UK Retailers Could Face Brighter Outlook in 2023

0929 GMT - U.K. retailers ended 2022 with a surprisingly positive performance, and the 2023 outlook is also becoming less bearish, Deutsche Bank analysts Adam Cochrane and Matt Garland say in a note. With inflationary pressures in cost of goods sold expected to become a tailwind into 2H and beyond, operating cost inflation--specially regarding wage inflation--will remain the biggest challenge, they say. "Our thesis has evolved to prefer clothing retailers over hardlines, discount over mainstream and physical retail over online," they say. Deutsche upgrades B&M and Marks & Spencer to buy from hold and downgrades ASOS, Kingfisher, Pets at Home and Wickes Group to hold from buy. (michael.susin@wsj.com)

 
Companies News: 

MGC Pharmaceuticals Secures $600,000 Funding; CFO Steps Down

MGC Pharmaceuticals Ltd. said Friday that a funding request of $600,000 has been approved and that its chief financial officer has stepped down.

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Avation Expects to Report 1H Revenue Fall, With Airline Sector Still Recovering From Pandemic

Avation PLC said Friday it expects to report a fall in revenue for the first half of fiscal 2023, with the airline industry still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.

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Focusrite Backs FY 2023 View After in Line Four-Month Performance

Focusrite PLC said Friday that performance in the first four months of fiscal 2023 has been in line with board expectations in its content creation and audio-reproduction businesses and that it continues to back its full-year view.

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CMO Group Sees 2022 Ebitda Fall Amid Challenging Backdrop

CMO Group PLC said Friday that it expects to report that 2022 adjusted Ebitda fell amid challenging market conditions and despite an improvement in sales.

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Yellow Cake Increases Placing to $75 Mln as Investor Demand Rose

Yellow Cake PLC said Friday that it increased the size of a placing to around $75 million from $50 million due to strong investor demand.

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Nanoco Signs Agreements With Samsung for $150m Litigation Settlement

Nanoco Group PLC said Friday that it has secured a $150m litigation settlement with Samsung on a no fault basis for the alleged infringement of the group's intellectual property.

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Thungela Resources to Acquire Controlling Interest in Australian Coal Mine

Thungela Resources Ltd. said Friday that it has agreed to acquire a controlling shareholding in the Ensham coal mine, in Australia, and related assets, along with Audley Energy Ltd. and Mayfair Corporations Group Pty Ltd.

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Brave Bison to Buy Social Chain for up to GBP17.2 Mln; Raise GBP4.8 Mln

Brave Bison Group PLC said Friday that it is buying social-media and influencer marketing agency Social Chain Ltd. for up to 17.2 million pounds ($21 million), with the initial sum to be part-funded via a share placing.

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Itaconix Sees 2022 Revenue Ahead Of Views, Raises GBP10.3M Via Share Placing

Itaconix PLC on Friday said it is confident on its outlook for 2023 and beyond as it sees revenue for 2022 come in ahead of views and is strengthened by its conditional 10.3 million pounds ($12.6 million) raise via share placing.

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Aquila European to Buy Back EUR20 Mln in Shares, Aims for 2023 Dividend Increase

Aquila European Renewables PLC said Friday that it has launched a buyback program to boost the its share price, and that it has set its 2023 dividend growth guidance.

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LPA Group Swung to FY 2022 Pretax Profit After Record Year for LED Tube Product

LPA Group PLC said Friday that it swung to fiscal 2022 pretax profit after revenue rose and it booked a record year for its new LED tube product with significant orders.

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Etalon 4Q New Sales, Cash Collection Fell

Etalon Group PLC said Friday that new sales fell in the fourth quarter of 2022, with cash collection also decreasing.

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Resolute Mining Names Chris Eger As New CFO

Resolute Mining Ltd. on Friday appointed Chris Eger as its new chief financial officer replacing Doug Warden.

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Nanoco Group Sees Narrower FY 2023 Adjusted Ebitda Loss Amid Positive Momentum

Nanoco Group PLC said Friday that it now sees a narrower adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for fiscal 2023 after positive momentum in the first half.

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TomTom Shares Rise on Narrowed 4Q Net Loss, Higher Revenue

Shares in TomTom NV rose 9% in early trade Friday after the company reported a narrowed net loss for the fourth quarter of the year on revenue that was boosted by its biggest location technology unit.

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Tertiary Minerals Shares Fall on GBP300,000 Discounted Share Placing

Tertiary Minerals PLC shares fell on Friday after the company said it has raised 300,000 pounds ($366,720) through a discounted placing to be used in exploration activities at its projects in Nevada and Zambia.

 
Market Talk: 

Sterling Drops as UK Rate Rise Bets Fall More Than Elsewhere

0945 GMT - The Bank of England's policy decision Thursday prompted the market to scale back interest rate expectations for the U.K. more than elsewhere, weakening sterling, MUFG Bank says. While Federal Reserve and European Central Bank decisions on Wednesday and Thursday respectively also encouraged markets to lower rate-rise bets, the biggest adjustment was expectations for the BOE, MUFG currency analyst Lee Hardman says in a note. "The U.K. rate market had been expecting the BOE to lift the policy rate up to a terminal rate of 4.50% but is now only pricing in one final 25 basis points hike in either March or May." GBP/USD falls 0.2% to 1.2204 and EUR/GBP rises 0.1% to 0.8938. (renae.dyer@wsj.com)

 

Contact: London NewsPlus; paul.larkins@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 03, 2023 05:04 ET (10:04 GMT)

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