Archive for the ‘opinions’ Category

Oberthur would sell CardSystems

May 12, 2011 - 4:32 pm Comments Off

Still no comment from Oberthur Technologies on Thursday. Yesterday, Bloomberg launched the rumor of the sale by the specialist of security technology in its field of smart cards CardSystems, then this Thursday's Les Echos that delivers its information on the possible transaction. According to business newspaper, Oberthur want to part with 60% of this activity, which represents 73% of its total turnover, which would be valued over a billion euros. Rothschild and advise the company transaction could be in the form of an LBO is to say, an acquisition by a bank loan.According to Les Echos, the offers of the candidates will be received during the first fortnight of June.

Oberthur, which is no longer publicly traded since November 2008, is the world's second largest smart card with 20% market share worldwide, according to Gemalto, another French side in the Paris Bourse, which claims about 40 %. If smart cards are the heart of business, Oberthur weaker margins amid fierce competition.This could explain why the group wants to break away.

Sell ​​to watchlist De La Rue?

But the transaction would not she intended to make funds available to propose a new offer on the UK's De La Rue, he has failed to buy earlier this year? Oberthur could indeed put on the table more than 1.08 billion euros previously offered to pay for a company that works primarily on the trustee and that prints the tickets of more than 150 countries around the world instant payday loan. Eyeing a lucrative market that Jean-Pierre Savare, CEO of Oberthur, even if it might confront the British government, who intends to protect its business.

In addition, analysts said Exane BNP Paribas, "if the activity CardSystems was sold to an investment fund, it is not certain that the owner undertakes R & D, while at the same time Some key executives could leave the company. " For them, "the industry could then experience a period of turbulence that could lead to Gemalto the opportunity to win market share." Meanwhile, Gemalto folds from 1.37% to 33.73 euros on the Paris Stock Exchange on Thursday to 13 hours.

The activity CardSystems provides smart cards and related services to segments of the mobile but also payment, transport, digital TV and convergence.The other divisions handle everything trustee (bank notes, checks, etc..) Identity (manufacturing and personalization of documents such as passports or driving licenses), and the cash protection ', emerging market of equipments for the protection of banknotes in the distributor for instance. Oberthur Technologies has approximately 6,800 employees in all continents of the world.

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Unlimited calls to less than 25 euros at Numericable

May 11, 2011 - 2:08 pm Comments Off

The veil is lifted. After intrigued the web for nearly a week, Numéricable book details his mysterious "mobile revolution". The cable operator announced with great fanfare the launch of a mobile telephony offer unlimited tariff of 24.90 euros per month for residential customers Numericable, and 49.90 for others.

Numéricable becomes a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO. "We go on the mobile market," with "the best offer on the market in price and service content," said the secretary general of the group Numericable, Jerome Yomtov. The group offers its subscribers an offer of unlimited calls to landlines and mobiles in France, unlimited texting and unlimited internet access (3G up to 500 mega) for 24.90 euros per month.

"To get this offer of 24.90 euros, it is already subscribed Numericable, or you become one," insists Jerome Yomtov.For non-subscribers Numericable, the offer goes to 49.90 euros. Furthermore, the proposal does not include a phone. "Our job is to provide the best possible subscription, the phone is another job, a job distributor of electronics," said the secretary general.

The site has created a buzz larevolutiondumobile.com

With this offer comes directly Numericable hunt on the land of Free. The intriguing communication campaign that preceded this announcement is also no secret intentions Numericable. The website created for the occasion, but the "mobile revolution" refers directly to Free. Indeed, Free is the telephone operator at the initiative of triple play in France, and as such, boasts of having "revolutionized broadband in France."He even used the word to his sales pitch, naming "Revolution" the latest version of its box, launched in December.

Furthermore, Numericable used the red color of Free and organized a press conference at the Pershing Hall in Paris, where Free has the habit of organizing its own press conferences!

The communication operation worked: "larevolutiondumobile" has created a buzz on the web with over 50,000 messages on Twitter, affecting over 300,000 people. The Facebook page of the site has involved more than 2,600 fans in less than a week.

