More insurance results, plus mining and pharmaceuticals, coming next week.
We've got a couple more big insurers revealing their full-year 2011 figures next week, both on Tuesday: Prudential (LSE: PRU) and Standard Life (LSE: SL).
The Pru fell to a loss in 2008, but has since bounced back to health and has kept its dividends going, with a fairly modest 3.6% expected for the full year, while Standard Life has remained profitable through the downturn and has a more impressive 5.8% pencilled in.
Oil exploration features next week, too, with results from Tullow Oil (LSE: TLW) due on Wednesday. At 1,445p and on an expected price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio based on 2011 year-end earnings of 35, the shares are strongly valued right now. Investors are presumably pinning their hopes on some significant new finds in the coming few years -- let's hope they're not disappointed.
Druggies
For those with an interest in the pharmaceuticals and biotechnology fields, we have a few coming up next week, with a couple of yet-to-be-profitable AIM-listed ones expected to release news.
Futura Medical (LSE: FUM) should give us full-year figures on Tuesday and, while a small loss is expected for 2011, analysts are expecting that to turn to profit in 2012. The other tiddler is Epistem Holdings (LSE: EHP), which is involved in epithelial cell research and is due to release interims on Wednesday. Profits look to be at least a couple more years away.
The larger and profitable one is Hikma Pharmaceuticals (LSE: HIK), due to release 2011 results on Wednesday. Hikma, which produces a range of drugs, is expected to see profits fall for the year, but strong forecasts for 2012 are keeping the share price buoyant. Down from its 2011 peak of 900p, at 729p the price represents a prospective 2012 P/E of 17. Dividends are low, at not much more than 1%.
Mining and engineering
The metals and mining industry is well represented, too, with sector giant Antofagasta (LSE: ANTO) reporting Tuesday. The FSTE-100 copper miner is valued at over £12bn, and is expected to have made a decent showing of it in 2011, with a 5% dividend expected. The shares have fallen from over £16 early last year, to £12.30 today, putting them on a forward P/E of around 12 based on 2012 forecasts, probably due to fears that the boom in commodities prices was cooling. They could be a nice investment right now for those looking ahead a few years.
There's an interesting-looking prospect on Thursday, in the shape of results from Premier Farnell (LSE: PFL). The company, which supplies a range of support products for the engineering and various other sectors, saw its share price plummet by more than half in mid-2011, from over £3 to under £1.50. Today, with them back up around the £2 mark, January 2012 expectations put the shares on a P/E of 12, falling a bit for 2013. And there's a 5% dividend on the cards, which should be adequately covered.
Notable announcements next week:
Monday: Brady
Tuesday: Antofagasta, Brooks Macdonald Group, Computacenter, Futura Medical, G4S, Inchcape, KBC Advanced Technologies, Law Debenture Corp, Regenersis, Prudential, Standard Life
Wednesday: CVS Group, EpiStem Holdings, Ferrexpo, French Connection Group, Greggs, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, IndigoVision Group, Marston's, Mecom Group, MirLand Development Corp, Modern Water, SIG, Smiths Group, StatPro Group, Tullow Oil, Yule Catto & Co
Thursday: Aegis Group, Air Partner, Hill & Smith Holdings, Home Retail Group, John Laing Infrastructure Fund, Playtech, Plaza Centers, Premier Farnell, Spirit Pub Company, Trinity Mirror, TT Electronics
Friday: EMIS Group
Fool comment on this week's news:
• UK's Bad Banks Make Over £1 Billion
• Catastrophes Cost Amlin £500m In 2011
• BP Settles Oil Spill Lawsuit For £4.9bn
• Tesco Set To Bounce Back
• Buy Two Great Companies In One (John Menzies)
• Admiral Takes Comparison Sites Abroad
• A Company With Both Short- And Long-Term Potential (Alkane Energy)
• Aviva Shares Leap 3% On £2.5bn Profit
• Cineworld Takes Cinemas 4D
• Cobham's Dividend Flying High
• RPS Delights By Avoiding Turbulence
• It's Aviva Again!
• Investors Should Shop For Morrisons Shares
• Deep Value Or Trap? (AGA Rangemaster)
