ADP, Areva, Overlap, Sperian Protection: French Stocks Preview

By Fabio Benedetti-Valentini

Aug. 19 (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 fell 4.78, or 0.1 percent, to 4,448.84 after two consecutive days of gains. The SBF 120 Index decreased 0.2 percent.

Aeroports de Paris (ADP FP): The owner of the French capital's Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports said traffic fell 0.5 percent to 8.5 million passengers in July, hurt by a decline in domestic travel. The shares rose 20 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 59.32 euros.

Areva SA (CEI FP): France isn't considering a link-up between the state-owned nuclear-plant builder and Alstom SA (ALO FP) as a measure to bolster growth, Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said. Areva's investment certificates added 2.7 euros, or 0.4 percent, to 687.34 euros, while Alstom shares fell 75 cents, or 1.1 percent, to 67.85 euros.

Cap Gemini SA (CAP FP): Europe's largest computer-services company's Sogeti unit plans to hire 800 engineers in France before the end of 2008. The shares fell 75 cents, or 1.8 percent, to 41.83 euros.

Overlap Groupe (OVG FP): The company, which sells Internet and intranet security products, said fiscal first-quarter sales more than doubled to 53.54 million euros and confirmed its target for full-year revenue of 230 million euros. The shares gained 1 cent, or 0.8 percent, to 1.35 euros.

Paris-Orleans (PAOR FP): The publicly traded holding company of the French Rothschilds said fiscal first-quarter revenue jumped to 168.4 million euros from 9.64 million euros a year earlier. The shares closed unchanged at 26.85 euros.

Sperian Protection SA (SPR FP): The world's biggest maker of equipment for work safety agreed to buy U.K.-based Combisafe for 63 million euros and said the purchase will add to earnings from the first year. The shares added 90 cents, or 1.2 percent, to 79.45 euros.

GDF Suez (GSZ FP): Odebrecht SA, Brazil's largest construction company, has agreed not to take GDF Suez to court over the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the Amazon, Agencia Estado said, citing Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobao. The shares fell 4 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 36.97 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Fabio Benedetti-Valentini in Paris at fbenedettiva@bloomberg.net.