China's Lenovo warns of PC shipment pressure from memory shortage | ReutersSkip to main content[Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionalsLearn more aboutRefinitiv]Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yang Yuanqing speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Internet Conference (WIC) in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, China, November 23, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab]BEIJING, Feb 12 (Reuters) - China's Lenovo Group [(0992.HK), opens new tab] warned on T ...

Group 1 - Nuveen has agreed to acquire British firm Schroders for £9.9 billion ($13.5 billion), creating a combined entity with nearly $2.5 trillion in assets under management [1] - Shareholders of Schroders will receive 590 pence per share in cash, along with permitted dividends of up to 22 pence [1] - Richard Oldfield, the CEO of Schroders, will continue to lead the firm post-acquisition, with London designated as the non-U.S. headquarters for the combined group [1]

Core Viewpoint - Italy's competition authority has initiated an investigation into Procter & Gamble for allegedly misleading advertisements regarding the Braun Skin i-Expert epilator, claiming it can keep users hair-free for two years, which the regulator deems exaggerated and inadequately demonstrated [1]. Company Summary - Procter & Gamble is facing scrutiny from Italy's competition authority over its advertising practices related to a body hair removal device [1]. - The specific product in question is the Braun Skin i-Expert epilator, which is claimed to provide long-lasting hair removal effects [1]. Regulatory Context - The investigation highlights the regulatory environment in Italy concerning consumer protection and advertising standards, particularly in the beauty and personal care sector [1].

Core Viewpoint - Hermes reported steady revenue growth, driven by strong sales in the United States and Japan, despite a slight reduction in overall sales growth expectations [1] Group 1: Revenue Growth - The company continues to experience robust revenue growth, particularly in key markets such as the United States and Japan [1] - Sales of high-end handbags, priced at $10,000 and above, remain a significant contributor to the company's financial performance [1] Group 2: Market Performance - The strong performance in the U.S. and Japan indicates a resilient demand for luxury goods in these regions [1] - The company is adjusting its sales growth expectations slightly, reflecting a cautious outlook while maintaining overall positive growth [1]

Group 1 - Sanofi has appointed Belén Garijo as the new CEO, replacing Paul Hudson, whose mandate will not be renewed [1][1][1] - Hudson will step down on February 17, while Garijo will officially take over after the shareholder meeting on April 29 [1][1][1] - Olivier Charmeil, a board member, will serve as interim CEO during the transition period [1][1][1] Group 2 - Belén Garijo has 15 years of experience at Sanofi and has held significant positions, including board member at L'Oreal and CEO of Merck KGaA [1][1][1] - The chairman of Sanofi, Frederic Oudea, expressed confidence in Garijo's ability to accelerate strategy execution and lead the company's next growth cycle [1][1][1]

Core Viewpoint - Russia is preparing to send crude oil and fuel to Cuba as the island faces a severe fuel shortage due to U.S. actions aimed at cutting off its oil supply [1] Group 1: Supply Situation - The last oil supply from Russia to Cuba occurred in February 2025, involving a delivery of 100,000 metric tons [1] - Cuba has warned international airlines that jet fuel is no longer available, indicating a critical fuel situation on the island [1] Group 2: Geopolitical Context - The U.S. has moved to block oil exports from Venezuela, which has historically been a key supplier of jet fuel to Cuba [1] - Russia has expressed solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela, criticizing U.S. attempts to "suffocate" Cuba's economy and pledging to act against any military intervention [1] Group 3: Humanitarian Aid - The Russian embassy in Cuba stated that the upcoming supply of crude and oil products would be provided as humanitarian aid [1] - Russia has announced plans to suspend flights to Cuba after the departure of Russian tourists from the island [1]

Financial Performance - SoftBank Group reported a net profit of 248.6 billion yen ($1.62 billion) for the October-December quarter, a significant recovery from a net loss of 369 billion yen in the same period the previous year [1][1][1] - This marks SoftBank's fourth consecutive quarter of profitability, indicating a positive trend in its financial performance [1][1][1] Investment Strategy - The company's earnings have been bolstered by the rising valuation of its investment in OpenAI, where SoftBank has increased its stake to around 11% with over $30 billion invested [1][1][1] - To finance its investments, SoftBank has engaged in asset sales, bond issuance, and loans backed by its other holdings, including chip designer Arm [1][1][1] Market Position and Competition - OpenAI, once seen as the leading player in large language models, is facing rising operational costs and intensified competition from companies like Alphabet [1][1][1] - Investor concerns have been raised regarding SoftBank's ability to continue funding OpenAI, especially as OpenAI does not currently generate a profit [1][1][1]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that Legrand is experiencing growth due to strong demand in the data centre sector, which is positively impacting its expansion and profitability targets [1] Group 2 - Legrand has slightly increased its medium-term profitability targets as a result of the favorable market conditions driven by data centre demand [1]

Core Viewpoint - KBC Group reported a fourth quarter net income of 1 billion euros, slightly exceeding analyst expectations, despite a 10% year-on-year decline due to a previous one-off tax benefit [1] Financial Performance - The net interest income (NII) grew by 12% year-on-year to 1.61 billion euros, contributing to a full year total NII of 6.1 billion euros, surpassing the previous target of 5.95 billion euros [1] - KBC's total income for 2026 is projected to grow at least 9.9% year-on-year, with an expected NII of 6.73 billion euros or more [1] - The combined ratio of the non-life insurance division improved to 87% from 90% in 2024, indicating profitability in that segment [1] Strategic Initiatives - KBC's strategy involved locking in long-term bonds early in the rate-hiking cycle, which has provided stability despite sacrificing short-term reinvestment gains [1] - The company has set new medium and long-term financial targets, aiming for a cost-to-income ratio below 38% by the end of 2028 and a total income increase of at least 7.7% [1] Dividend Proposal - KBC proposed a dividend of 5.1 euros per share for 2025, resulting in a pay-out ratio of 60% of its yearly net profit, aligning with the upper end of its guidance [1]

Group 1 - Samsung Electronics has begun mass production of its latest HBM4 chips and has shipped commercial products to customers [1] - HBM4 is a sixth-generation high-bandwidth memory solution designed for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications [1] Group 2 - The announcement was made on February 12, 2026, indicating a significant milestone for Samsung in the semiconductor industry [1] - The development of HBM4 chips is expected to enhance performance in AI and HPC sectors, reflecting the growing demand for advanced memory solutions [1]