The big French companies have practically recovered their health dazzling pre-crisis! The combined profits of the forty groups of ACC and reached 82.15 billion euros (1), up 83.5% over 2009! "These results are good, although still lower than 15% for those records in 2007," said Pierre Sabatier, in PrimeView. Sales of these major groups have rebounded, approaching their pre-crisis. Golablement, the 40 stars of the Paris stock exchange recorded a turnover of EUR 1.26974 trillion, up nearly 7% over 2009. Companies have restructured and reduced their debts much since the crisis began."They benefited in 2010 of an enabling environment, financing conditions very favorable from a raw material prices relatively low and a recovery in global growth driven by emerging countries," Pierre Sabatier analysis.
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The year 2010 was marked by a return to better fortunes of banks and insurance companies, but auto manufacturers. Other companies have also created surprise. "About half of large listed announced results that exceeded analysts' expectations, however high," says Claudia and Panseri at Societe Generale.If the telecom industry or certain values (Vallourec) were somewhat disappointed analysts, pharmaceutical (Sanofi-Aventis), the consumer goods sector (Danone, Essilor, L'Oréal), luxury and technology companies (Alcatel ) did better than expected. "For some groups, it is merely a technical rebound. But others have found, or exceeded their profits before the crisis. This is the case of the automobile (Renault, Peugeot), steel, construction (Saint-Gobain, Lafarge) or luxury (LVMH, PPR), "said Christian Parisot at Aurel BGC.
Companies will be pampered and invigorated their shareholders by donating about 40 billion euros in dividends. "The crisis of the past, but has left its mark. Businesses remain cautious and even if they have a lot of cash, they invest little for the moment, "said Pierre Sabatier.Especially since the year looks a bit more complicated than 2010. Certainly, the consensus of analysts expects an increase of 11% of the results of the ACC in 2011.
"Sectoral Differences"
But these forecasts are somewhat compromised by the soaring prices of raw materials and oil, which if continued could weigh on consumer spending. "For now, we're not too worried because global growth is buoyant, particularly in the United States. This should allow companies to increase their turnover and profits, "said Claudia Panseri. "But if at the end of the second quarter, oil prices remain too high, companies could face new difficulties," she nuance. For some economists, margins, now at their highest, might suffer. Corporate profits should be less homogeneous."There will be more pronounced sectoral differences. Companies that can raise their prices to cope with rising commodity prices should fare better than others, "suggests Christian Parisot.
(1) These results were calculated using for EADS, Alstom and Pernod Ricard, the earnings estimates of analysts.
The champions of profitability are in the health and luxury
Health, luxury and drink: this is the ranking of the most profitable of the CAC 40. With a net margin of over 17%, the pharmaceutical group Sanofi-Aventis is by far the head of the most profitable companies in the benchmark index of the Paris Bourse. Despite competition from low-cost generic products, the blockbuster drugs that markets the group remains a fantastic source of profit, even if it tends to decrease from year to year.That's why Sanofi-Aventis accelerates acquisitions in the biotechnology sector. Activities located far upstream of the research cycle that will not suffer competition from laboratories specializing in the exploitation of patents has fallen into the public domain. It responds to this concern that the takeover bid of 20.4 billion currently on American society Genzime.
"The other champions of profitability are all protected by strong brands and recognized internationally, said Pierre-Yves Gauthier, strategist of financial analysis firm AphaValue.The strength of the brand is even considered an asset, it is a guarantee of high profitability and sustainability of future earnings. "There is nothing surprising in these conditions to see in the list of the groups with the most comfortable margins of LVMH, the world leader in luxury, L'Oreal, which remains a true superstar on the cosmetics market, but Pernod Ricard, which has to focus on the segment of premium spirits. These are sectors that benefit from the excellent image of France abroad.
Technological advance
"The common point of companies like LVMH, L'Oreal and Pernod Ricard, is that their high level of profitability does not only depend on their ability to protect their margins. It also relies on the strong business growth in emerging countries but also in the U.S., where business goes.That's what investors look primarily, "said Francois Mallet, head of research at Kepler Capital Market Action. In another area, Essilor International shows very strong margins (12% on net income) based on its technological lead in glasses.
Largest provider of benefits of CAC 40 with 10.5 billion euros in profits in 2010, Total is not the group's most profitable CAC 40 in terms of profit margin. It appears, however, among the "oil majors" the better off the Old Continent, far ahead of the British giant Anglo BP or Royal Dutch Shell. With 7.48 billion euros in net profit in 2010, BNP Paribas ranks among the most profitable banks in Europe. The first French bank has cleared the crisis, since the record profits achieved in 2007 is outdated.
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