Thursday preview: Admiral, Taylor Wimpey results due

(Sharecast News) - Insurer Admiral and housebuilder Taylor Wimpey are among the companies slated to report in the UK on Thursday. Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said Taylor Wimpey's full-year results shouldn't bring too many surprises, with a lot of the headline figures having been released back in January.

"Revenue in 2025 rose by around 12% to £3.8 billion, helped by an uplift in total completions and higher average selling prices. Operating profits are also set to come in at around the £420 million mark, up only marginally on the prior year," he said.

"Much more important will be the outlook for 2026, and whether there's any sign of demand improving. Last we heard, build-cost inflation was expected to remain in the low single digits. Current trends also appear unsupportive for Taylor Wimpey's house prices in the near term, which looks set to squeeze margins. As a result, profit forecasts have come down in recent months, with markets now expecting a small decline in operating profits to around £409 million in 2026."

Results are also due from consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser, pest control firm Rentokil Initial, gold miner Endeavour, Harbour Energy, Entain, broadcaster ITV, Serco, OSB, Coats Group, Lancashire Holdings, Elementis, Spire Healthcare, PageGroup and London estate agent Foxtons.

As far as Ladbrokes owner Entain is concerned, UBS noted that consensus for FY26 EBITDA is £1.14bn versus its forecast of £1.19bn.

"We believe the company is in a comfortable position to guide in line with street for FY26 whilst baking in some conservatism for their UK business where there is potential risk to top line given the material tax hike coming into effect April 2026," the bank said.

In Europe, Merck and DHL are slated to report, while in the US, results from CostCo, Marvell Technology and Kroger will be in focus.

On the macroeconomic front, the S&P Global UK construction PMI for February will be released at 0930 GMT, while eurozone retail sales figures for January will be out at 1000 GMT.

In the US, the latest jobless claims data are scheduled for release at 1330 GMT.

Thursday March 05

INTERIM EX-DIVIDEND DATE

BHP Group Limited NPV (DI), City of London Investment Group, Dr. Martens , Foresight Ventures Vct, Genus, Mid Wynd International Inv Trust, MJ Gleeson , PZ Cussons, Renishaw, South32 Limited (DI) , Sylvania Platinum Ltd (DI), Trifast

QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Energean , HICL Infrastructure

INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

Balance of Trade (US) (13:30)

Continuing Claims (US) (13:30)

Import and Export Price Indices (US) (13:30)

Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30)

Producer Price Index (EU) (10:00)

Retail Sales (EU) (10:00)

Q4

Endeavour Mining, Lancashire Holdings Limited

GMS

Games Workshop Group

FINALS

Admiral Group, Aviva, CAB Payments Holdings, Coats Group, Elementis, Endeavour Mining, Entain, Foxtons Group , Funding Circle Holdings , Grafton Group Ut (CDI), Greencoat Renewables (CDI), Harbour Energy , Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd. GDR (Reg S), Hunting, Ibstock , ITV, Lancashire Holdings Limited, OSB Group , Pagegroup, Reckitt Benckiser Group, Rentokil Initial, RM, Serco Group, Spire Healthcare Group, Taylor Wimpey

SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE

Unicorn AIM VCT

SPECIAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

B.P. Marsh & Partners, Foresight Ventures Vct

AGMS

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, Ct Uk Capital and Income Investment Trust , Ecofin Global Utilities and Infrastructure Trust , Impax Asset Management Group, Impax Environmental Markets

UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

PMI Construction (09:30)

FINAL EX-DIVIDEND DATE

Rights & Issues Investment Trust , Rio Tinto, S and U 6% Cumulative Prf. £1