Today’s results: Vodacom, Barloworld, Pioneer, Astral

Three sets of financial results published on the stock exchange news service this morning. The market anticipated Vodacom's pedestrian numbers, dropping the share price 1.3% on Friday. Barloworld fulfilled the optimism of recent buyers, widening profit margins with a 9% HEPs improvement on 3% higher revenues. The two food companies reporting today both delivered excellent numbers – as they needed to after surging share prices over the past year. Here are the highlights supplied by from Reuters. Read the details by clicking on the link to the SENS report. – Alec Hogg.Vodacom: (click here for full report on SENS).* Annual results for the year ended 31 March 2015.* FY headline earnings per share reduced 4.0 pct to 860 cents.* Final dividend of 400 cents, taking total dividend to 775 cents.* Solid performance in Q4, ending year with promising growth.* Capital expenditure increased 23.4 pct to R13.305 billion (17.2 pct of group revenue in line with medium-term guidance).* Group customer base by 7.2 pct to 61.6 million and grew revenue by 2.1 pct (1.1 pct*) to R77.3 billion.* In South Africa we faced major cuts in mobile termination rates, a weak economic environment, exchange rate volatility and increased price competition.Barloworld: (click here for full report on SENS).* Revenue up 3 pct to R30.7 billion for 6 months ended march 31.* Six month headline earnings per share from continuing operations up 16 pct to 367 cents.* Headline earnings per share up 9 pct to 367 cents for six months.* Operating profit up 6 pct to R1.744 billion.* Interim dividend per share increased 8 pct to 115 cents.* We expect our businesses to deliver a resilient performance for full year.* Mining and construction sectors, in particular, remain under pressure..* While trading conditions are expected to remain challenging in second half, we will continue our focus on driving operational efficiencies and tight cost control.Pioneer Food: (click here for full report on SENS).* Six month revenue from cont ops increased by 8 pct on prior period to R9.450 bln.* Adjusted headline earnings from cont ops for six-month up 40 pct to R830 million or 451 cents per share, from 325 cents per share.* Headline earnings for six months ended 31 March 2015 including discontinued operations and effect of unbundling, decreased by 10 pct to R627 million or 341 cents per share.* Environment likely to be characterised by ongoing muted consumer spending, costly energy disruptions, sustained exchange rate volatility and significant competition.* Gross interim dividend, for six months ended 31 March 2015, of 95 cents (2014: 65 cents) per share, an increase of 46 pct.Astral Foods: (click here for full report on SENS).* Unaudited interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2015.* 166 pct earnings per share increase.* Revenue increased by 22.4 pct to r5 755 million, mostly contributed by increased poultry sales.* Operating profit increased by 158.4 pct to r550 million.* Slowing level of growth in economy and higher unemployment levels will continue to hamper an increase in per capita consumption of poultry.* If a quota on US poultry imports is agreed to on back of agoa renewal this is likely to negatively impact local producers due to additional volumes of poultry products in local market.* 22 pct revenue increase.* 158 pct operating profit increase.* 159 pct headline earnings per share increase.* 188 pct interim dividend 575 cents per share.* Increase in headline earnings from r147 million for previous year's first six months, to r387 million for first six months of 2015 financial year.* Board has declared an interim dividend of 575 cents per share

Today’s results: Vodacom, Barloworld, Pioneer, Astral

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