Q4 2024 – Earnings Insights Script
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Earnings insights
Fourth quarter 2024
Suparna Sampath
Active Fixed Income Product Specialist, Vanguard Europe
Fourth quarter results for European companies were positive, with 57% reporting a beat on earnings and over 70% reporting a beat on revenues. Financials, Technology, and Consumer sectors led in terms of earnings surprises.
The auto sector did better than expected in the fourth quarter - but looking ahead, the outlook is less clear, due to tariff uncertainty and their impact on auto margins.
Utilities also surprised, with results slightly beating expectations, driven by strong network performance and lower finance costs .
Banks had a strong quarter, with earnings exceeding expectations, thanks to solid fee and commission income and strong revenues from trading – which helped offset lower net interest income due to falling interest rates. Asset quality remained broadly resilient, though credit losses showed signs of increasing from their very low post-COVID levels.
And finally, insurance companies posted solid results despite high natural catastrophe losses, thanks to rapid price hikes in previous quarters.
Our fund continues to have a bias towards financials, especially European REITs. We believe financial fundamentals look sound, although macro and geopolitical uncertainties pose downside risks.
We also like consumer non-cyclicals over cyclicals, because we expect cyclical companies to be more susceptible if growth slows down in the coming months.
Investment risk information
The value of investments, and the income from them, may fall or rise and investors may get back less than they invested.
Important information
This is a marketing communication. For professional investors only (as defined under the MiFID II Directive) investing for their own account (including management companies (fund of funds) and professional clients investing on behalf of their discretionary clients). In Switzerland for professional investors only. Not to be distributed to the public. |
The information contained herein is not to be regarded as an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy or sell securities in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation is against the law, or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation, or if the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so. The information does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. You must not, therefore, rely on it when making any investment decisions. |
The information contained herein is for educational purposes only and is not a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell investments. |
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