Credit Agricole, Faiveley, Sodexo, Suez: French Stocks Preview

By Gregory Viscusi

July 2 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose stocks may have unusual changes in Paris. Symbols are in parentheses after company names and prices are from the last close.

France's CAC 40 Index dropped 93.64, or 2.1 percent, to 4,341.21, the lowest since October 2005. The SBF 120 Index retreated 2.1 percent.

Credit Agricole SA (ACA FP): France's third-largest bank by market value raised 5.9 billion euros in a rights offering to replenish capital after writedowns on subprime-infected assets. The shares dropped 61 cents, or 4.7 percent, to 12.37 euros.

Faiveley SA (LEY FP): The maker of equipment for railroads said fiscal 2008 net income rose 24 percent to 36.3 million euros. It also said it's in talks to buy Ellcon International in the U.S. The shares fell 11 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 41.14 euros.

Proservia (ALPRV FP): The computer-services company agreed to buy Altique Groupe in a transaction that values the target at 2.7 million euros. The shares dropped 63 cents, or 3.9 percent, to 15.61 euros.

Societe Generale SA (GLE FP): France's second-largest bank by market value agreed to buy ABN Amro Holding NV's private- banking business in Gibraltar for an undisclosed amount. The shares declined 1.65 euros, or 3 percent, to 53.64 euros.

Sodexo (SW FP): The world's second-largest catering company reports third-quarter sales before the market opens in Paris. Revenue may be 3.39 billion euros, little changed from year- earlier levels, according to the median of five analyst estimates, hurt by the dollar's weakness against the euro. The shares dropped 77 cents, or 1.9 percent, to 40.95 euros.

Suez SA (SZE FP): Shares in the company that's merging with Gaz de France SA will exit the CAC 40, SBF 120 and SBF 250 indexes on July 22, stock market operator NYSE Euronext said. The stock fell 18 cents, or 0.4 percent, to 43.06 euros.

Vetoquinol SA (VETO FP): The drug-testing company bought the animal health business of Canada's Vetcom 1979 Inc. It didn't give financial terms. The shares declined 75 cents, or 2.9 percent, to 25.10 euros.

Xiring (ALXIR FP): The software developer raised 3 million euros selling new shares to funds owned by Credit Agricole and Banques Populaires. The shares fell 10 cents, or 1 percent, to 9.99 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Paris at gviscusi@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: July 1, 2008 23:30 EDT