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Monday
Results: Irish Continental Group
Indicators: Euro zone retail PMI (Feb); US factory orders (Jan).
Meetings: Keeping Dublin Moving: Will Cars Really Be Banned From the City Centre? (Dublin Chamber of Commerce).
Strong growth expected from ICG
Irish Continental Group (ICG) is expected to report another strong year of growth when it releases full-year results on Monday .
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In the first 10 months of the year, group revenue was up 1.6 per cent, car volumes by 3 per cent and roll-on/roll-off freight by 5 per cent.
It is thought that ICG's new purpose-built ferry will double the freight capacity of the chartered Epsilon when it arrives next year, and increase tourism capacity by three and a half times.
Describing ICG as “one of the best-managed transport companies in Europe”, Davy has predicted Ebitda of about €83 million for 2016, up from €75.5 million in 2015. It has upgraded ICG’s price target to 600p (20 per cent upside) and reiterated its “outperform” rating.
“The backdrop of Brexit and rising fuel prices provides an excellent entry point,” Davy said. “ICG has an enviable track record of best-in-class operating efficiency, excellent capital allocation and an extremely strong (and we believe improving) competitive position.”
Investors are encouraged to look toward 2018.
“Cost headwinds mean that we are trimming estimates in FY2017. We expect ship chartering costs to rise and fuel headwinds, particularly in heavy fuel oil, of over 40 per cent,” Davy said. “However, there is little sign of declining volumes and we assume 1 per cent growth in cars and 5 per cent growth in RoRo [roll-on/roll-off] for FY2017.”
Tuesday
Results: Paddy Power; Grafton Group; Direct Line Insurance Group; Just Eat.
Indicators: Euro zone GDP (Q4); UK Halifax house prices (Feb); US exports and imports (Jan).
Meetings: Brexit: The Real Implications for Business in Ireland, Carlton Hotel, Dublin Airport; Zero Day cyber security conference (Convention Centre Dublin).
Wednesday
Results: Cineworld; Adidas; BlackRock Capital Investment; Coca-Cola Bottling; Permanent TSB, Restaurant Group; SAS; Savills.
Indicators: Irish industrial production (Jan); German industrial production (Jan); US business optimism (Feb), mortgage applications (Mar), employment change (Feb).
Meetings: Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) Doyenne and Rising Star Awards (Morrison Hotel, Dublin); DMX Dublin 2017 digital marketing conference (Aviva Stadium); InterTrade Ireland Venture Capital Conference (Ballsbridge Hotel).
Women in advertising
Karen Blackett, a colossus of British advertising, will address Wednesday's Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) event on the role of women in the industry.
No better person. The head of the UK’s largest media agency, MediaCom, Blackett is ideally placed to discuss female leadership, the focus of the IAPI’s Doyenne and Rising Star Awards, championing future women chief executives.
In 2015, Blackett became the first businesswoman to top the Power List, which celebrates the most influential people of African and African-Caribbean heritage in Britain.
"I've been fortunate to have worked for employers that have recognised talent and potential. I haven't been judged on gender or skin colour," she told the Daily Telegraph in 2014.
At that time, MediaCom was managing more than £1.2 billion of advertising spend for firms including Audi and GlaxoSmithKline.
The IAPI will honour two women, one with the Doyenne Award for senior women who have demonstrated their leadership capacity, and one with the self-explanatory Rising Star Award for women aged 30 and under who “go the extra mile to get the best”.
In January, UK data showed that women made up just 27.1 per cent of senior executive management in media and creative agencies. In Ireland, the equivalent was 18 per cent in 2015 and 13 per cent in 2013.
“We are making progress, but it’s slow. We still lag well behind the UK,” the IAPI said, though its awards go some way to addressing the issue.
Thursday
Results: JD Wetherspoon; Aviva; Dominos Pizza; Hugo Boss; Premier Oil.
Indicators: Euro zone deposit facility rate; US jobless claims (Feb), export and import prices (Feb).
Meetings: Ibec Business Leaders Summit (Convention Centre Dublin).
Other: NTMA bond auction; European Central Bank interest rate decision.
Friday
Indicators: Irish construction output (Q4); UK balance of trade (Jan), consumer inflation expectations, construction orders (Q4) and output (Jan), manufacturing and industrial production (Jan); German balance of trade (Jan); US unemployment (Feb).
Meetings: Drone and Tech Expo Ireland, RDS.