But if the teasing is successful, Numericable seems to have attracted the wrath of Free. The case could be settled in court.

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Raw materials weigh on company accounts

May 7, 2011 - 8:00 pm Comments Off

Business leaders may have breathed a sigh of relief last night when he saw the plunge of the main raw materials. In recent months, they look indeed with concern the soaring price of those commodities. Their concern was evidenced in the accounts of the first quarter of the year or in the speeches of leaders.

All sectors are however not affected in the same proportions, even if they are likely to be.

Transportation is often the former. Lufthansa has reported such an increase in its fuel bill by almost 30% over the first three months of the year. This charge amounts to 1.4 billion euros over the period, when its billings reach 6.4 billion. The airline spends "overload" fuel to its customers, insufficient to offset any upward.The aim of companies is obviously to cushion the effect of "raw materials" through price increases. Michelin is well to advertise on some of its tires, the costs are related to rubber. The equipment itself as able to compensate 80% of the additional cost of $ 1.8 billion over the year.

This ability to change its prices based on costs, however, can erode. For steel, the latest report of the consultant CRU reported a slowdown in inflation and even lower in some countries in Europe. Gold, iron ore and coal continue to appreciate. The margins of steel producers could therefore suffer the end of the year payday loans.

Plastics hit hard

Lowest in the industrial cycle, the automotive supplier Valeo has recently detailed the structure of its cost "feedstock."The steel is 35%, followed by plastics (23%), copper (20%), aluminum (19%) and zinc (3%) … all the upside in recent months. Schneider Electric, for his part highlighted the increase of 40% of the money since the beginning of the year to explain an overload of 100 million euros in its accounts.

Chemical groups are now able to pass these increases on to their customers, as witnessed this week the excellent results reported by Rhodia and Arkema, manifestly optimistic about the future. Their customers converters are much less … They find that prices of certain plastics (polypropylene, polyethylene, PET) have almost doubled in two years!

Again, the phenomenon has an impact downstream. The plastic is a constituent of many products. In industry but also in FMCG.The U.S. Procter & Gamble has estimated at about $ 280 million this additional cost in its quarterly accounts.

If the decline recorded yesterday is good news, its magnitude can be a concern. Volatility, that is to say, large variations in a short time, represents an additional risk for companies, including strategies to provide raw materials for the long term or to hedge against inflation, they can be taken cons-foot.

Nokia eliminates 7,000 jobs worldwide

April 28, 2011 - 11:00 pm Comments Off

Very symbolic. Having lost its place as number one global telephony to Apple last week, Nokia announced Wednesday the transfer of its Symbian mobile operating system to Accenture.

The first consequence of this partnership is the transition of 3000 employees of Nokia in the computer services company. The Finn gives a boost to abandon its system house for the benefit of Microsoft Windows phone, with which it has signed a partnership. Accenture will also mandated to work on developing Windows phone for Nokia. The group must now act quickly to address the backlog that builds up against its main rivals. For now, the battle is between Apple and the manufacturers who have chosen Android, including Samsung. Nokia and Microsoft are still on the roadside.The Finn has seen its global market share drop from 49% before the launch of iPhone in 2004 to 29% in early 2011. And this while the world market is booming.

The cuts in the number of Nokia do not stop there. Parallel to the outsourcing of Symbian, Nokia has announced the elimination of 4000 jobs by the end of 2012 payday advance. A measure intended to "align its human resources and operational sites with its new strategy," said the group, which now refers to the closure of some sites for research and development.

Repairing the lines

In total, therefore removes Nokia 7000 jobs. A restructuring that is part of his economic plan. Unveiled last week, he aims to cut one billion euros its operating expenses between 2010 and 2013, mainly through restructuring.An improved cost structure is mandatory, while Apple mocks the industry by posting a 50% margin on iPhone. This is ten times more than the operating margin by Nokia in the first quarter.

The group is facing a double challenge: it must develop one or two phones capable of competing with Apple and offer an application store as complete as those from Apple and Android. For now, the specification is far from completed.

