Associated British Foods, which last Friday announced the acquisition of the Elephant Atta ethnic flour brand from Premier Foods, updates the market on Thursday. Attention will probably be on the group's Primark clothing chain, as usual, but the Elephant Atta purchase is a useful reminder that there is more to the company than Primark.
Panmure Gordon expects the tone of the trading update to be similar to the previous report with "strong earnings growth expected to be delivered for the year to September, driven by particularly impress growth in the Sugar division."
The final quarter of Centaur Media's financial year - the second quarter of the calendar month - is usually a big one for the exhibitions organiser and publishing company.
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In the first nine months of the financial year, digital revenues were doing a lot better than print revenues, and it will be little surprise if that trend is repeated in Thursday's interim management statement (IMS). On the events side, broker Jefferies is expecting a "robust" fourth quarter performance.
"We forecast year end net debt of £8m versus long running facilities of £40m," the broker said, leaving the way open for the group to hit the acquisition trail.
Fund manager Ashmore is also issuing an IMS and, given the tough market backdrop, Peel Hunt thinks there is scope for fund flows to disappoint.
"We are forecasting net inflows of $1.7bn, which compares to the $1.2bn
generated in the quarter to 31 March," the broker revealed.
"The risk to forecasts for the year to June 2013 is very much on the downside at present, particularly with regards to performance fees," Peel Hunt reckons.
With the normally foot-sure Burberry disappointing the market with its trading update on Wednesday, what chance the accident prone more down-market SuperGroup doing the same on Thursday with its full year results?
The market is expecting profit before tax of £43m on sales of £313.8m, in line with company guidance given back in April, when the company admitted to an embarrassing arithmetic error in forecast assumptions.
"This is a key meeting for SuperGroup's newly strengthened management team to set out performance targets, future KPI [key performance indicators] releases (i.e. what management intends to disclose) and to start to rebuild confidence," vouches Peel Hunt. "We would like to hear details of online sales performance, wholesale order books and future expansion plans," the broker said.
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)
Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)
Import and Export Price Indexes (US) (13:30)
Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)
Treasury Budget Statement (US) (19:00)
FINALS
Heath (Samuel) & Sons, Weare 2020
IMSS
Associated British Foods
EGMS
Diamond Circle Capital
AGMS
Ablon Group Ltd., Angel Biotechnology Holdings, ASOS, Aveva Group, Biotech Growth Trust (The), Burberry Group, Great Eastern Energy Corp Ltd. GDR, Green Dragon Gas Ltd. (DI), Greka Drilling Ltd (DI), Maven Income & Growth VCT, Nature Group, NB Distressed Debt Investment Fund Ltd., NewRiver Retail Ltd. (Reg S), Octopus AIM VCT, Palace Capital , Perpetual Income & Growth Inv Trust, Public Power GDR SA (Reg S), Renold, SKIL Ports & Logistics Ltd., Taliesin Property Fund Ltd., Telford Homes
TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Computacenter, Premier Oil
FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Alliance Pharma, Tarsus Group, Young & Co's Brewery 'A' Shares, Young & Co's Brewery (Non-Voting), Zhejiang Expressway Co 'H' Shares
JH
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