Companies reporting this week

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated:

 

Company results due this week are listed below. The EPS forecast is based on the latest consensus of analysts' predictions.

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THE banks' reporting season continues next week, but the market will also be updated with figures from Guinness giant Diageo and gas-and-credit card group Centrica.

Computer services firm Logica posts interim figures on Wednesday. Fund manager Gerrard is predicting an increase in pre-tax profits from £64.8m to £73.2m. Last December, Logica said it expected to deliver good revenue growth at the half year with improved margins.

Also on Wednesday, Anglo-Dutch household goods group Reckitt Benckiser lays out its wares when it publishes full-year figures. Pre-tax profits are forecast to surge from £394m to £465m on growth in Western Europe and a solid performance from dishwasher products in North America.

This week saw Lloyds TSB disappoint the City with full-year figures and Abbey National, the one-time object of its affections, could well do the same on Thursday.

Abbey's wholesale arm has suffered from problem investments and loans over recent months - its exposure to Enron was £95m but the booming house market will not have hurt Abbey and final pre-tax profits are expected to be flat at £1.9bn.

Drinks group Diageo is forecast to post interim pre-tax profits of £1.25bn on Thursday, up on last year's £1.19bn.

Investors will be keen for comments on the sale of Burger King. A management buyout is seen as the most liking vehicle for disposing of the chain, and any clue on timing will be welcomed by the City.

The week will be rounded off with full-year figures from Abbey National's smaller rival Alliance & Leicester, the former building society seen by many as the next target in the rapidly consolidating banking industry.

It is forecast to report a fall in pre-tax profits, down from £447m to £413m, on the back of eroding margins - unlike rivals, Alliance & Leicester is not a hugely diversified so will have felt the pinch from a fiercely competitive mortgage market.

Gas-to-financial services group Centrica is expected to show strong growth when it posts final figures on Thursday.

Fund manager Gerrard is predicting pre-tax profits to smash through the £500m mark, rising from £498m to £534.3m, despite high gas input prices squeezing margins in the gas supply business.

What the City will be looking for, however, is an update on Centrica's plans to build up an international base of 10 million North American accounts by 2003 as this will be particularly important for the group's valuation.

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