The insurance group Axa announced Friday a stable revenue for the first quarter of 2012 and said he hoped to have decided the fate of its private equity subsidiary, Axa Private Equity, of By the end of the year.
Axa has confirmed the end of September to have committed "a strategic review" for the national champion of private equity but talks with potential buyers seem to have since stalled. (And see)
"A priori the outcome and the results of this strategic review, it is hoped that this will be completed before the end of the year," said Chief Financial Officer Gerald Harlin at a conference call to discuss the indicators of activity of the group for the first three months of the year.
The fate of this subsidiary represents some economic issue for France, say some observers.
Axa Private Equity is indeed a major investor in the territory and its French base becomes even more desirable for new financial rules could scarce investment capital in companies.
The essential part of its business, the French insurance giant announced a turnover up 0.8% to 28.056 billion euros for the first quarter.
The growth in business damage (3.3% to 9.973 billion euros) offset the virtual stagnation of the life segment and Savings (-0.2% to 15.956 billion of euros) and a lower turnover in the management of assets (-9.6% to 827 million euros).
Gérald Harlin said these results were in line with the strategic plan for 2015 presented by Axa last year.
This plan would redeploy some capital to the group of high-growth markets and, more generally, to focus on margins and volumes.
The CFO also said that the situation in Greece and the euro area was creating a climate of "volatility" in financial markets but in Axa took full account.
"It positions itself especially on segments that are least sensitive (…). This is why we are fast growing activity on the protection, welfare," at he said.
He nevertheless admitted that the life insurance segment continued to suffer from macroeconomic conditions in Europe.
"We're in a world of low interest rates and are done with," he concluded.
A
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A decree published in the Official Gazette requires EDG and GDF to repay the overpayment charged to customers within 15 days of issuance of the annual bill or the subscriber's request. This obligation will come into force in 2013.
EDF and GDF will, from next year, reimburse their customers within 15 days of issuance of the annual bill or the subscriber's request, in case of overpayment exceeding 25 euros, according to a decree of April 18 published in the Official Journal (OJ). "During the contract, when the invoice based on energy consumption reveals an overpayment by the contractor less than 25 euros, the excess is carried forward to the next invoice, unless the consumer requests a refund" states that Order, which comes into force on 1 January 2013. "From this amount, the overpayment is refunded by the supplier," the statement said, adding that "the refund is made within fifteen days from the issuance of the invoice or the customer's request ".
Billing of the two suppliers is based on an estimate of consumption for customers who choose the monthly payment, with an annual bill of regularization based on actual consumption. "It has taken up several times to the plate and the publication of an official report to achieve this decree," said Bruno Lechevin, managing director of energy ombudsman, the daily Le Parisien on Friday which states that during the first quarter, 3.2% of complaints received by the Ombudsman were related to reimbursement of overpayments. "In 2011, EDF had made and pin: the utility reimbursement to amounts of less than 15 euros if the customers were demanding," said the newspaper. EDF now states on its website monthly installments if the client has paid a sum greater than its invoice regularization, the credit balance is refunded "by bank transfer within 15 days."
In May 2011, the supplier had agreed to reimburse "now" and automatically overpayments of all invoices to its customers after termination of their contract (move). The group previously had a policy not to refund overpayments of less than € 15.24 if customers were not doing the requests. Parliament passed a provision in the Law on Organization of the New Electricity Markets (Nome) of 7 December 2010 so that energy suppliers are now required to systematically repay overpayments to consumers.
The German automaker Volkswagen said Thursday an operating profit increased in the first quarter to 3.2 billion euros against 2.9 billion euros a year earlier , thanks to record sales of vehicles.
This is an above analysts' forecasts, who on average expected a profit decline to 2.7 billion euros.
Around 8:10 GMT, action Volkswagen earned 4% to 131.25 euros, while the European sector index gained the automotive 1.6%.
