Accor, Alcatel, Carrefour, GDF Suez: French Stocks Preview

By Ladka Bauerova and Adria Cimino

Sept. 1 (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.

September futures on France's CAC 40 Index retreated 29 to 4,456 at 8:12 a.m. in Paris.

The CAC 40 rose 21.11, or 0.5 percent, to 4,482.60 on Aug. 29. The SBF 120 Index advanced 0.6 percent.

Accor SA (AC FP): UBS cut its recommendation on shares of Europe's biggest hotel company to ``sell'' from ``neutral.'' The stock increased 74 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 45.25 euros.

Alcatel-Lucent SA (ALU FP): The board will pick a new chief executive officer in the ``coming days,'' and the nominating committee may propose former executive Mike Quigley or Ben Verwaayen, the former CEO of BT Group Plc, Les Echos said. Shares of the world's largest supplier of fixed-line telephone networks sank 19 cents, or 4.5 percent, to 4.15 euros.

Boiron SA (BOI FP): The homeopathic drugmaker said first- half net profit more than doubled to 12.5 million euros ($18.3 million). The shares fell 10 cents, or 0.5 percent, to 19.50 euros.

Carrefour SA (CA FP): JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut its recommendation on shares of the world's second-largest retailer to ``underweight'' from ``neutral.'' The stock jumped 2.43 euros, or 7.2 percent, to 36.13.

CS Communication & Systemes SA (SX FP): The computer- services company that makes air- and traffic-control systems posted a first-half loss of 2.2 million euros on increased marketing costs and delayed U.S. project. The stock dropped 6 cents, or 0.4 percent, to 16.88 euros.

Entrepose Contracting SA (ENTC FP): The builder of pipelines and storage facilities said first-half profit rose to 7.8 million euros from 4.2 million euros a year earlier. The shares rose 1.65 euros cents, or 3 percent, to 56.90 euros.

GDF Suez SA (GSZ FP): The world's second-biggest utility said first-half profit rose 14 percent to 3.38 billion euros, beating analysts' estimates, on higher power and natural gas prices. The stock lost 48 cents, or 1.2 percent, to 39.40 euros.

Groupe Norbert Dentressangle SA (GND FP): The trucking company said first-half profit fell to 16.1 million euros from 25.3 million euros. The shares lost 70 cents, or 1.2 euros, to 56 euros.

Iliad SA (ILD FP): France's second-largest provider of broadband Internet was cut to ``underperform'' from ``buy'' at Merrill Lynch & Co. The stock sank 1.82 euros, or 2.5 percent, to 70.48.

Jacquet Metals SA (JCQ FP): The metals producer said first- half net income dropped to 5.5 million euros from 24 million euros last year. The shares fell rose 48 cents, or 1.2 percent, to 41.48 euros.

Lagardere SCA (MMB FP): Shares of France's largest publisher were cut from the ``most preferred'' list at UBS. The stock added 5 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 38.20 euros.

Mecelec SA (MCLC FP): The industrial equipment maker said its net loss in the first half narrowed to 570,000 euros from 1.32 million euros a year earlier. The shares fell 1 cent to 5.99 euros.

Michelin & Cie. (ML FP): The world's second-largest tiremaker was upgraded to ``buy'' from ``neutral'' at Merrill Lynch & Co. after a drop in oil. The stock slipped 14 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 44.36 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 net profit rose to 27 million euros from 23.7 million euros a year earlier and that operating margins for the full year would be close to its 8 percent target. The shares rose 18 cents, or 1 percent, to 18.40 euros.

Viel & Cie. (VIL FP): The securities broker reported a first-half profit of 17.6 million euros, an increase from last year's 11.7 million euros. The shares rose 3 cents, or 0.8 percent, to 3.83 euros.

Vivendi SA (VIV FP): France's biggest media company said second-quarter profit unexpectedly rose as higher earnings at pay-TV operator Canal Plus made up for declining income at Universal Music Group. Profit excluding one-time gains and some costs rose 0.3 percent to 757 million euros. The shares gained 45 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 26.44 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ladka Bauerova in Paris at lbauerova@bloomberg.net