EDF, Conergy, Fortis, Natixis, Nestle: European Equity Preview

By Elizabeth Stanton

Sept. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes in Europe trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are from the previous close.

Europe's Dow Jones Stoxx 600 climbed 8.3 percent to 278.18. The Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index advanced 9.3 percent to 2,809.38. The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark for nations using the euro, gained 8.4 percent to 3,253.52.

Continental AG (CON GY): Michelin & Cie. is interested in buying the tire business of Europe's second-largest car-parts maker if it's put up for sale, WirtschaftsWoche said, citing Michelin Chief Executive Officer Michel Rollier. The shares dropped 2 cents to 71 euros.

Conergy AG (CGY GY): Germany's second-largest solar company plans to sell two units by the end of this year to focus on its sales and project business, Tagesspiegel said, citing company spokesman Alexander Leinhos. The shares advanced 60 cents, or 7.7 percent, to 8.37 euros.

Daimler AG (DAI GY): The world's second-largest maker of luxury cars plans to raises prices for its Mercedes brand truck 3 percent to set off inflation and pass on higher raw material costs, Automobilwoche reported, citing Stefan Buchner, head of procurement at Daimler Trucks and Buses. The shares gained 2.455 euros, or 6.6 percent, to 39.465.

Deutsche Postbank AG (DPB GY): Germany's biggest consumer bank by clients faces warning strikes in seven German cities ahead of a third round of negotiations about pay. The shares rose 1.76 euros, or 5 percent, to 36.76 euros.

Electricite de France SA (EDF FP): Europe's largest power utility, said it is still studying how to build its nuclear business in the U.S. after its partner, Constellation Energy Group Inc., agreed to be bought by MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. The stock rose 3.65 cents, or 7.72 percent, to 50.83 euros.

Fortis (FORB BB): The financial-services firm that announced plans in June to raise 8.3 billion euros may sell more assets than anticipated as other parts of the capital plan may be more difficult to execute now, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf said, citing Chief Executive Officer Herman Verwilst. Fortis spokeswoman Marianne Honkoop confirmed his comments. Fortis gained 1.18 euros, or 17 percent, to 8.02 euros.

Irish Life & Permanent Plc (IPM ID): Ireland's biggest mortgage lender dismissed newspaper speculation it's likely to be the next Irish financial institution to receive a takeover offer. The shares rose 1.038 euros, or 20 percent, to 6.138 euros.

Kingfisher Plc (KGF LN): The U.K. home-improvement retailer is considering moving its headquarters out of the country to avoid paying proposed British corporate taxes, the Sunday Telegraph said. The shares rose 13.5 pence, or 10 percent, to 144.9 pence.

MAN AG (MAN GY): Europe's third-largest truckmaker expects orders to rise at its commercial-vehicle unit MAN Nutzfahrzeuge next year, Euro am Sonntag said, citing the division's management board member Karl Viktor Schaller.

Separately, MAN Nutzfahrzeuge expects to sell a record 100,000 trucks this year and plans to raise truck prices to pass on higher raw material costs to customers, Automobilwoche said, citing the unit's Chief Executive Officer Anton Weinmann. The shares climbed 7 euros, or 15 percent, to 53.70.

Manz Automation AG (M5Z GY): The maker of automation systems for solar cells and LCD panels aims to raise its profit margin to 15 percent of sales, from 11.8 percent now, by the end of 2009, WirtschaftsWoche reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Dieter Manz. The shares surged 19.51 euros, or 18 percent, to 125.51.

Natixis SA (KN FP): Chief Executive Officer Dominique Ferrero told Investir that the company's stock price doesn't reflect the value of France's fourth-largest bank. ``The stock doesn't reflect the worth of the bank,'' Ferrero told the French newspaper in an interview. The stock rose 62 cents, or 25.31 percent, to 3.07 euros.

Nestle SA (NESN VX): The world's largest food company said it is ``confident'' its dairy products aren't made from milk tainted with melamine, following a scandal with contaminated milk in China. Hong Kong's two largest supermarket chains pulled Nestle milk products made in China from their shelves. The shares rose 1.24 Swiss francs, or 2.6 percent, to 49.34 francs.

Pernod Ricard SA (RI FP): The distiller's Absolut vodka brand is ``very profitable,'' Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ricard told Le Journal des Finances in an interview. The stock rose 2.925 euros, or 5.2 percent, to 58.815 euros.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA LN): Europe's biggest oil producer declared a new suspension of Bonny Light crude exports after militants targeted its installations in Nigeria. The shares rose 89 pence, or 5.6 percent, to 1,684 pence.

Union Fenosa SA (UNF SM): Italian oil company Eni SpA plans to bid for the 50 percent of Union Fenosa Gas it doesn't own, an offer that may exceed 4 billion euros ($5.8 billion), Expansion reported.

Eni executives plan to travel to Spain in the next few days to hold talks with Gas Natural SDG SA (GAS SM), the newspaper said, citing unidentified people. Gas Natural expects its 16.8 billion-euro bid for Fenosa, which owns the other 50 percent of the gas unit, to complete by April, the utility said Sept. 18.

Fenosa added 2.8 percent to 17.21 euros and Gas Natural.

Yell Group Plc (YELL LN): The publisher of the U.K.'s Yellow Pages phone directory is negotiating with banks, including HSBC Holdings Plc, to restructure 3.7 billion pounds ($6.8 billion) in debt, the Sunday Times said. The shares advanced 13 pence, or 17 percent, to 91 pence.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elizabeth Stanton in New York at estanton@bloomberg.net