Allianz, Areva, BASF, Thales, Vilmorin: European Equity Preview

By Nadja Brandt

Feb. 26 (Bloomberg) -- The following companies may have unusual price changes in European trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses, and share prices are from the previous close.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 fell 0.3 percent to 172.31. Dow Jones Stoxx 50 Index dropped 0.4 percent to 1,769.68. The Euro Stoxx 50 Index, a benchmark for the nations using the euro, decreased 0.6 percent to 1,965.26.

Allianz SE (ALV GY): Europe’s biggest insurer by market value is scheduled to post fourth-quarter results. The company may report a loss in the quarter and the first full-year loss in six years after selling its banking unit and as investments declined in value, according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. The shares fell 0.3 percent to 49.15 euros.

Areva SA (CEI FP): The world’s biggest maker of nuclear reactors reported a 21 percent decline in 2008 net income, hurt by a 749 million-euro charge for cost overruns at a plant project in Finland. The company said it has started a plan to reduce costs for purchasing and overhead. The investment certificates dropped 7.05 euros, or 2.2 percent, to 314.38 euros.

BASF AG (BAS GY): The world’s biggest chemical producer is scheduled to post fourth-quarter results. The company may report its first quarterly loss in seven years after scaling back production to account for a drop in demand in the auto and construction industries, according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. The shares fell 3 percent to 21.07 euros.

Credit Agricole SA (ACA FP): France’s second-biggest bank by market value said it’s in exclusive talks to buy control of stock custodian Caceis from Natixis SA for 595 million euros. The shares were little changed at 7.46 euros.

Deutsche Post AG (DPW GY): Europe’s biggest mail carrier posted a net loss in the fourth quarter that missed analyst estimates because of the cost of closing its DHL Express unit’s U.S. domestic business and a decline in package volumes stemming from the recession. The shares decreased 2.2 percent to 8.36 euros.

FastWeb SpA (FWB IM): Italy’s second-largest telephone company will report 2008 results. FastWeb rose 3.4 percent to 18.50 euros.

RWE AG (RWE GY): Germany’s second-largest utility is scheduled to post fourth-quarter results. The company may report a profit following a year-earlier loss, after two of its nuclear reactors started after repairs, trimming costs and boosting power generation, according to analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. The shares dropped 2.3 percent to 52.63 euros.

Sulzer AG (SUN SW): The world’s second-biggest maker of pumps reports full-year results and gives its business outlook. Shares rose 4.55 francs, or 10 percent, to 48.05 francs.

Telefonica SA (TEF SM): The Europe’s second-largest telecom company is schedule to release its full-year earnings. The stock rose 6 cents, or 0.4 percent, to 13.98 euros.

Thales SA (HO FP): Europe’s largest defense-electronics provider reports full-year earnings after the market close in Paris. Net income probably fell 30 percent to 619 million euros, according to the media of eight analyst estimates, as capital gains from asset sales weren’t repeated. The shares lost 31 cents, or 1 percent, to 30.49 euros.

Vilmorin & Cie. (RIN FP): Europe’s second-largest seed producer reported a first-half loss of 27.4 million euros, little changed from a year earlier, and affirmed its full-year forecast. The shares gained 1.30 euros, or 1.6 percent, to 84.50 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nadja Brandt in Los Angeles at nbrandt@bloomberg.net