental leave to be fairer - will its shake-up fix the widespread problem for families?
-
Nationwide: House prices see biggest monthly fall in over two years
UK house prices dropped by 0.8% in June, according to Nationwide. We reveal the top-performing and worst-performing regions