However, ads Wednesday reassured exchanges. Nokia has won the title in Helsinki … 3.27% after having lost 25% since February 11, the date of the announcement of its alliance with Microsoft.

Vinci: a supplement to Tours-Bordeaux

April 13, 2011 - 1:20 pm Comments Off

Certainly, the financing of high-speed rail line between Tours and Bordeaux is a story full of twists. Latest episode, Vinci, selected in March 2010 to build and operate this path, calling for several weeks an extension to the original contract of 7.2 billion. Reportedly, the largest group of French construction and concessions asks his client RFF (Réseau Ferré de France) to pay a supplement of more than 60 million. He argues in particular the rising cost of raw materials.

Vinci does not speak on the subject, but if it goes in this direction is that it can hope to have the right for him. Last year it was agreed with RFF its price of $ 7.2 billion would remain the same until February 28, 2011. The final concession contract between the two parties should be signed before that date.But today, the famous agreement is still not signed. Obviously, RFF is not willing to pay that amount. Negotiations between the two parties are therefore likely to be rough.

These discussions inevitably evoke why preliminary steps essential for the signing of the contract were not completed. First, Vinci had to find loans to the tune of three billion. However, it has not yet achieved this financial closure. "It's complicated given the large number of bankers around the table," said Xavier Huillard mid-February, the group's CEO. The record is, indeed, complicated given the very high amounts of this operation, unprecedented in France.

Communities left behind

The state, meanwhile, was to finalize the contribution of local authorities to round. It was anticipated that 57 communities contribute $ 1.5 billion.Again, this agreement was expected in late February. But the diversity of local contexts has hampered this movement. Especially in the context of district elections. In addition, some communities (General Council of the Landes region of Poitou-Charentes …) have long refused to put their hands in the pocket for this project. Recognizing this, the Minister of Ecology and Transportation, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, left a deadline until April 15 to gather the latest signatures. This has raised the contribution of some as the General Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

But a few days before the deadline, a final tally shows that 200 million missed the $ 1.5 billion. The main recalcitrant? Poitou-Charentes headed by Ségolène Royal, who has just committed to a loan repayable to the state 102 million. Suddenly, everyone wonders who will fill the hole.All eyes turn to the state. But experts say if the state could consider to supplement community failing to 100 million, nothing says it is ready to settle without flinching a note of 200 million.

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Bercy suffered a virus attack, referred Elysee

March 7, 2011 - 11:20 pm Comments Off

Hackers are on all fronts. After the stock exchanges of New York and London in particular, hackers managed to penetrate the security of the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, revealed on Monday the website of Paris Match. Information confirmed by Budget Minister Baroin the microphone of Europe 1, and the entourage of the Minister of Economy Christine Lagarde told Reuters. According to a senior source at the Interior Ministry, the Elysee Palace and the Foreign Ministry had been "concerned but not affected," according to the National Security Agency's information systems. The interview on Europe 1 Baroin:

Bercy services have found this huge cyber attack, which aimed in particular documents relating to the G20 in the month of December."Immediately, specialty services have made arrangements to stop the attacks (…) This work was finally ended last weekend," said the minister's entourage. 10,000 computers have been disconnected during the weekend to stop the cyber attack.

"The first attack against the state of this magnitude"

According Pailloux Patrick, the executive director of the National Security Information Systems (ANSSI), "those who acted are professionals committed and organized. This is the first attack against the French state and of this magnitude at this scale, "he said in Paris Match.

In total, over 150 computers in the department have been infiltrated by the classical method of mail bomb. "The hackers tried to attack other ministries.There may be things that we have not seen, but to my knowledge, only Bercy has been affected, "explained Patrick Pailloux. Prescient, he lamented in an interview published Pcinpact late February, "a real trend to the increasing attacks, raising fears that the examples multiply instant credit reports."

No computers affected did not contain personal data of taxpayers, assured Baroin. "The attack targeted international issues rather than internal issues such as customs or tax authorities. Information has certainly been achieved, but what is important is that we know the origin and we define the modalities of this attack, "he judged.For now, Bercy filed a complaint against X with the Paris prosecutor's office and the DCRI, the French intelligence service, was seized.

