Air France, Alstom, BNP and Carrefour: French Stocks Preview

By Gregory Viscusi and Adria Cimino

Jan. 20 (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.

February futures on France’s CAC 40 Index rose 6.5 to 3000.5 at 8:16 a.m. in Paris.

The CAC 40 dropped 27.06, or 0.9 percent, to 2,989.69 yesterday. The SBF 120 Index lost 0.9 percent.

Air France-KLM Group (AF FP): Europe’s biggest airline said it will have a third-quarter operating loss on a “slight weakening” in passenger revenue. The shares lost 74 cents, or 7.9 percent, to 8.61 euros.

Alstom SA (ALO FP): The world’s third-largest power-plant builder said third-quarter sales rose 11 percent to 4.55 billion euros ($5.92 billion). Analysts expected a 14 percent increase to 4.67 billion euros, according to the median of nine in a survey. The shares dropped 3 cents to 34.25 euros.

BNP Paribas SA (BNP FP): The bank’s 2008 net income will drop 60 percent to around 3 billion euros, French daily La Tribune reported, citing the bank. BNP will present its results on Feb. 18, the newspaper said. Separately, Societe Generale cut its recommendation on BNP shares to “sell” from “buy,” saying the bank may need to raise 8 billion euros. Shares of France’s biggest bank sank 1.65 euros, or 5.7 percent, to 27.35.

BioMerieux SA (BIM FP): The maker of tests to diagnose infections such as HIV and hepatitis is planning more purchases this year to further expand in the U.S. and Asia, Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel said. The stock added 85 cents, or 1.5 percent, to 58.91 euros.

Carrefour SA (CA FP): The world’s second-biggest retailer was cut to “sell” from “hold” by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG, who wrote in a note that the company is “caught in more than just a downturn.” The analysts reduced their price estimate for Carrefour shares by 19 percent to 23 euros. The stock slipped 3 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 26.21 euros.

Groupe Eurotunnel SA (GET FP): The operator of the Channel Tunnel that links England and France said it will reopen Interval 6 during the night of Feb. 9-10, returning the tunnel to full capacity. The shares lost 16 cents, or 3.8 percent, to 4.01 euros.

Guyenne & Gascogne SA (GG FP): The operator of Carrefour SA supermarkets in France and Spain said fourth-quarter revenue declined 0.4 percent to 147.8 million euros. The shares closed unchanged at 66 euros.

Laroche SA (ALLAR FP): The winemaker said third-quarter revenue fell to 6.8 million euros from 8.8 million euros a year earlier and forecast another decline for the fourth quarter. The shares closed unchanged at 8 euros.

Mercialys SA (MERY FP): The shopping-mall owner controlled by Casino Guichard-Perrachon SA said revenue climbed almost 17 percent to 116.2 million euros last year on acquisitions and the increase of some leases to market-rate rents. The shares fell 39 cents, or 1.7 percent, to 22.21 euros.

Plastic Omnium SA (POM FP): The company will cut production by 50 percent in the first half, compared with the same period last year, Les Echos reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Laurent Burelle. The stock lost 27 cents, or 3.3 percent, to 7.90 euros.

PSA Peugeot Citroen (UG FP): Europe’s second-largest carmaker doesn’t know if it will make a profit in 2009, Chief Executive Officer Christian Streiff told Le Figaro in an interview. The stock retreated 35 cents, or 2.6 percent, to 13.19 euros.

Soitec SA (SOI FP): The company whose silicon is used in the chips that power Sony Corp. and Microsoft Corp. game consoles cut its sales forecast for the year, citing lower demand from clients. Soitec expects full-year sales to fall 25 percent at constant exchange rates, out from its previous forecast of a 20 percent decline. The shares fell 12 cents, or 3.9 percent, to 2.85 euros.

Thales SA (HO FP): Shares of Europe’s largest defense- electronics maker were cut to “neutral” from “buy” at Merrill Lynch & Co. The stock increased 30 cents, or 0.9 percent, to 32.77 euros.

Vallourec SA (VK FP): Morgan Stanley cut its recommendation on shares of the world’s second-largest maker of steel tubes to carry oil and gas to “underweight” from “equal-weight.” The stock retreated 2.93 euros, or 3.6 percent, to 78.46.

To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory Viscusi in Paris at gviscusi@bloomberg.net.