Ipsos, LDC, L'Oreal, Michelin, Steria: French Stocks Preview

By Laurence Frost and Sarah Thompson

Aug. 14 (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 115.51, or 2.6 percent, to 4,402.97, its biggest decline in a month. The SBF 120 Index retreated 2.6 percent.

CAC 40 futures expiring at the end of August added 18.5 to 4425 at 8:19 a.m. in Paris.

Ausy (OSI FP): The consulting and technology-engineering company said first-half sales rose 47 percent to 69.8 million euros and forecast improved margins. The shares rose 4 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 16.53 euros.

Cafom SA (CAFO FP): The retailer of home furnishings in France's Caribbean and Indian Ocean territories said first- quarter revenue rose to 57 million euros from 33.1 million euros a year earlier. The shares declined 18 cents, or 1.5 percent, to 11.67 euros.

Groupe Finuchem SA (FINU FP): The French maker of electronics and chemicals said second-quarter revenue rose 2.8 percent to 47.8 million euros. The shares fell 1 cent to 9.15 euros.

Heurtey Petrochem SA (ALHPC FP): The maker of cracking furnaces and other oil-industry equipment reported a 59 percent increase in first-half revenue to 102 million euros and orders of 294 million euros. The shares fell 5 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 29.29 euros.

Ipsos SA (IPS FP): The market researcher that conducts polls for the Associated Press in the U.S. said first-half sales rose 4.4 percent to 462.8 million euros, helped by recent acquisitions. The shares declined 65 cents, or 2.8 percent, to 22.70 euros.

LDC SA (LOUP FP): Europe's largest publicly traded poultry processor cut its forecast for full-year operating profit, estimating a decline in earnings at its international and prepared-food businesses and little change in profit from its operations in France this year. The shares dropped 33 cents, or 0.5 percent, to 64.77 euros.

L'Oreal SA (OR FP): Investors should sell shares of L'Oreal because the world's biggest cosmetics maker is likely to miss its profit growth target this year, according to Morgan Stanley analyst Michael Steib. He downgraded the shares to ``underweight'' from ``equal-weight.'' The stock slid 2.11 euros, or 2.8 percent, to 72.99 euros.

Michelin & Cie. (ML FP): The world's second-largest tiremaker is facing a probe by French competition authorities, Le Figaro reported, without saying where it obtained the information. The stock fell 3.33 euros, or 6.8 percent, to 45.64 euros.

Sechilienne-Sidec SA (SECH FP): The alternative energy producer said second-quarter revenue rose 17 percent to 67.4 million euros. The shares fell 30 cents, or 0.6 percent, to 50 euros.

Groupe Steria SCA (RIA FP): The company, whose computer systems organize the arrival of taxis at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport, said first-half revenue rose 36 percent to 878.7 million euros and that operating margins for the period would exceed its previous forecast. The shares fell 92 cents, or 5.3 percent, to 16.30 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah Thompson in London at sthompson17@bloomberg.net.