Thursday preview: Halma, Carphone Warehouse

Safety, health and sensor technology group Halma is one of those steady-Eddie companies that rarely makes waves.

Thursday's full year results should see the company continue its impressive record of consistent double-digit percentage growth.

The consensus market forecast is for earnings per share to shot up by a fifth to 24.63p from 20.49p the year before. Underlying profit before tax is seen breaking through the £100m barrier to £120.8m on sales of £581m. #

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The health and analysis part of the group is expected to be the fastest growing division. There is also likely to be an update on the integration of recent acquisitions; the company is not quite in the WPP class when it comes to frequent bolt-on additions but it has a strong track record of wise purchases.

Full year figures from Carphone Warehouse will need a bit of jiggling to take into account the decision back in November to simplify its relationship with US consumer electronics retailer Best Buy.

The group abandoned its roll-out of so-called "big box" stores in collaboration with Best Buy in the UK and also sold its share of Best Buy Mobile's US and Canadian businesses for £838m.

Smoke signals from the company have not been too encouraging, with the group admitting to a decline in May in its like-for-like revenues in its European division, but the group has resolutely stuck by its full-year earnings guidance.

INTERIMS

Redhall Group

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Aberdeen Asset Management

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Payments (US) (13:30)

Bloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45)

Consumer Price Index (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Current Account (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

FINALS

Atkins (WS), Carphone Warehouse Group, Halma, Mulberry Group

ANNUAL REPORT

Global Brands S.A

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Antofagasta

AGMS

Afferro Mining Inc (UK Reg), Alexander Mining, Bond International Software, Bumi, Charlemagne Capital Ltd., Dignity, East Balkan Properties, Elderstreet VCT, Highland Gold Mining Ltd., Investors Capital Trust 'A' Shares, Investors Capital Trust 'B' Shares, Kingfisher, Lifeline Scientific Inc. (Reg S), M&C Saatchi, Marwyn Management Partners, Matra Petroleum, Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets, X5 Retail Group NV GDR (Reg S)

TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS

IG Group Holdings

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Antofagasta, Compagnie de St-Gobain SA, Tandem Group

Q1

Premier Farnell

JH