'Rain, rain, go away' should be the mantra for landscaping products firm Marshalls, which issues a pre-close trading update on Friday.
In its interim management statement in May the firm grumbled about the rainfall in April being an important factor in sales being down that month by £5m on April 2011, so the wettest June in living memory in the UK will not have pleased management.
"Construction markets remain subdued with growth only really visible in larger infrastructure schemes where Marshalls is less well exposed. So, it is unlikely
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that we'll see any market-led improvements," suggests Peel Hunt.
"Marshalls remains very active, however, on self-help measures to underpin the revenue while markets are tough. Ultimate recovery in markets and growth from self-help feeding through to high marginal profitability remains the key attraction," the broker added.
INTERIMS
Sandvine Corp.
INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Alternative Networks, Associated British Foods, Cardiff Property, Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V), Debenhams, Grainger, Noble Investments (UK), Shaftesbury
QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
British Assets Trust
QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE
Verizon Communications
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Industrial Production (GER) (11:00)
Non-Farm Payrolls (US) (13:30)
Unemployment Rate (US) (13:30)
Q2
Sandvine Corp.
SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
F&C Managed Portfolio Trust Income Shares
AGMS
Northern Investors Co, Software Radio Technology
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Balfour Beatty, Camellia, Cello Group, Densitron Technologies, First Derivatives, Hill & Smith Holdings, Huntsworth, Judges Scientific, JZ Capital Partners Ltd, M&C Saatchi, Marshalls, Morgan Crucible Co, Prezzo, Stobart Group Ltd., Tesco, Utilico Emerging Markets Ltd (DI), Yule Catto & Co
TRADING STATEMENT
Marshalls
JH
