Page 19 - Big Caps News Today

The pharma giant said the second half will see a boost in performance AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN) said the COVID-19 vaccine has delivered sales of US$275mln in the first quarter as it made a bullish statement on its outlook. The pharma giant expects a performance boost in the second half of 2021 as vaccine rollouts and lower infections will reduce the hit of the pandemic on trading. Chief executive Pascal Soriot reiterated full-year guidance for the pharma giant after first-quarter figures were i...

Amazon profits treble amid lockdown shopping boom The ecommerce giant also saw net sales rise 44% to over US$100bn in the first quarter as lockdown measures sent consumers flooding to its website Amazon Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) has capped off Big Tech earnings week with a blockbuster set of quarterly numbers as a boom in online shopping during lockdowns across the world sent profits surging. After Wall Street’s close on Thursday, the ecommerce giant reported that net income had more than trebled to ...

The tone, though, was in marked contrast with his remarks in the bank’s first-quarter results statement. Profits more than doubled to £2.4bn as its bad debt charge fell by £2bn, but there was nothing like the bullish tone of the BBC interview. Against a background of headwinds persisting for the year, Staley said: “While evidence of recovery is encouraging, we have continued to take a cautious view of the impact of the pandemic on the business,”  Commentators also highlighted the 10%...

Quarterly sales were up compared to both 2020, when the first lockdown hit, and 2019 Howden Joinery PLC (LON:HWDN) posted much improved revenues in the UK thanks to increases in prices and volume growth. Revenue climbed 46% on a like-for-like basis in the 16 weeks to 17 April compared to the same period last year, which was impacted by the first COVID-19 lockdown. Compared to 2019, Howden Joinery UK increased revenue by 9%. In continental Europe, sales were up 106% compared to last year and by ...

Tullow Oil launches US$1.8bn bond offer as it aims to move out maturities Tullows debt pile stands at around US$2.4bn with just shy of US$1bn presently due in 2021 and 2022. Tullow Oil PLC (LON:TLW) moved closer to a debt reset as it announced it is launching a US$1.8mln bond offer and has been given commitments for a US$600mln ‘super senior’ revolving credit facility. The aim is to extend out maturities in its borrowing, using proceeds of the bond issue to repay reserves based lending and ...

UK opens door for self-driving vehicles as early as this year Companies Follow Philip on: Tesla already uses something similar to ALKS known as Autopilot Britain is set to allow self-driving vehicles with a possibility the first driver-assist models might be on roads by the end of the year, the government said today. Alongside a call for evidence about self-driving systems, the Department of Transport said it was working on changes to the Highway Code to enable the use of vehicles equipped with...

DS Smith still sitting in the box-seat as online shopping booms Corrugated box volumes have grown progressively throughout the financial year with the second half expected to achieve a volume increase in excess of 7% over the comparative period last year. It may be helping Amazon take over the world but at least it pays its taxes, eh? DS Smith PLC (LON:SMDS), the packaging giant, continues to benefit from the trend towards online shopping. In a pre-close trading update covering the ...

Moderna said it will use its cash balance to fund these investments, which will start this year. It added that this is necessary due to an expected significant need for booster vaccinations in 2022 and beyond, as waning immunity will hit the efficacy of rollouts within 12 months. The new investments will double drug substance manufacturing at Lonza’s Swiss facility, more than double formulation, fill and finish and drug substance manufacturing at Rovi’s Spain-based facility, and increase by...

The consumer goods giant expects full-year sales to rise but markets remain volatile Unilever PLC (LON:ULVR) declared a quarterly dividend of 3.71p per share and will start a share buyback programme of up to €3bn next month, which the consumer products group said reflects strong cash flow delivery and balance sheet position. The FTSE 100 giant said it is still deciding how to spin off its tea business later this year, whether by IPO, a demerger, a joint venture or disposal. Another spinoff ...

Follow Jamie on: For Shell it will be a set of results with a narrative of transition. Royal Dutch Shell Plc (LON:RDSB) is the next company formerly known as oil super major to update on Thursday. Transition and commodity prices will be key themes in the results statement. Shell recently updated investors with more detail on its plan emphasis on customer demand, no doubt it will be a feature in Thursday’s first-quarter results. “Shell is attempting to pull off a metamorphosis but shrugging ...