Eurofins, GDF, L’Oreal, Sanofi, Wendel: French Stocks Preview

By Anne-Sylvaine Chassany and Francesca Cinelli

Aug. 31 (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 advanced 44.61, or 1.2 percent, to 3,693.14, taking its weekly gain to 2.1 percent. The SBF 120 Index rose 1.2 percent to 2,687.10.

Altran SA (ALT FP): The French provider of temporary engineering-project workers for Airbus SAS said it had a first- half net loss of 30.2 million euros ($43 million), compared with a year-earlier profit of 6.9 million. The shares added 6.5 cents, or 2.4 percent, to 2.74 euros.

Carrefour SA (CA FP): Bank of America Corp. increased its share-price estimate for Europe’s biggest retailer to 34 euros from 32 euros. The brokerage kept a “neutral” recommendation. The shares rose 1.45 euros, or 4.6 percent, to 33.1 euros.

Eurofins Scientific SA (ERF FP): The French-listed provider of quality testing for wine and drugmakers posted a first-half loss of 3.4 million euros, compared with a 3.1 million-euro profit a year earlier. The company said it can’t make predictions for the next six months. The shares fell 10 cents, or 0.3 percent, to 39.2 euros.

European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. (EAD FP): The European Union signaled governments will proceed with subsidies for EADS’s Airbus SAS A350 even if a pending World Trade Organization decision finds previous aid to the biggest planemaker was illegal. The shares added 50 cents, or 3.5 percent, at 14.73 euros.

GDF Suez SA (GSZ FP): The owner of Europe’s biggest natural-gas network had its share-price estimate cut to 37 euros from 39 euros at Sal. Oppenheim Jr. & Cie. The brokerage kept a “buy” recommendation. The shares fell 25 cents, or 0.8 percent, to 29.59 euros.

Ingenico SA (ING FP): Bank of America increased its price estimate for the world’s largest maker of payment terminals to 21 euros from 17.5 euros. The brokerage reiterated a “buy” recommendation. The shares gained 81.5 cents, or 5 percent, to 17.07 euros.

L’Oreal SA (OR FP): The world’s largest cosmetics maker plans to expand in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Africa, newspaper Investir reported, citing an interview with Chief Executive Officer Jean-Paul Agon.

ING Groep NV downgraded L’Oreal to “sell” from “hold,” saying “it’s time to take profits.” The stock rallied 4.81 euros, or 7.4 percent, at 69.50 euros.

Riber SA (RIB FP): The maker of machines to produce semiconductor wafers said it’s aiming to report a full-year profit after narrowing its net loss to 360,000 euros in the first half. The stock rose 7 cents, or 5.7 percent, to 1.31 euros.

Sanofi-Aventis SA (SAN FP): The pharmaceutical company’s experimental anti-clotting drug prevented deaths and cardiac complications in people with mild heart attacks and severe chest pain better than standard treatment, a study found. The shares climbed 75 cents, or 1.6 percent, to 48.17 euros.

Sopra Group SA (SOP FP): The French computer consultant said first-half net income fell to 10.8 million euros from 24.7 million euros a year earlier. The shares rose 34 cents, or 1 percent, to 34.40 euros.

Total SA (FP FP): France’s largest oil producer will keep a crude-distillation unit at its Gonfreville refinery shut until mid-September because of weak fuel demand, Paris Normandie reported, citing Gerard Roussel, head of the refinery. The shares added 11 cents, or 0.3 percent, at 40.31 euros.

Wendel (MF FP): Europe’s third-largest publicly listed private-equity firm reported a first-half net loss of 958.9 million euros after it was hurt by the dilution of its stake in Cie. de Saint-Gobain SA. The shares climbed 1.30 euros, or 3.8 percent, to 35.42 euros.

To contact the reporter on this story: Anne-Sylvaine Chassany in Paris at achassany@bloomberg.net. Francesca Cinelli in Milan at fcinelli@bloomberg.net