Nampak H1 headline EPS up 17 pct

(Reuters) - South African paper and packaging group Nampak increased first-half headline earnings per share by 17 percent and said on Thursday it expected to deliver solid full-year results.

Nampak said in a statement that headline EPS -- the key profit measure for South African firms and excludes non-trading, capital and certain extraordinary items -- before fair value of financial instruments rose to 96 cents per share from 82 cents.


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MTN 2006 adj headline EPS at 584.7 cts

(Reuters) - MTN, sub-Saharan Africa's biggest cell phone operator, posted annual adjusted headline EPS of 584.7 cents in line with its own forecast as it signed up new subscribers and made acquisitions.

MTN said on Thursday it had 40 million subscribers at the end of December, up 73 percent from a year earlier.


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ARM outlook rosy

African Rainbow Minerals Ltd (ARM) said higher metal prices boosted headline earnings per share fourfold to 264c in the first half to end December and forecast strong earnings ahead.

The diversified mining group said on Tuesday higher prices for platinum, nickel, iron ore, manganese and its coal unit had driven headline EPS from 64c a year ago, but exploration and rising corporate costs had watered down the gains.

ARM saw more price gains in the second half of its financial year. "Our operations will continue to be favourably impacted by the current buoyant commodity cycle," it said in a statement.

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Sun Int. boosts profit, eyes expansion

South Africa's biggest casino operator Sun International boosted first-half diluted adjusted headline earnings per share by 32 percent and unveiled plans on Tuesday to expand in Britain and Nigeria.

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Absa banks 24% more earnings

South African banking group, Absa, increased annual headline earnings per share by 24% but said earnings growth may slow due to tight monetary conditions and household indebtedness.

Absa, majority-owned by Britain's Barclays Plc, said on Tuesday headline EPS rose to 1 181.8 cents per share while headline earnings increased by 25% to R7.87bn.

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Metorex earnings surge 284%

South African-based miner Metorex posted a 284% surge in first-half headline earnings per share on Monday on higher output and strong metals prices, in line with its forecast.

Metorex said headline EPS for the six months to December 31 rose to 51.44 cents from 13.41 cents in the same period the previous year.

The firm said earlier this month in a trading update that headline EPS were expected to rise to 48-52c.

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Bidvest sees higher H1 headline EPS

South African food-to-freight firm Bidvest said on Thursday it expected first-half headline earnings per share (EPS) and basic EPS to increase between 20-25 percent.

Headline EPS is the key profit measure for South African companies and excludes non-trading, capital and certain extraordinary items.

At 0723 GMT Bidvest's shares were unchanged, while the JSE

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Harmony Q2 h'dline EPS down 33 pct, misses f'casts

Harmony Gold, the world's fifth biggest gold producer, posted a 33 percent slide in second quarter profit on Friday, worse than analysts' expectations, as output dipped and costs rose.

South Africa's Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd said headline EPS for the three months to end December fell to 44 South African cents from 66 cents the previous quarter.

Harmony was expected to post a 25 percent fall in EPS to 50 cents, according to an average estimate of 9 analysts polled by Reuters. Their estimates were in a range of 20-70 cents.
Harmony said production for the quarter fell 3.8 percent to 18,724 kg while cash costs increased by 6.8 percent to 104,132 rand per kg.

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