The FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 indices pulled back this week as investors focused on the ongoing geopolitical issues. The mid-cap FTSE MIB index has retreated by over 4% from its highest level this year, while the blue-chip FTSE 100 fell by over 2.50%.
These indices reacted to key earnings results by some of the biggest companies in the UK. Some of the most notable ones that published their results this week were Entain, Flutter Entertainment, ITV, Harbour Energy, and Admiral Group.
The UK earnings season has largely ended, meaning that there will be no major companies that will publish their numbers next week. Some of the top FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 shares to watch next week will be Helios Towers, Legal & General, Balfour Beatty, and Hikma Pharmaceuticals.
Legal & General Group
Legal & General, one of the biggest insurance and asset management companies in the FTSE 100 index, will be in the spotlight next week as it publishes its financial results on March 12.
These results come as its share price has moved sideways this year and underperformed Aviva its biggest competitor. Its results came a few weeks after the company sold its US protection business to Meiji Yasuda.
It also boosted its capital return strategy, with the anticipated buyback being £1 billion. It expects to return about 40% of its market cap in the next three years.
The most recent financial results showed that the core operating profit rose to £849 million in the first half of the year. Its profit after tax rose to £223 million, while its assets under management jumped to £1.13 trillion.
Read more: Legal & General (LGEN) share price has plunged: what next?
Helios Towers
Helios Towers is a top company in the telecommunication industry, where it offers infrastructure used by some of the biggest firms. It mainly focuses on Africa, where it has partnerships with leading brands like MTN and Safaricom.
Helios Towers share price has underperformed the market in the past few years and is now 57% below its all-time high.
The most recent results showed that Helios Towers had 14,185 sites in Africa, a 2% increase from a year earlier. Its revenue rose by 11% to £350 million, while the adjusted EBITDA rose by 19% to £206 million. The management guided to a full-year EBITDA of between £410 million and £420 million.
Balfour Beatty
Balfour Beatty is a leading company in the infrastructure industry. It is a top company that offers engineering solutions across industries like real estate, roads, and utilities.
Balfour Beatty share price has soared to 447p this year, and is up by 65% from the lowest level last year.
The most recent trading statement showed that its order book jumped by 5%, helped by the UK energy and US building industries. Its full-year revenue, which will come out next week, is expected to show its revenue rose to £10 billion, a 2% increase. Balfour Beatty’s profit after tax is expected to be higher than what it made a year earlier.
The other top FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 shares to watch next week will be firms like 4imprint, PensionBee, CAB Payment Holdings, Savills, and Berkeley Group Holdings.
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