Friday preview: Standard Life reports full year results

Insurance giant Standard Life is expected to report broadly flat full year profits on Friday, according to UBS.

Pre-tax profit in the full year is forecast to rise slightly to £613m in 2015 from £608m the previous month, driven by a 16% drop in profits in Europe and the UK.

UBS said a further fall-off from UK individual annuity sales, lower asset liability management actions and negative foreign exchange impacts were likely offset by an increase in higher assets under management driving fee revenue growth.

The broker said the focus will be on how Standard Life plans to handle the introduction last month of Solvency II, new European Union rules forcing insurers to hold enough capital to protect policyholders.

“On Solvency II, we think Standard Life is well positioned to manage the transition, however, a material annuity back-book along with the impact of contract boundaries could lead to a headline ratio below expectations in our view,” said UBS analyst Colm Kelly.

Bottling company Coca-Cola HBC also reports its full year results amid concerns about the impact of the Russian rouble and Nigerian naira depreciation on its business.

Numis issued a ‘reduce’ rating, saying it expects earnings will be hit by foreign exchange headwinds.

“The reduce stance is on the basis of ratings being no bargain (albeit that the free float is only 53.3%) and as 51.4% of 2014 volume derived from emerging markets, with 19.5% from Russia alone where the decline in the oil price will impact hard on the economy and currency,” said Numis analyst Charles Pick.

“Nigerian operations too must be impacted soon by oil revenues declining/possible Naira devaluation.”

Friday 19 February

INTERIMS
DX (Group)

INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Fletcher King

QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE
NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Ltd GBP, NB Global Floating Rate Income Fund Ltd USD

FINALS
Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI), SEGRO, Standard Life

ANNUAL REPORT
Independent Inv Trust

FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE
Blackrock Frontiers Investment Trust, Numis Corporation, Oxford Technology 2 VCT, Oxford Technology 3 VCT, Titon Holdings, UDG Healthcare Public Limited Company, Unicorn AIM VCT , Urban&Civic , Victrex plc