The UK GDP fell 0.2% in the first quarter of 2012, after falling 0.3% in the previous quarter. British Prime Minister David Cameron
The UK has not escaped the downturn. Its economy has officially fallen into recession earlier this year following a contraction of its economy for the second consecutive quarter, a surprise for analysts and bad news for the government of David Cameron.
According to one official estimate released Wednesday, the British economy shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2012, after falling 0.3% last quarter. The country is thus technically back in recession, which was released in late 2009 after five straight quarters of decline in activity during the financial crisis.
Despite very mixed economic indicators, most analysts were betting on a slight rise of 0.1% of GDP, which would have avoided the country to be in the same situation as the states of the eurozone such as Spain or Italy, also entered into a recession.
This performance-up against Prime Minister David Cameron in a difficult position: it should indeed revive criticisms about the draconian austerity policies of his government by the opposition Labor Party accused of having "killed growth" in the name of a struggle against deficits.
The pound is distributed sharply lower against the euro and the dollar after the announcement of the contraction of the UK economy. The London Stock Exchange remained, however, directed slightly up gaining 0.44% to 5,734,67 points to 0900 GMT.
The industrial orders rebounded in February in the United States and businesses have increased their orders for capital goods, leaving the industry think that retains some vitality despite signs of slower growth.
These orders rose 1.3%, slightly below the consensus of analysts polled by Reuters which gave 1.5%, according to figures released Tuesday by the Commerce Department.
Many economists believe that the expiration of certain tax benefits on productive investment in late 2011 has encouraged companies to move their investments.
The decline in January was revised to 1.1% against 1% in the first estimate.
Orders for civilian capital goods excluding aircraft, a category closely followed because it was considered a good indicator of future investment plans, rose 1.7% in February against 1.2% in the first estimate.
The Galeries Lafayette Group saw sales rise by 4% in 2011 and operating income increased 4.8%, despite a very difficult now for consumption in France in the second half.
The group, in open conflict with Casino on the valuation of Monoprix, their joint venture, reported retail sales of 5.58 billion euros, for a consolidated sales (excluding sales concession stands) of 4.96 billion euros, up 0.7%.
Sales growth was mainly due to the performance of the department store on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris, whose sales rose 14.3% due to tourist traffic, and sales growth of Monoprix, which grew by 3.2%.
Conversely, the decline in sales has continued to BHV. The group does not specify the amount of sales of the brand in trouble for several years.
"In a difficult global environment in 2011 (…) the activity held up well," said Philippe Houze, chief executive of Galeries Lafayette.
The group says "confident" for 2012, despite the uncertainties surrounding the evolution of markets, and indicates that at the end of February, sales of the brand were Galeries Lafayette up 8.4% on a comparable and those of Monoprix up 6.2%.
Galeries Lafayette and Casino have put into the public their disagreement on the valuation of the sign of the city center, which has assumed the aspect of a showdown legal and financial.
The battle promises to be long and bitter for the nugget Monoprix. Because the chain of distribution center is completely atypical in the French landscape.
With an operating margin of 7.2%, it is by far the most profitable assets of Casino in France, where the group's profitability was 3.9% in 2010, and prances ahead its competitors.
Operating income in 2011 of the Galeries Lafayette Group rose 4.8% to 372 million euros, for a margin of 7.5% (against 7.2% in 2010) while the net excluding exceptional items remained stable at 210 million euros.
Leaded by provisions and write-downs of 153 million euros on Cofinoga, a subsidiary of consumer credit equally owned by BNP Paribas and highly weakened by the crisis, net income group share fall to 43 million euros (against 380 million euros a year earlier, including 205 million euros of capital gains).
United Parcel Services (UPS) agreed to pay nearly 5.2 billion euros to buy Dutch rival TNT Express, announced Monday the two groups, an operation that will allow the gen ; American ant-mail and logistics to gain strength in Europe.
TNT said its management board and supervisory board would support unanimously the offer of 9.50 euros per share, higher than 0.50 euro to the initial offer submitted in February.