Chinese Track

Even if the origin of the attack has not yet been established, a senior official recalls the site of the weekly Chinese track possible. "We found that a number of information were redirected to sites in China," Paris Match reported quoting a senior official, under cover of anonymity. "But that does not mean much," he tempered. For its part, Baroin merely to evoke "the tracks have not yet confirmed."

Coincidentally, early in the morning, a member of South Korea confirmed that Chinese hackers had accessed in June to military records confidential from South Korea, for the purchase of unmanned U.S. spy planes.According to another member of South Korea based on a government report, 8183 of 21,899 attempted attacks launched last year by hackers against the computer system of government of South Korea came from China.

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Jean-Pierre Jouyet wants more women to the AMF

March 3, 2011 - 3:52 am Comments Off

In late May, six of the sixteen members of the College of AMF should be renewed. The opportunity for the president's stock market watchdog, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, placing governments to their responsibilities in terms of parity. "We must be consistent with what we proposed or imposed by law," said Jean-Pierre Jouyet in Le Figaro.

In 2016, boards of directors of large companies will have 40% women. College of the MFA, they are now … two. "It would take at least five" in the eyes of its chairman, who called for those, starting with the Minister of Economy, who will appoint the six future members.Jean-Pierre Jouyet same ideas profiles that could be the case, they run businesses (Dominique Heriard-Dubreuil at Remy Cointreau or Stéphane Pallez, France Telecom) manage funds (Isabelle Bouillot) are derived from academia (Marie-Anne-Frisian Roche).

Chairman of the AMF also cites the example of Michele Monavon which unites the employee shareholders.

Capgemini is heading towards the emerging

February 17, 2011 - 6:00 pm Comments Off

Capgemini signs a wonderful year 2010. Group counseling and services has indeed recorded at the end of fiscal 2010 net income up in 2010 to 280 million euros, rising significantly by 57% compared to 2009, accompanied by a turnover up 3.9% to 8.697 billion euros a year.

Results higher than what analysts had expected.Ditto for the group's operating margin stood at 587 million euros, or 6.8% of turnover.

"Operating income, it is increasing (+47%) compared to what it was at the end of last year thanks to a sharp reduction in charges, mostly to restructuring charges reduced to 71 million euros in 2010, exactly one third of what they were last year, "says Capgemini in its press release of annual results this Thursday morning pre-market.

Note that the Board of Directors decided to propose to the next ordinary general meeting to be held May 26, payment of a dividend of one euro per share, "against 0.8 euros last year."

In exchange, the action Capgemini closed Wednesday up 2.22% to 39.85 euros in a market capitalization of 6.2 billion euros.Since the beginning of the year, it posted an increase of 14.1% while the index of pan-European technology has earned in the same time a little over 10%.

Growth 'modest'

In the services sector, yesterday, Wednesday, Atos Origin has also published results are healthy in 2010 and is confident for 2011. However, "except the excellent performance of Accenture, which seems very specific, other publications are consistent with our scenario of a weak recovery at Capgemini", noted analysts at Natixis in late January.

IBM has not experienced any acceleration in the fourth quarter, TCS grew by 13% in continental Europe, India for a modest performance guaranteed personal loan approval."Capgemini is mainly dependent on the European market and its high exposure in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands (40% of sales), very dependent on the public sector is a drag on the group," they say.

However, over the year 2010, the UK / Ireland region has seen its business fall by 1.4%, but increase by 7.8% over the last quarter. What is a good sign.But the Benelux countries, who "has seen the past two years a particularly acute crisis, remains the region with the largest annual decrease (-6.7%).

A year 2011 dealt calmly

During the telephone condérence that followed the publication Thursday morning, Paul Hermelin, CEO Capgemini says there is a `recovery in the sector even if it is progressive" and announces it will "double in the medium term from its Sales in emerging markets to 10%. "

Thus, for the year 2011, "the group plans to grow its revenue by between 9 and 10% at current rates and perimeter, and an increase in its operating margin between 0.5 and 1 percentage point compared to 2010 .

