Worldline Seeks to Sell Unit to Focus Business After Stock Crash
The firm 'entered into exclusive negotiations' with Magellan Partners after receiving a binding offer that values the Mobility & e-Transactional Services business at €410 million ($473.6 million), according to a statement Tuesday. The unit has about 3,800 employees.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
27 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Schneider Electric to Buy All of India JV in €5.5 Billion Deal
Schneider Electric SE agreed to acquire the remaining 35% stake in its India joint venture from Temasek Holdings Pte, helping to step up its presence in the South Asian country. The French industrial technology firm will pay €5.5 billion ($6.4 billion) in cash to gain full ownership of Schneider Electric India Pvt, according to a statement Wednesday. Bloomberg News reported earlier this month that Schneider Electric was in talks to buy the Temasek stake.
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
HSBC launches $3bn share buyback despite second-quarter profit plunge
Pre-tax profits at Europe's largest lender HSBC (HSBA.L) plunged 29% year-on-year to $6.3bn (£4.7bn) in its second quarter, mostly on account of impairment charges related to its investment in China's Bank of Communications ( and exposure to Hong Kong real estate. The bank recorded a $2.1bn impairment on its long-standing investment in Bank of Communications, adding to a $3bn charge taken earlier this year. The latest writedown includes a $1.1bn loss from a private placement of shares by the Chinese state-owned bank that diluted HSBC's stake. Expected credit losses rose by $900m year-on-year to $1.9bn, due in part to mounting stress in Hong Kong's property sector. Group CEO Georges Elhedery also cited rising macroeconomic risks. 'Structural challenges to the global economy have caused uncertainty and market volatility,' he said, referencing 'broad-based tariffs' and 'fiscal vulnerabilities.' Read more: Barclays posts profit beat and announces £1bn share buyback He added: 'This is complicating the inflation and interest rate outlook, creating greater uncertainty. Even before tariffs take effect, trade disruptions are reshaping the economic landscape.' Operating expenses rose 10% compared with the same quarter last year, driven by restructuring and higher investment in technology, the bank said. Net interest income — the difference between what the bank earns on loans and pays on deposits — was $8.5bn. Revenue for the first half of 2025 fell $3.2bn to $34.1bn, primarily reflecting the group's exit from its operations in Canada and Argentina. HSBC reported a pre-tax profit of $15.8bn for the first six months of the year, down 26%. Despite the earnings drop, the bank announced a new $3bn share buyback, which comes in addition to a $3bn program launched earlier this year. It declared a second interim dividend of 10 cents per share, matching the payout in the previous quarter. Return on average tangible equity (RoTE) stood at 14.7% for the first half, though HSBC cautioned that global economic conditions could affect future profitability. Read more: Lloyds increases dividend as profits jump by 5% 'While we would expect the direct impact from tariffs to have a relatively modest impact on our revenue, the broader macroeconomic deterioration may see RoTE excluding notable items fall outside of our mid-teens targeted range in future years,' the bank said. HSBC warned that lending demand would probably remain muted in the second half of the year, but said it expects further growth in its wealth management division. The lender also forecast a $1.4bn loss in the fourth quarter, tied to the planned sale of a French mortgage portfolio to Rothesay and CCF. Max Harper, an analyst at Third Bridge, said: "HSBC posted a miss this morning with transaction banking and wealth [being] bright spots, a trend our experts see continuing with opportunities for product innovation. Read more: What are share buybacks? "The macro environment should continue to benefit FX, while wealth focuses on digital innovation and expanding its private markets offering. Expenses were higher then expected, though they should still deliver on its cost-cutting programme and its mid-teens RoTE target for 2025-27. "The key challenge remains implementation, especially around senior staff costs. Their new operating model simplifies the structure to get closer to clients, supporting income growth and cross-selling. "Exiting non-core areas will allow more resources for core strengths like transaction banking and Asian wealth. The East-West split adds transparency and could ease a future breakup if political tensions rise, though that remains unlikely for now."Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Orange SA (ORANY) (H1 2025) Earnings Call Highlights: Strong EBITDA Growth and Strategic Market ...
Revenue: EUR19.9 billion, up 0.3% year on year. EBITDA Growth: 3.8%, with a 70 basis points margin increase. Organic Cash Flow: EUR1.7 billion, up nearly 8% year on year. Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio: 1.9 times. CapEx to Sales Ratio: 15.2%. France EBITDA Growth: 0.9%, with a 1 point margin improvement. Africa and Middle East Revenue and EBITDA Growth: Double-digit growth. Net Income Growth: Close to 7%, excluding specific impacts. Free Cash Flow: EUR1.1 billion. MASMOVIL Revenue Growth: 4.7% in the first half. MASMOVIL Adjusted EBITDA Growth: Close to 13% in H1. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 4 Warning Signs with ORANY. Release Date: July 29, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Positive Points Orange SA (ORANY) reported a solid EBITDA growth of 3.8%, driven by a 70 basis points margin increase. The company achieved an organic cash flow of EUR1.7 billion, marking an 8% year-on-year increase. Strong performance in the Middle East and Africa with double-digit revenue and EBITDA growth. Efficiency initiatives resulted in a 4% reduction in OpEx in France, contributing to EBITDA growth. Orange SA (ORANY) upgraded its full-year guidance, now expecting EBITDA growth of more than 3%. Negative Points Wholesale revenues declined by 4%, impacting overall revenue growth. Equipment sales decreased, aligning with market trends and impacting revenue. Orange Business Services faced a 5% revenue decline due to portfolio pruning and a competitive IT environment. The French retail market remains flattish with competitive pressure in the low-end mobile segment. Net income growth was partly offset by increased amortization costs related to investments and taxes. Q & A Highlights Q: Can you provide an update on the French market, particularly regarding retail PSTN and your expectations for H2? A: Christel Heydemann, CEO: In H2, we expect flat to small positive growth. The market remains competitive, especially in the low-end mobile segment. Our strategy focuses on convergence, reducing churn, and maintaining strong customer loyalty. We are confident in our EBITDA growth due to our efficiency programs and operational improvements. Q: What are your thoughts on French market consolidation, and what is Orange's position? A: Christel Heydemann, CEO: We believe there is a need for consolidation in France and Europe. While SFR is restructuring its debt, we are ready to engage in discussions. We support in-market consolidation, but it's still early in the process. Q: Can you elaborate on the EBITDA trajectory for the second half of the year? A: Laurent Martinez, CFO: We expect H2 EBITDA growth to be similar to H1, with continued cost savings and efficiency improvements. Retail ex PSTN is projected to have flat to small positive growth, supporting our EBITDA stability. Q: How does Orange plan to manage potential M&A deals, and what impact could this have on dividends? A: Christel Heydemann, CEO: We are committed to value creation through M&A, focusing on France and Spain. We aim to maintain our investment-grade status and meet shareholder expectations. Dividend guidance will be addressed at our Capital Market Day in February. Q: Can you discuss the potential for price increases in France and the impact on OpEx? A: Christel Heydemann, CEO: Price increases will be tactical and focused on value, such as additional services. We have seen some price increases in the low-end market. OpEx reduction is ongoing, with benefits from previous plans and operational efficiencies. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
