Areva, APRR, Thales, Natixis, Vallourec: French Stocks Preview

By Heather Smith

Feb. 26 (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.

France’s CAC 40 Index decreased 11.13, or 0.4 percent, to 2,696.92, an eighth decline. That’s the longest losing streak since September 2003. The SBF-120 Index fell 0.2 percent.

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.

Ste. des Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhone SA (ARR FP): France’s second-largest toll-highway operator, reported a 2.4 percent decline in 2008 profit to 333 million euros, hurt by a charge related to swaps contracts from 2005. The shares added 10 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 42.60 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.

Groupe Partouche SA (PARP FP): France’s biggest casino operator said first-quarter revenue fell to 116.7 million euros from 136.2 million euros a year earlier. The shares closed unchanged at 2.45 euros.

Natixis SA (KN FP): The investment bank owned by Groupe Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne reports earnings before the market opens in Paris. The shares rose less than 0.1 percent to 1.04 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, after capital gains from asset sales weren’t repeated. The shares lost 31 cents, or 1 percent, to 30.49 euros.

Vallourec SA (VK FP): The second-largest maker of steel tubes to carry oil and gas said fourth-quarter profit climbed 13 percent to 275.4 million euros after the company increased sales to the power industry. The shares dropped 78.5 cents, or 1.1 percent, to 69.46 euros.

Vilmorin & Cie. (RIN FP): Europe’s second-largest seed producer reported a first-half loss of 27.4 million euros, little changed from year-earlier levels, and confirmed 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: Heather Smith in Paris at hsmith26@bloomberg.net.