The largest shareholder group, PostNL, which holds 29.8% stake, has also expressed support for the operation, which will create a global leader displaying 45 billion euros turnover.
The joint statement from both groups noted that the offer represents a premium of 53.7% over the closing price on February 16, the day before the announcement of the opening of discussions between the two groups.
UPS, already world number one, had long been interested in TNT in order to develop in Europe, including Britain, France and Germany.
The tender offer ends years of speculation about the future of the Dutch group, divided by PostNL, the Dutch post and the year listed separately last.
Faced with declining profits and the unfavorable business outlook for 2012, management of TNT was subjected to pressure from shareholders "activists" such as investment funds Jana Partners and Alberta Investment Management.
Friday, UPS had said further discussions "constructive" with TNT, four weeks after the latter's rejection of its initial offer to 9.00 euros per share.
The U.S. group said Monday that the purchase of TNT will have a positive impact on its financial results for the first year and is sure to get all the official permits for the conduct out.
The Federal Reserve estimates that the U.S. economy grew at a moderate pace from January to mid February, the hiring is being légé ; LY accelerated in many parts of the United States.
In the beige book of the U.S. central bank, released Wednesday, the Fed also notes some improvements in the property sector although, overall, the tone is as careful as in the pre ; cédente edition of this document.
"The conditions in the housing market have improved somewhat in most districts," we read in the paper.
Manufacturing is one who is doing best, with most of the 12 Fed districts with a rise in new orders.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange closed up 0.92% Tuesday, Japanese markets have erased all losses posted in early trading before going into the green and Register a fence frankly positive.
The Nikkei gained 88.59 points to 9,722.52 and the Topix broader took 3.23 points (0.39%) to 838.48.
The bankruptcy of Elpida, the first Japanese manufacturer of memory weighed on the sector, Advantest yielding 1.5% and Shin-Etsu Chemical 1.2%.
But this failure did, in the opinion of stakeholders had limited impact on investor sentiment.
The Indian airline Kingfisher Airlines Tuesday seemed about to collapse under the weight of its debts, flight cancellations are being multiplied for almost a week and the resignation of Drivers accumulating tens.
Vijay Mallya, the liquor magnate who controls the airline and gave the same name as his famous brand of Indian beer, said he was determined to save Kingfisher, blaming its financial difficulties with the freezing of bank accounts by the tax.
There is in India no legal requirement for companies to declare bankruptcy. Kingfisher, an Airbus customer, so could the curtain down overnight due to lack of funding, warn analysts.
"If they can not find fresh capital, of course, they are condemned. They have the money or for maintenance or for wages or for anything else, "he told Reuters Lillaney Sharan, an analyst specializing in aviation for Angel Broking. The action
Kingfisher has plunged nearly 20% Tuesday, the day the company was called by management of Indian Civil Aviation to explain the cancellation of more than 100 of its flights during the four days
. At the end of the meeting, the Indian regulator said he had obtained guarantees of Kingfisher on bank financing and the action has erased all its losses
……. .. Kingfisher, which last year was still the second Indian airline, has reached any profits since its inception in 2005, suffering from the flew e fuel prices and fierce competition from low-cost airlines.
Indian market yet fast-growing, nearly 20% in 2011, the turnover of Kingfisher declined since late 2011.
The group acknowledges a debt of $ 1.3 billion (984 million), and lack of liquidity, it no longer pays the salaries of its employees and accumulates unpaid tax, adding, according Kotak Institutional Equities, $ 477 million in debt.
The action Kingfisher plunged nearly 60% since January 2011, melting the market value of the group at $ 269 million.
News reports bring to 300 the number of pilots who have resigned since last September. The Mint newspaper said, citing a government official, also reports that Kingfisher will return two Airbus A320 to companies leasing aircraft because of defaults.
According to the latest data from Airbus orders over Kingfisher deal 32 single-aisle A320 family aircraft, 20 A330s, five long-haul A350 and five A380 super-jumbo.
