Medical and Hospital News
TRADE WARS
Heineken posts loss on China write-down
stock image only
Heineken posts loss on China write-down
by AFP Staff Writers
The Hague (AFP) July 29, 2024

Dutch brewer Heineken posted a 95-million-euro ($102-million) loss for the first six months of the year on Monday as its investment in China's biggest beer company took a hit.

The company took an 874-million-euro write-down from the decline in valuation of its stake in China Resources Beer, whose share price has fallen on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Heineken acquired 40 percent of the holding that controls CR Beer in 2018, but its effective stake in CR Beer stands at around 20 percent.

The Dutch group said in its earnings report that the drop in CR Beer's share price was possibly due to "concerns on the macroeconomic environment in China and its impact on consumer demand".

China, the world's second biggest economy, has encountered severe headwinds in recent years, as a heavily indebted property sector, sluggish consumption and high youth unemployment weigh on confidence.

Heineken shares fell by more than eight percent on the Amsterdam stock exchange's blue-chip AEX index in mid afternoon trade.

Despite the loss, Heineken chief executive Dolf van den Brink said the Dutch company "delivered a solid first half of the year".

Global beer volumes rose by 2.1 percent, while Heineken brand sales were up nine percent in the first six months of the year, the Amsterdam-based brewer said.

Sales topped 17.8 billion euros, up 2.2 percent, and were driven by Heineken's largest operating companies in Nigeria, Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam and India.

Heineken's operating profit, however, fell by 4.3 percent to 1.5 billion euros.

The company announced it will issue an interim dividend of 0.69 euros per share on August 8.

Heineken estimated growth in operating profit between four and eight percent for the full year, but added it would continue a cost-savings exercise targeting some 500 million euros.

A large proportion of the savings will be invested into marketing and sales, Heineken said, notably in Brazil, India, Mexico, Vietnam and South Africa.

It also warned that volatility in the markets, especially in Africa and the Middle East remained a "reality" as consumer confidence snaked below average.

"There is a risk of material currency devaluation in Ethiopia and hyperinflation in Nigeria and Egypt," Heineken warned.

"We are confident we are able to adapt, yet this continues to bring some short-term uncertainty," Heineken said.

Related Links
Global Trade News

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TRADE WARS
China says Italy PM Meloni to visit from Saturday
Beijing (AFP) July 25, 2024
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will visit China for five days from Saturday, Beijing said Thursday. "At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang of the State Council, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will pay an official visit to China from July 27 to 31," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in a statement. The visit will be Meloni's first to China since she took office in 2022. She will meet with President Xi Jinping as well as Premier Li during the trip, Mao told a regular pr ... read more

TRADE WARS
Senegalese navy intercepts 200 migrants near coast

UN says Ethiopia landslide death toll could reach 500

Death toll from Ethiopia landslide hits 257, could reach 500

Cargo ship sinks off Taiwan, 9 sailors missing: authorities

TRADE WARS
oneNav's Advanced L5 Technology Mitigates GPS Jamming in Israel

China plans to launch pilot cities to showcase BeiDou applications

NextNav Receives DOT Award to Enhance PNT Services as GPS Backup

Lebanon says Israeli GPS jamming confounding ground, air traffic

TRADE WARS
Iraqi churches denounce Olympics opening ceremony scene

Ancient Human Migration Routes Through Southeast Indonesia Unveiled

Tense talks as UNESCO mulls Heritage sites at risk

Evidence Points to Human Butchery of Giant Armadillo Relatives in Argentina 21,000 Years Ago

TRADE WARS
Gunfire, bombs as Colombia guerrillas flex muscles ahead of COP16

Colombia orchid sanctuary collects and clones endangered species

Giraffes bring peace to Kenyan communities once at odds

'Hope' as 60 rare Siamese crocodiles hatch in Cambodia

TRADE WARS
'Hong Kong's Dr Fauci' sounds alarm on next pandemic

Polio virus found as flies and mosquitoes feast on Gaza's waste

Decade since Ebola, Sierra Leone fights another deadly fever

Decade since Ebola, Sierra Leone fights another deadly fever

TRADE WARS
Singapore orders self-exiled China tycoon's social media accounts blocked

Ex-WSJ reporter says fired over role in Hong Kong press union

China making youth unemployment a 'top priority'

China props up Solomon Islands' budget with $20 mn injection

TRADE WARS
UN warns Iraq becoming major regional drug conduit

Guns n' ganja: Weapons flood Catalonia's cannabis trade

Spain, France bust million-euro-a-day money laundering network

China cracks down on money-changing syndicates in Macau

TRADE WARS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.