Latest news with #AnnaPeverieri
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
European steelmakers flag trade and price risks despite quarterly earnings beats
By Anna Peverieri and Alban Kacher (Reuters) -Europe's top steelmakers showed more resilience than expected in their first-quarter earnings, but warned that global trade tensions, weak European prices and market volatility are clouding the outlook for the rest of the year. ArcelorMittal, which reported on Wednesday a smaller-than-expected drop in its quarterly core profit, flagged trade disruptions as a risk to its 2025 steel demand forecasts, particularly in the U.S. and China, sending its shares down more than 5%. "Heightened uncertainty around the terms of global trade is hurting business confidence and risks causing further economic disruption if not quickly resolved," the CEO of the world's number two steelmaker Aditya Mittal said, echoing concerns raised by Swedish rival SSAB. SSAB, which also reported a smaller-than-expected drop in earnings on Tuesday, said the proximity of its facilities to customers, and specialised products helped cushion the immediate impact of new U.S. tariffs, but warned of a "more uncertain than usual" second-quarter outlook in its steel division. The results of Luxembourg-based steel group Aperam also came slightly above expectations on Wednesday, which it credited to higher volumes in Europe and the contribution from the consolidation of its U.S.-based business. Aperam, which makes stainless and speciality steels and alloys, operates mainly in the EU and Brazil, and has limited exposure to the U.S. market. The group warned that pricing pressure would weigh further on its earnings in the second quarter, though it should improve compared to the previous three months' performance. However, its admission that it was difficult to provide an outlook for the quarters further ahead sent its shares down in early trading. "Reliable projections for the remainder of the year are challenging in the current volatile environment," group CEO Timoteo Di Maulo said. According to Oddo-BHF analyst Maxime Kogge, second quarter could bring some relief with trade restrictions expected to lift prices, European players further reducing their exposure to China, and restructuring efforts paying off. However, a mix of high energy costs, competition from cheap Chinese producers and higher tariffs on exports to the United States loom large over the European steel industry at a time when the global market already grapples with excess capacity. "Global steel excess capacity is expected to continue rising, (...) fuelled by cross-border investments by Chinese steel companies," the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said in a report earlier this month. ArcelorMittal offered a mixed assessment of its Asian markets. It expects the strong demand trends in India to continue to play out supported by the new 12% safeguard Indian duty on steel imports, notably from China. In China, however, the group expects low steel spreads - the margin between steel prices and production costs - to persist due to overcapacity. Despite its cautious tone, ArcelorMittal reaffirmed its 2025 investment plans and noted a rebound in European steel spreads, supported by the European Commission's Steel and Metals Action Plan, trade barriers against imports and an expected rise in Germany's spending on infrastructure. Other European steel companies, Finland-based Outokumpu Oyj and Spain's Acerinox are due to report their first-quarter results on May 8.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Schneider Electric cuts margin outlook on market volatility
By Anna Peverieri (Reuters) -Electrical equipment maker Schneider Electric cut its 2025 implied core profit margin outlook on Monday due to market volatility, after its sales missed market expectations in the first quarter. Schneider Electric, which develops AI-related data centre cooling systems, now sees 2025 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITA) margin of between 18.7% and 19%, compared to its previous core profit margin expectation of between 19.2% and 19.5%. "Recent macroeconomic and geopolitical developments have added a layer of uncertainty across all markets, including those we operate in, but we are confident in our structural growth drivers," CEO Olivier Blum said in a statement. The statement did not mention the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs where a lack of certainty created by their on-again-off-again nature has roiled global markets, destabilised the United States' trading partners and left companies reassessing their operations. Swiss industrial robot maker ABB also acknowledged increased uncertainty in the global business environment when it announced its first quarter results on April 17. Schneider Electric maintained its 2025 outlook of organic revenue growth of 7% to 10% and its EBITA margin rising organically by 50-80 basis points. It reported a 7.4% organic rise in its quarterly sales to 9.33 billion euros ($11 billion), missing analysts' consensus of 9.47 billion euros and revenue growth of 8.9% in a survey provided by the company. Sales in the first quarter were hit by declining revenue in its industrial automation business and softness in the residential buildings market, the group said. However, Schneider Electric added that its Systems division revenue grew 21% organically in the first quarter, driven by strong traction in the data centre end-market. ($1 = 0.8790 euros)
The Star
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Star
Software firm Dassault Systemes cuts 2025 margin outlook
(Reuters) -French software company Dassault Systemes lowered its annual operating margin forecast on Thursday, citing a risk-adjusted financial outlook. The group, which sells its software to automakers, plane makers and industrial companies, now sees 2025 operating margin rising by 50-70 basis points. It had previously expected a rise of 70-100 basis points from last year. It confirmed its outlook of 6-8% total revenue growth and 7-10% earnings per share growth. (Reporting by Anna Peverieri in Gdansk; editing by Milla Nissi)
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
French underwater drone maker Exail's order intake surges more than 500%
