Welcome to the week ahead, our summary of the forthcoming key company announcements. Companies are no longer obliged to notify the London Stock Exchange (LSE) of results and trading updates, so this list does not claim to be comprehensive. You can read company announcements on at http://announce.ft.com and our daily online news summaries record all key company announcements and business press headlines.
Monday 10 December
Finals: Alternative Networks, Andor Technology, Interbulk, Treatt
AGM: Baobab Resources
Tuesday 11 December
Interims: Ashtead, Carpetright
Finals: Domino Printing Sciences, Victrex, Zytronic
Trading statements: Asos, Go-Ahead, IG Group, Whitbread
AGMs: Artilium Group, Billing Services, Tristel
EGM: WPP
Economics: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors house price data
Half-year figures from carpet retailer Carpetright (CPR) on 11 December are unlikely to contain many surprises. The group's pre-close trading update in October has already guided investors towards expecting a full-year gross margin improvement of around 200 to 250 basis points and hinted that store closures at rival United Carpets could help boost Carpetright's market share. Still, the group's UK like-for-like sales in the second quarter were weaker than in the first quarter - up by just 0.6 per cent. What's more, the group is also facing a weakening outlook at its rest of Europe operations - underlying sales there fell 12.7 per cent in the 12 weeks to 13 October and the region generates some 15-20 per cent of total group sales. Broker Numis Securities expects adjusted EPS of 10.5p for end-April 2013 (2012: 4.5p).
Wednesday 12 December
Interims: Begbies Traynor, Darty, Imagination Technologies, SuperGroup
Final: Idox
Trading statements: Carillion, Senior, Travis Perkins
AGMs: Altona Energy, Bowleven, Epistem Holdings, Getech, PureCircle, Sareum
EGMs: Elan Corporation, Heritage Oil
Economics: Employment data, Average earnings
A recently steady performance at fashion retailer SuperGroup (SPG) should allow the group to reveal a decent set of half-year figures on 12 December. In particular, the company has been expanding its UK store portfolio and is looking to improve profitability overseas while also boosting internet sales. In fact, a second-quarter trading update last month reported that group sales had increased 20.3 per cent on the same period last year, as cooler weather boosted sales of coats and hoodies. Second quarter retail like-for-like sales rose by a healthy 5.8 per cent, while the wholesale unit's sales, on a constant currency basis, grew 14.4 per cent in that period. At 609p, the shares have slipped around 12 per cent since mid-November and, trading on 12 times broker Seymour Pierce's full-year EPS estimate of 51p (2012: 37.9p), aren't demandingly rated for a decently performing retailer.
Thursday 13 December
Interims: Betfair, Cohort, OPG Power Ventures, Sports Direct
Final: RWS
Trading statement: Wood Group (John)
AGMs: Conroy Gold and Natural Resources, Karelian Diamond Resources
Afters snapping-up 20 JJB Sports stores following that struggling retailer's slide into administration, Sports Direct (SPD) should have good news to report with its half-year figures on 13 December. Not only has JJB's demise removed a rival, but it has also allowed Sports Direct to grab market share. The Olympics has delivered a boost, too, with management having reported in October that that the group had continued to deliver strong growth throughout the second quarter, especially within its UK sports retail division. In fact, the group's total sales for the nine weeks ending 30 September rose by an impressive 18 per cent, with premium lifestyle range sales having jumped by 43 per cent. Broker Oriel Securities expects full-year adjusted EPS of 24.1p (2012: 16.8p).
Friday 14 December
AGMs: CVS, Earthport, Pantheon Resources, Punch Taverns, Quadrise Fuels, Spitfire Oil
EGM: Orchid Developments
Shares going ex-dividend on 12 December
| Company | Dividend (p) | Payment |
| 3i Group | 2.7 | 09 Jan |
| 3i Infrastructure | 2.97 | 09 Jan |
| Babcock International | 6.3 | 11 Jan |
| Baring Emerging Europe Tst | 16.0 | 1 Feb |
| Bellway | 14.0 | 16 Jan |
| Caledonia Investments | 12.9 | 10 Jan |
| Cropper (James) | 2.2 | 11 Jan |
| Hyder Consulting | 4.0 | 17 Jan |
| Investec | 8.0 | 09 Jan |
| K3 Business Technology | 1.0 | 18 Jan |
| Marstons | 3.9 | 28 Jan |
| MITIE Group | 4.6 | 04 Feb |
| Montanro Euro Smaller Co's | 1.75 | 11 Jan |
| Netcall | 0.5 | 11 Jan |
| Northern 2 VCT | 2.0 | 11 Jan |
| Origin Enterprises | 12.13 | 07 Jan |
| Qater Investment Fund | $0.03 | 30 Jan |
| Red24 | 0.4 | 17 Jan |
| Scottish Oriental Smlr Co Tst | 11.0 | 31 Jan |
| Sweett Group | 0.3 | 17 Jan |
| Telford Homes | 2.0 | 11 Jan |
| Ultimate Finance | 0.4 | 09 Jan |
| Ventus VCT | 2.5 | 16 Jan |
| Ventus VCT 2 | 1.75 | 16 Jan |
| Waterman | 0.2 | 11 Jan |
| Worldwide Healthcare Trust | 7.0 | 11 Jan |
| XP Power | 12 | 10 Jan |
The ex-dividend date is the first day on which it is no longer possible to buy the shares and qualify for the dividend. Ex-days are almost always a Wednesday. The record date is usually two days after the ex-date. The payment day is the day on which the funds are transferred to shareholders.
