Telefonica’s stock price held up much better than expected after the multinational announced it will cut its dividend this year and next. The shares finally closed down 1% after falling as much as 4% in the first few hours of the session. It seems that investors have understood that, on the one hand, it is the company’s best option for reducing debt; and, on the other, that the dividend yield is still very attractive.
The first thing that should be said about Ana Botin is that only a few weeks after taking over the reins of Santander in September 2014, she left no-one in doubt that she planned to put that house in order and take the bank’s problems seriously. After a wave of restructuring, including lay-offs and bank closures, things have turned nasty again for Santander in the first half of this year, with Brexit and Brazil key complications.
Banco Santander has delivered €4.606 BN in attributable profits for the first nine months of 2016, down 22.5% from the same period in 2015 due to the impact of extraordinary items announced in Q2 of this year and Q2 of 2015. Excluding extraordinary items and exchange rate movements, profits grew by 8% year on year to €4.975 BN.
J. L. M. Campuzano (Spanish Banking Association) | Debt is essential for growth. And in fact, the Big Recession, which was sparked by the US subprime crisis, lies in the high level of debt generated during the previous decade known as the Great Moderation. So just as periods of expansion are favourable for building up debt, this has to be adjusted during periods of recession (and depression).
José Benito de Vega | Gas Natural’s shares have been volatile in the last few months due to results which were worse than analysts’ consensus, coupled with a strategic plan which disappointed the market. But the stock price has recovered in the last two months and has outperformed the Ibex 35 index by 7.6% so far this year.
The Italian banks are struggling for survival. And the prospects for some of the biggest German banks are also gloomy. But the authorities in both countries are reluctant to act quickly on the assumption that time may solve the problems.
Barcelona-based on-line agency eDreams, is an investment opportunity, according to Bankinter analysts. They offer three reasons: it is trading at much cheaper multiples (more than half) than its peers. The range, applying reasonable multiples, is slightly higher than the current one but much lower than the sector. So it has significant potential.
The group representing the small creditors and bondholders affected by Abengoa’s situation has recommended they do not sign up for the Spanish company’s financial restructuring plan. In the opinion of the representatives of this organisation – La Plataforma de Perjudicados por Abengoa – the best solution is to go ahead with bankruptcy proceedings.
Ferrovial, which owns 25% of Heathrow, could benefit from the possible extension of the airport’s installations: apart from being able to participate in the construction of a third runway, the increase in the number of passengers would mean higher revenues, profits and dividends for the Spanish services and infrastructure operator.