profits forecast

Morgan Stanley, meanwhile, has raised its profits forecasts for Total in 1996 and 1997 and rates it a buy.

He has lifted his profits forecast for this year slightly to £950 million and expects a 15 per cent rise in the dividend.

Nonetheless, he has cut his full-year profits forecast from £235 million to £220 million.

However, E.On reaffirmed its profits forecasts for 2013.

Multiplex has reduced its 2005 profits forecast from A$235 million to A$170 million.

On Wednesday, the computer chip maker trimmed its profits forecast for the second time in two months because of reduced demand in the fiscal third quarter.

The paper-maker, Bowater, still basking in an optimistic profits forecast for the full year, firmed 7p to 507p.

At any rate NFC (unique among public companies in giving a profits forecast) believes profits will grow by another 10 per cent in the current year.

Mercedes merged with Chrysler in 1998, with a bold declaration from Mercedes management that the deal would result in profits forecast to be more than $30 billion.

Dell Computer lowered its sales forecast on Nov. 10, and BellSouth sharply cut its 2001 profits forecast on Nov. 17.

But even such a massive revision of its profits forecast failed to bring cheer to the markets as analysts predicted that profits could well fall much further than Sony itself was predicting.

The company has gone from losing $878 million in 1993 to earning $623 million on revenue of $12.8 billion last year, with profits forecast by Wall Street at about $815 million for this year.

That has been compounded by the slowdown in the United States, which has further reduced demand, prompting companies like Nokia of Finland, the world's leading producer of mobile phones, to lower their earnings and profits forecasts.

Alex Robinson, a banking analyst at Smith New Court, said the broker was likely to raise its NatWest profits forecast for the current year slightly from the previous £710 million, in the light of yesterday's figures.

Oxford Reports Stronger Results Oxford Health Plans reported improved first-quarter earnings and raised its profits forecast for the year, the latest health insurer to benefit from a nationwide trend of moderating hospital and drug costs.

Before exceptional items, Kingfisher also topped the profits forecast made at the time of its French acquisition, Darty, turning in £234.4 million before tax for the year to the end of January, an increase of 5.7 per cent.