BNP Paribas, EDF, GDF, Valeo and Wendel: French Equity Preview

By Albertina Torsoli

Jan. 19 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a list of companies whose stocks may have unusual changes in Paris. Symbols are in parentheses after company names. Prices are from the last close.

February futures on France’s CAC 40 Index advanced 46 to 3,067 at 8:10 a.m. in Paris.

The CAC 40 rose 20.87, or 0.7 percent, to 3,016.75 on Jan. 16. The benchmark lost 8.6 percent last week. The broader SBF 120 Index gained 0.7 percent.

BNP Paribas SA (BNP FP): France’s biggest bank said Chairman Michel Pebereau and Chief Executive Officer Baudouin Prot will give up their bonuses for 2008 because of lower full- year profit linked to the global financial meltdown. The shares shed 3.2 percent to 29.01 euros, bringing last week’s declines to 15 percent.

Dassault Aviation SA (AM FP): The company will slow down production and delay the introduction of a new model of Falcon corporate jet, Les Echos reported, without saying where it obtained the information. The stock advanced 1 euro, or 0.3 percent, to 403.

Electricite de France SA (EDF FP): Europe’s biggest power producer may be picked to develop France’s second new-generation atomic plant, Le Journal du Dimanche said. President Nicolas Sarkozy’s may decide to grant GDF Suez SA the development of a third reactor later on, the newspaper said. Le Journal du Dimanche didn’t say how it obtained the information.

EDF shares shed 1.8 percent to 37.50 euros. GDF Suez slipped 1.3 percent to 30.97 euros.

Natixis SA (KN FP): TPG Inc. and CVC Capital Partners Ltd. are in talks to buy 45 percent of French custody firm Caceis from Natixis in a deal that may value the unit at about 1.6 billion euros ($2.12 billion), four people familiar with the matter said.

The Paris-based bank may need fresh funds because of the crisis, Le Figaro reported Jan. 17. Natixis may get 2 billion euros more in funding, like last year, when its two main shareholders sold subordinated debt to France in an operation aimed at spurring French banks to lend to households and companies, Le Figaro said, citing unidentified sources.

Natixis was unchanged at 1.21 euros.

Pernod Ricard SA (RI FP): The world’s second-largest liquor maker agreed to sell its Lubuski Gin brand to Vinpol, a unit of Germany’s Henkell & Co. Sektkellerei. It didn’t give financial terms. The stock jumped 3.5 percent to 49.36 euros.

Pierre & Vacances (VAC FP): Europe’s largest resort operator may take advantage of the global economic slowdown to make acquisitions, Investir reported Jan. 17, citing Chief Executive Officer Gerard Bremond. The shares dropped 3 percent to 41.50 euros.

Plastic Omnium SA (POM FP): The car equipment maker recorded its first loss ever in 2008 because of costs linked to job cuts and plant closings, Le Figaro reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Laurent Burelle. Plastic Omnium lost 0.4 percent to 8.17 euros.

Total SA (FP FP): Europe’s third-largest petroleum company will delay some exploration and production projects as the slump in oil prices cuts into earnings, Chief Executive Officer Christophe de Margerie said in an interview broadcast on Europe 1 radio Jan. 17. Total shares gained 1.1 percent to 37.01 euros.

Valeo SA (FR FP): France’s second-biggest maker of auto components should cut the salary of Chief Executive Officer Thierry Morin, Le Parisien reported Jan. 17, citing French shareholder activist Colette Neuville. Valeo stock gained 0.7 percent to 9.28 euros.

Wendel (MF FP): The French investment company said it’s “under no pressure” to dispose of assets after a report it’s planning to sell its North Sea oil company Oranje-Nassau Groep BV. The stock added 0.1 percent to 32.73 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Albertina Torsoli in Paris at atorsoli@bloomberg.net