"Given the investments that will need to commit to support this growth and improving the business climate more or less rapid depending on the country and trades, it is expected that growth in turnover and this improvement in operating margin of the group will be gradual throughout the year, "says the company.

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Sanofi is the remedy to afford Genzyme

February 16, 2011 - 3:40 pm Comments Off

It's official: Sanofi-Aventis buys U.S. biotech Genzyme. The laboratory has improved its last offer, which was to expire at midnight yesterday after being launched on October 4 and extended twice. The two parties reached an agreement and the offer will end on March 16 upgraded.

Sanofi-Aventis and will spend $ 20.1 billion in cash (or 14.9 billion euros) to acquire the worldwide leader of rare diseases. An amount equivalent to $ 74 per share, or 5 dollars more than originally proposed. Genzyme shareholders will also receive certificates of conditional value (CCV). The latter could result in additional payments if the biotech meets certain sales targets.Security holders may receive up to $ 14 and additional action if sales Lemtrada, a drug used against leukemia that Genzyme is trying to certify against multiple sclerosis, achieve the goals most optimistic.

In financial terms, Sanofi-Aventis believes that the transaction would increase earnings per share of 0.75 to 1 euro by 2013. The Group Chief Executive, Chris Viehbacher, adds that the merger "should be accretive in the first year, in other words that the approximation should have a positive impact on the Group's profitability in the first year while the transaction should be completed in the second quarter of 2011.

Genzyme will be a new growth driver

Sanofi-Aventis also focuses on the strategic dimension of this approximation.According to Chris Viehbacher, the operation "will create a significant new growth platform for Sanofi-Aventis by expanding our presence in biotechnology." The lab also intends "to Genzyme's global center of excellence for rare diseases."

In terms of Genzyme, the title earned 3.53% to 74.30 dollars at the close of Wall Street yesterday in preparation for this announcement and before publication of its annual results on Wednesday. In 2009, the biotech had achieved a turnover of 4.5 billion. Its activities are an important growth driver for Sanofi-Aventis, faces competition from generic drugs.

Furthermore, the reorganization of groups is running. Sanofi-Aventis has already indicated that the CEO of Genzyme step down but retain an advisory role on the transaction.Remains to be seen what any other restructuring induced by this marriage.

In early trading, Sanofi-Aventis under the lead of more than 2.4% and signs and the largest increase in the CAC 40. The benchmark index of the Paris Bourse rose by 0.4% to him.

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Dependence: the French state aid for

February 9, 2011 - 7:24 am Comments Off

The president, Nicolas Sarkozy will close the conference on Tuesday on the issues of addiction, which opened to the Economic, Environmental and Social Committee (EESC). His speech will be preceded by meetings of ministers in charge of the case, Roselyne Bachelot and Marianne Montchamp. As announced in Le Figaro, the first, which consultéles main political party leaders, labor partners and association leaders had to submit plusieurspistes reflection. The Minister then stated that no one model "turnkey" he had not been proposed, however a number of priorities such as maintaining the principle of free choice between home care and care in an institution, or the unanimous rejection of a privatization of the discussions emerged.

These beliefs are shared by the majority of the French.According to the barometer Provident Bank Post Tribune, they always plébiscitent state intervention since the three-quarters of them favored a care dependency through taxes and fees: 83% of respondents asked and development aid. They are very few take steps to finance the venture themselves. Only 18% of those under age 45 say they have purchased a financial product to cover that risk cash advance loan. The creation of a compulsory care insurance is not overwhelmingly rejected. 42% of French say they favor the establishment of such contracts as of 50 years. The more than 65 years are 56% similar to recognize the usefulness of such a measure. According to the barometer, the greater the expectation for "assistance to caregivers," whether an adjustment of working hours or training.28% of French people aged 35 to 75 years were in fact a dependent person in their environment or their home.

The EESC president, Jean-Paul Delevoye was commissioned by the Prime Minister to submit a report on the subject by June. Part of the reform in 2011. The second will probably be introduced in 2012, after the presidential election.

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