19th Jan 2007 15:20
Barclays PLC19 January 2007 19th January 2007 Barclays PLC Shareholders are advised that Absa Group Limited, in which we have ashareholding of over 56%, and Absa Bank Limited today issued the TradingStatement set out below. ABSA GROUP LIMITED(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)(Registration number: 1986/003934/06)ISIN: ZAE000067237JSE share code: ASAIssuer code: AMAGB(Absa, Absa Group or the Group) ABSA GROUP TRADING STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2006 In terms of the Listing Requirements of the JSE Limited (the JSE ListingRequirements), a listed company is required to publish a trading statement assoon as it becomes apparent that headline earnings per share and/or earnings pershare for the next period to be reported on are expected, with a reasonabledegree of certainty, to differ by at least twenty per cent (20%) from those ofthe previous corresponding period. Shareholders are advised that the Group's headline earnings per share for thetwelve months ended 31 December 2006 are expected to increase by between twentyper cent (20%) and twenty-four per cent (24%) compared with the pro formaheadline earnings per share of 954,8 cents per share for the same period in2005. The Group's earnings per share for the twelve months ended 31 December 2006 areexpected to increase by between twenty-five per cent (25%) and twenty-nine percent (29%) compared with the pro forma earnings per share of 950,3 cents pershare for the same period in 2005. The operating environment remained favourable throughout the year. Signs of aslowdown in advances growth only appeared towards the end of the year, andimpairments increased moderately. Earnings were also positively impacted by therealisation of synergies from leveraging Barclays expertise, by the sale ofnon-core operations and by the strong investment markets. The financial results on which this trading statement is based have not beenreviewed or reported on by Absa's auditors. The Group's results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2006 will bereleased on Sens on 20 February 2007. EnquiriesEric WassermanGroup executive: Group FinanceAbsa Group Limited4th floor, Absa Towers East, 170 Main Street, JohannesburgTel: (+2711) 350-5887; Fax: (+2711) 350-6487e-Mail: [email protected] Issued by:Jacques BadenhorstHead: Investor RelationsAbsa Group Limited4th floor, Absa Towers East, 170 Main Street, JohannesburgTel: (+2711) 350-4061; Fax: (+2711) 350-6487e-Mail: [email protected] Lead sponsor:Merrill Lynch South Africa (Proprietary) Limited Co-sponsor:Absa Capital, a division of Absa Bank Limited Johannesburg19 January 2007 Barclays PLCFor further information, please contact: Investor Relations Media RelationsMark Merson/James Johnson Jason Nisse/Alistair Smith+44 (0) 20 7166 5752/2927 +44 (0) 20 7116 6223/6132 Shareholders should note that the content and presentation of the results ofAbsa Group Limited in respect of the year ended 31 December 2006 will differfrom those results as consolidated into the results of Barclays PLC because ofthe following: • changes in the Rand/Sterling exchange rate; • adjustments for the amortisation of intangible assets, certain head office adjustments, transfer pricing and minority interests; • Absa Capital's results are reported by Barclays within the Barclays Capital business and the remainder of the results of Absa Group Limited are reported by Barclays within the International Retail and Commercial Banking business. ABSA BANK LIMITED(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)(Registration number: 1986/004794/06)ISIN: ZAE000079810JSE share code: ABSP(Absa Bank) ABSA BANK TRADING STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2006 In terms of the Listing Requirements of the JSE Limited (the JSE ListingRequirements), a listed company is required to publish a trading statement assoon as it becomes apparent that headline earnings per share and/or earnings pershare for the next period to be reported on are expected, with a reasonabledegree of certainty, to differ by at least twenty per cent (20%) from those ofthe previous corresponding period. The current results are not comparable to those previously published due to a change in Absa Bank's financial year end. Shareholders are advised that Absa Bank's headline earnings per share are expected to be between 1 685 and 1 805 cents per share for the twelve months ended 31 December 2006. In addition, Absa Bank's earnings per share are expected to be between 1 740 and 1 855 cents per share for the twelve months ended 31 December 2006. The financial results on which this trading statement is based have not beenreviewed or reported on by Absa Bank's auditors. Absa Bank's results for the twelve months ended 31 December 2006 will bereleased on Sens on 20 February 2007. EnquiriesEric WassermanGroup executive: Group FinanceAbsa Group Limited4th floor, Absa Towers East, 170 Main Street, JohannesburgTel: (+2711) 350-5887; Fax: (+2711) 350-6487e-Mail: [email protected] Issued by:Jacques BadenhorstHead: Investor RelationsAbsa Group Limited4th floor, Absa Towers East, 170 Main Street, JohannesburgTel: (+2711) 350-4061; Fax: (+2711) 350-6487e-Mail: [email protected] Lead sponsor:Merrill Lynch South Africa (Proprietary) Limited Co-sponsor:Absa Capital, a division of Absa Bank Limited Johannesburg19 January 2007 Barclays PLCFor further information, please contact: Investor Relations Media RelationsMark Merson/James Johnson Jason Nisse/Alistair Smith+44 (0) 20 7166 5752/2927 +44 (0) 20 7116 6223/6132 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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