Research Market strategy
By Swissquote Analysts
Themes Trading

A Look Into the 2022 Metaverse

A Look Into the 2022 Metaverse

By
Peter Rosenstreich
Morning News

Michelin Reports Higher Sales, Profit for 2021

Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin (-2.2%) reported a rise in sales and profit for 2021 and proposed a higher dividend. The French tire maker said aftertax profit was 1.85 billion euros ($2.10 billion) for the year, compared with EUR625 million a year earlier. Segment operating income, one of the company's key indicators, rose to EUR2.97 billion from EUR1.88 billion. Analysts had expected EUR2.96 billion, according to consensus estimates provided by the company. Sales increased to EUR23.80 billion from EUR20.47 billion, beating analysts' expectations of EUR23.20 billion, according to the consensus estimates.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

BMW Takes Control of China Venture, Sees Big Profit Gains

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (+2.7%) said it has taken majority control of its Chinese joint venture, securing its grip on its operations in the world’s biggest auto market. Under the deal, effective Friday, BMW said it is paying 3.7 billion euros, equivalent to $4.2 billion, to raise its stake in BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. to 75% from 50%, a move it flagged in 2018. BMW’s partner, Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., will retain 25% of the venture.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

Twitter Profit Drops; Company Says Apple Impact Largely Avoided

Twitter Inc. posted lower-than-expected profit as expenses climbed but said it largely dodged the impact of privacy changes that are hurting Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. Twitter also announced a $4 billion stock buyback, its first since the company announced a $2 billion program in March 2020. The social-media company said its daily user base rose 2.84% from its previous quarter to 217 million. Analysts polled by FactSet had expected the user count to rise to 218 million.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

GlaxoSmithKline 4Q Net Profit Grew on Higher Sales

British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC on Wednesday posted an increase in net profit and sales for the final quarter of 2021. The company said net profit was 749 million pounds ($1.01 billion) for the fourth quarter, up from GBP677 million for the same period the previous year, on sales that grew to GBP9.53 billion from GBP8.74 billion. While sales beat expectations, net profit came short of a company-provided consensus, which saw the metric at GBP1.19 billion.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

Pfizer Forecasts $54 Billion in 2022 Sales from Its Covid-19 Vaccine, Treatment

As Pfizer Inc. forecasts strong sales this year for its Covid-19 vaccine and treatment, the drugmaker is on the hunt for deals to bolster its pipeline of experimental products. Pfizer said Tuesday that surging sales of its Covid-19 treatment and continued demand for its shots should boost the company’s revenue to around $100 billion this year. The company estimated that sales of its antiviral pill Paxlovid will reach about $22 billion while the vaccine will likely add $32 billion.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

BNP Paribas Targets Higher Shareholder Returns Through 2025

BNP Paribas SA plans to raise the proportion of earnings it pays to shareholders through 2025, joining a cohort of European lenders in increasing shareholder returns after the European Central Bank lifted the restrictions on payouts it had imposed at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The French bank said Tuesday that it is targeting a payout ratio of 60% as part of its new plan from 2022 to 2025, including a minimum cash payout of 50%.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

Intesa Sanpaolo to Pay Shareholders $25B by 2025, Invest in Tech

Intesa Sanpaolo SpA is betting that a digital push will help it reach higher earnings and profitability, and plans to return 22 billion euros ($25.16 billion) to shareholders between 2021 and 2025 as part of its new business plan. Italy’s largest bank by assets said Friday that it expects its net profit to grow to EUR6.5 billion in 2025. It posted a EUR4.19 billion net profit in 2021. Intesa will also aim for its return on tangible equity - a key metric of profitability - to go up to 13.9% in 2025 from 9.1% in 2021.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

As Inflation Soars, Central Banks Scramble to Lift Rates

Europe’s central banks signaled growing concern about soaring inflation and a determination to quench it by raising interest rates, a policy shift that creates risks for investors and the world economy. The hawkish moves in Europe reflect a growing appreciation among policy makers that inflation won’t come down as quickly as they had hoped. It echoes a similar shift in the U.S., where Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell signaled last week that the U.S. central bank would begin steadily raising interest rates in mid-March.

By
Mathieu VILLARD
Morning News

ABB meets forecast and raises dividend

Swiss technology group ABB returned to profit in the final quarter of 2021 and met its full-year forecast, which had previously been cut in October. Demand picked up significantly at the end of the year, order intake recovered, and revenue grew more than expected despite disrupted supply chains in parts of the business, the Siemens competitor said. Shareholders are to receive a 2-cent higher dividend of 0.82 Swiss francs per share for the past year.

By
Mathieu VILLARD