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Takeover target Rio Tinto is also expected to release results later today, with analysts predicting the mining giant will deliver a drop in full-year profit for the first time in five years.
Commentators expect Rio to post earnings of about $7.1 billion US dollars, down from $7.34 billion a year ago. Warnings are that any drop in earnings could undermine Rio’s defence of BHP Billiton’s $165 billion takeover bid.
Meanwhile, Australian soft drinks company Coca-Cola Amatil beat market expectations today by announcing a 13 per cent rise in full year profit.
The company posted a net profit, excluding significant items, of $366 million, up from $323 million a year ago. The growth came despite the Sydney-based company raising its soft drinks prices in an effort to offset higher aluminium and soft commodity prices.
Coca-Cola Amatil declared a final dividend of 20 cents per share, up from 18 cents a year ago.
In the banking sector, Australia’s top mortgage lender Commonwealth Bank today reported a 4 per cent rise in first-half cash earnings, of $2.38 billion.
The result was lower than analysts’ predictions, and was attributed to higher funding costs and increased bad loan provisions. Shares in the bank fell by as much as 3.7 per cent on the news.
There was much better news for Computershare shareholders though, as the world’s largest share registry company posted a half-yearly net profit after outside equity interest of $154.9 million US, up from $119 million a year ago.
The company reported a 53 per cent jump in earnings per share, and raised its full year guidance by 10 per cent, saying it expected annual earnings to be about 40 per cent higher than last year. Shares in Computershare surged around 7 per cent today after hitting a 17-month low yesterday.
Building supplier Boral also announced results today and blamed a building slump and uncertainty surrounding US housing activity on a 10 per cent fall in half-yearly profit.
Sydney-based Boral, Australia’s largest materials supplier, reported a net profit to Dec 2007 of $132.4 million, down from a profit of $147 million a year ago.
Commentators expect Rio to post earnings of about $7.1 billion US dollars, down from $7.34 billion a year ago. Warnings are that any drop in earnings could undermine Rio’s defence of BHP Billiton’s $165 billion takeover bid.
Meanwhile, Australian soft drinks company Coca-Cola Amatil beat market expectations today by announcing a 13 per cent rise in full year profit.
The company posted a net profit, excluding significant items, of $366 million, up from $323 million a year ago. The growth came despite the Sydney-based company raising its soft drinks prices in an effort to offset higher aluminium and soft commodity prices.
Coca-Cola Amatil declared a final dividend of 20 cents per share, up from 18 cents a year ago.
In the banking sector, Australia’s top mortgage lender Commonwealth Bank today reported a 4 per cent rise in first-half cash earnings, of $2.38 billion.
The result was lower than analysts’ predictions, and was attributed to higher funding costs and increased bad loan provisions. Shares in the bank fell by as much as 3.7 per cent on the news.
There was much better news for Computershare shareholders though, as the world’s largest share registry company posted a half-yearly net profit after outside equity interest of $154.9 million US, up from $119 million a year ago.
The company reported a 53 per cent jump in earnings per share, and raised its full year guidance by 10 per cent, saying it expected annual earnings to be about 40 per cent higher than last year. Shares in Computershare surged around 7 per cent today after hitting a 17-month low yesterday.
Building supplier Boral also announced results today and blamed a building slump and uncertainty surrounding US housing activity on a 10 per cent fall in half-yearly profit.
Sydney-based Boral, Australia’s largest materials supplier, reported a net profit to Dec 2007 of $132.4 million, down from a profit of $147 million a year ago.