By Anna Peverieri (Reuters) - French high-tech industrial group Exail Technologies on Wednesday reported a 519% rise in its order intake in the first quarter of the year, driven by higher defence spending by European governments. The maker of underwater drones and navigation equipment said its order intake for the first quarter totalled 487 million euros ($554.30 million), boosted by a new contract for drone systems worth several hundred million euros. The company did not give further details on the deal, announced in February, when it said it was placed by a "leading Navy". Exail is the latest small defence tech supplier propelled by prospects of a military ramp-up in Europe as the region increases its defence budgets, after shrinking them for decades. Its shares have gained 153% so far this year. The company reported a backlog worth 1.1 billion euros ($1.25 billion) at the end of the first quarter. Of total orders, 75% were placed by the defence sector, Exail said in a statement. Group sales increased 18% in the first three months of the year, supported by the performance of its navigation and maritime robotics business, which accounts for three-quarters of total revenue. European countries are boosting defence spending and maintaining support for Ukraine on worries that the United States, which has guaranteed Europe's security since the end of World War Two, is no longer keen to do so. Exail confirmed its 2025 outlook of double-digit revenue growth for 2025. ($1 = 0.8786 euros) Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
European steelmakers weigh in on EU Steel Action Plan
By Anna Peverieri and Eric Onstad (Reuters) - The European Commission announced on Wednesday an action plan to make Europe's ailing steel sector more competitive and to shield it from the impact of U.S. tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium, prompting reactions from major industrial actors, analysts, and think tanks. The Steel and Metals action plan, a key component of the EU's Clean Industrial Deal, aims at reviving its industries to stay competitive with Chinese and U.S. rivals. European steelmakers, which have long complained about cheap Chinese imports, are also warning about a possible flood of surplus steel into the region, as exports destined for the U.S. could be diverted to Europe due to U.S. tariffs. REACTIONS TO THE EU 'STEEL ACTION PLAN' STEELMAKER ARCELORMITTAL ( are encouraged by the direction outlined in the Steel and Metals Action plan, published today," said the group's CEO Aditya Mittal. "Details published in the Steel and Metals Action Plan show they understand the urgency of the situation and are ready to tackle some of the critical structural issues, including trade defence, loopholes in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and the lack of regulation to drive demand for low-carbon steel. This now needs to be supported with rapid action that can put a stop to unfair trade, dumping and resource shuffling." "Additionally, it remains vital to tackle the high energy costs which make it very difficult for the industry to move forward with significant decarbonization projects.' GERMANY STEELMAKER THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE ( "The Steel Action Plan represents a groundbreaking step towards securing the competitiveness and decarbonization of the European steel industry." "Particularly noteworthy is the clear prioritization of trade protection, which is crucial for ensuring the competitiveness of the European steel industry." "In the face of global overcapacity and unfair trade practices, effective protection is essential to safeguard jobs and ensure a level playing field." LUXEMBOURG-BASED STEEL GROUP APERAM ( "Aperam strongly supports any initiative to introduce long-term measures that ensure robust protection for the EU's steel sector against the negative impacts of excess steel production from Asia once the current safeguard measures expire in June 2026." "The key point is how the European Commission will translate this high-level action plan into concrete legal measures: urgent action is needed and therefore proposed measures must be implemented swiftly and effectively." "In particular, as regards trade defense, we believe that concrete actions can and should be implemented already now, without awaiting the future post-safeguards instrument that would enter into force from July 2026." FINNISH STAINLESS STEELMAKER OUTOKUMPU ( "Outokumpu is pleased that the European Commission recognizes steel as one of Europe's key industries and is taking decisive actions to strengthen its competitiveness." "The Steel & Metals Action Plan clearly identifies the challenges that European steel industry faces, but still lacks solutions to some of the challenges." "The industry remains threatened by global excess capacities and by global distortions from China and other countries. [...] These challenges need to be mitigated with more assertive solutions including replacing current safeguards with more effective measures from July 2026", Outokumpu said. NORWEGIAN ALUMINIUM PRODUCER HYDRO ( increasing tariffs on aluminium, there is a risk Europe may become a dumping ground for aluminium producers looking for other markets. This could in turn lead to EU implementing safeguard measures for aluminium." "Norway produces approximately 40% of the aluminium needed in the EU, and is among the largest suppliers of a critical raw material for European industry." EUROPEAN STEEL ASSOCIATION EUROFER: "With today's Steel and Metals Action Plan, the European Commission is sending a clear message: a strong European Union needs a strong European steel industry", said Dr Henrik Adam, President of the European Steel Association (EUROFER). "From addressing unfair trade to closing loopholes in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to recognising the strategic and environmental value of steel scrap, the Action Plan identifies crucial areas for our sector. Now it's time to implement meaningful solutions through ambitious measures." "Despite the positive proposals from the Commission, energy remains the elephant in the room. High energy prices affect not only steel and metals production, but they are dragging down entire European industrial value chains. Further work to reduce energy costs is crucial." MAXIME KOGGE, ANALYST AT ODDO BHF: "After a disappointing outcome from the safeguard review published last week it is encouraging to see the EU goes further in tackling import pressure by introducing the melt and poured rule and committing to substitute the safeguard by another similar mechanism beyond 2026 despite the WTO rules theoretically prohibiting such a scheme. "The proposed changes to CBAM are also positive as the Commission seems intent to address the structural loopholes in the current mechanism." "However, the concrete actions will only be announced at a later stage in 2025 and implementation is largely in the hands of member states which may have other priorities in the current context."
