ROUNDUP 2: Netflix with a record increase of almost 19 million users
LOS GATOS – Netflix has broken the 300 million user mark after record growth in the last quarter. In the quarter with the release of the second season of the South Korean hit series “Squid Game,” almost 19 million users were added. That was about twice as much as analysts expected – the video streaming market leader also exceeded Wall Street forecasts for sales and profits. With the tailwind, Netflix immediately increased prices in the most important market, the USA. The results were very well received on the stock market.
ROUNDUP: Adidas exceeds forecasts – shares at their highest level in three years
HERZOGENAURACH – The sporting goods group adidas performed better than expected in the fourth quarter. Although Adidas increased its forecast several times last year, the company was still able to surprise with its key figures. According to preliminary calculations, revenues in the fourth quarter rose by 24 percent year-on-year to almost 6 billion euros, as the company announced on Tuesday evening in Herzogenaurach. Adjusted for currency effects, growth was 19 percent.
ROUNDUP: Munich Re does not see profit as the end of the road
MUNICH – The world’s largest reinsurer Munich Re (Munich Reinsurance Company) expects further profit growth in the coming years. “At least as of today it doesn’t look as if we have reached the end of the line,” said CEO Joachim Wenning on Tuesday evening in Munich. He wants to reveal more details in December when the DAX group (DAX) presents its new multi-year strategy. Wenning has targeted a profit of six billion euros for 2025. This would mean the surplus would be more than twice as high as in 2021.
ROUNDUP: Schaeffler misses expectations – share price plummets
HERZOGENAURACH – The industrial group Schaeffler performed weaker last year than the market expected. The margin in particular developed significantly worse, as the company announced based on preliminary figures on Tuesday evening. Sales increased thanks to the Vitesco acquisition, but analysts had hoped for more here too. Schaeffler shares lost more than 16 percent in early trading on Wednesday, costing less than four euros.
Consumer goods company Procter & Gamble exceeds expectations
CINCINNATI – US consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (ProcterGamble) achieved stronger-than-expected growth in the second quarter. In the three months to the end of December, sales rose by two percent to 21.9 billion US dollars (almost 21.1 billion euros), as the company announced on Wednesday in Cincinnati. Organically, i.e. adjusted for exchange rate and portfolio effects, Procter & Gamble recorded growth of three percent. Analysts had expected lower growth.
ROUNDUP: OpenAI and its partners are investing billions in AI data centers
WASHINGTON – ChatGPT developer OpenAI and major technology partners want to invest $500 billion in new data centers for artificial intelligence (AI). Initially, 100 billion dollars (96 billion euros) are to be invested in the joint venture called Stargate. US President Donald Trump announced the project, which is intended to create 100,000 jobs in the USA, at the White House.
US insurer Travelers also earned more in the final quarter – shares are rising
NEW YORK – The US insurer Travelers earned significantly more in the fourth quarter than a year earlier, despite increased losses from natural catastrophes. The bottom line is that the Americans made a net profit of 2.1 billion US dollars (around 2 billion euros), as they announced on Wednesday in New York. That was 28 percent more year-on-year. The group benefited from higher income from new deals as well as increased earnings from investments. When it comes to adjusted earnings per share, Travelers significantly exceeded experts’ estimates; the shares recently climbed by a good five percent in premarket US trading.
Energy technology group GE Vernova disappoints expectations – shares slightly up
CAMBRIDGE – The US energy technology group GE Vernova increased sales and earnings significantly in the fourth quarter, but missed market expectations. Siemens Energy’s competitor achieved its goals for the year as a whole and confirmed its forecast for the new year. The share fell by a good 7 percent on Wednesday before the trading session, but recently turned positive with a 1.3 percent premium. The day before it had reached a record high of just over $417.
Good business with cancer drugs gives Johnson & Johnson a boost
NEW BRUNSWICK – The US company Johnson & Johnson (J&J) coped well with the loss in sales of one of its most important box office hits, the psoriasis drug Stelara, last year. Thanks to good business with novel drugs, cancer drugs and medical technology, group-wide sales climbed by 4.3 percent to 88.8 billion US dollars (85.5 billion euros) in 2024, as the manufacturer announced on Wednesday in New Brunswick. The company slightly exceeded analysts’ expectations. CEO Joaquin Duato spoke of a “transformative year” in which the product pipeline improved greatly.
ROUNDUP 2: Sahin experiment over – Tullberg coaches BVB against Bremen
DORTMUND – Nuri Sahin announced his wish for the club he loved even before he officially left as coach of Borussia Dortmund (BVB (Borussia Dortmund)). “It’s simply about this club finally finding peace, finding peace. That the club becomes successful again, that we don’t have any secondary theaters of war,” said the 36-year-old after the 1-2 defeat in the Champions League at FC Bologna.
Financial investor CVC reaches target threshold for Compugroup takeover offer
KOBLENZ – The financial investor CVC (CVC Capital Partners) is getting closer to its major entry into the software provider Compugroup (CompuGroup Medical SECo). In the takeover offer, the investment company has so far achieved almost 17.5 percent of the shares and thus exceeded the minimum acceptance threshold of 17 percent, as the companies announced on Wednesday in Koblenz. The offer period runs until this Thursday, after which there will probably be an extended period for the offer from January 29th to February 11th.
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More news
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-ROUNDUP 2: Green light for Tübingen tax on disposable packaging
-Leopard manufacturers and Ukrainians set up repair shop
-Roche with FDA approval for tests to detect sexually transmitted infections
-ROUNDUP: ‘Squid Game 2’ is already the third most successful Netflix series
-Fraport: Gastro operators for Terminal 3 have been determined
-Helaba boss: A new start in the ongoing dispute over deposit protection
-Discussions about Northvolt financing
-Brauer-Bund expects another weak year for beer
Study: Meat and dairy companies contribute significantly to the climate crisis
-Court: Lidl is allowed to continue selling its Dubai chocolate
–Milka-Chocolate now costs more°
Customer note:
ROUNDUP: You read a summary in the company overview. There are several reports on this topic on the dpa-AFX news service.
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