Nico Melsens

Telenet Plans Share Buyback, Rules Out Bid for KPN’s Base Unit

Telenet Group Holding NV, the Belgian cable operator controlled by Liberty Global Inc., plans to buy back as much as 724 million euros ($889 million) of its own shares in an operation funded by debt and ruled out making a bid for Royal KPN NV’s Belgian mobile-phone unit.

Barco Climbs as Sales Growth Recovery Allays Cinema Concern

Barco NV, the Belgian maker of digital cinema projectors, rose to a two-month high in Brussels trading as a recovery in second-quarter revenue growth allayed some concerns that slowing cinema sales may hurt profit.

Malone-Controlled Telenet Raises Cash Flow Forecast, Delays Debt Payment

Telenet Group Holding NV , the Belgian cable operator controlled by John Malone ’s Liberty Global Inc., raised its forecast for cash generation and will add to borrowings to accommodate future shareholder payouts.

Belgacom Will Maintain Dividend Next Year, Starts Buyback

Belgacom SA , the largest telephone company in Belgium, said it will maintain its dividend next year even as earnings may drop as much as 2 percent and resumed buybacks after quarterly earnings beat analyst estimates.

Option Gets $48 Million From China's Huawei, Drops Anti-Dumping Complaint

Option NV , the unprofitable Belgian modem maker, will drop its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy complaints against Chinese vendors after Huawei Technologies Co. agreed to take a software license and buy an Option unit.

Mobistar Profit Beats Estimates on Lower Costs, Provisions

Mobistar SA, Belgium’s second- biggest mobile-phone company, reported second-quarter profit that beat estimates after almost reaching its full-year goal for savings and lowering a provision for payments to Belgacom SA.

Agfa Gains as IT Sales, Lower Debt Ease Concern: Brussels Mover

Agfa-Gevaert NV, Europe’s biggest maker of health-care imaging systems, rose the most in five months in Brussels after a surprise increase in health-care revenue and cash generation eased concern about loan covenants.

Mobistar Sees Profit Drop, Lowers Payout on Rate Cuts

Mobistar SA , Belgium’s second-biggest mobile-phone company, forecast profit will decline this year and cut its dividend because of regulatory cuts in the rate it charges other operators to handle calls on its network.

Mobistar Sees Tougher Roaming Impact as Profit Misses Estimates

Mobistar SA, Belgium’s second- biggest mobile-phone company, reported profit that missed analyst estimates as payroll costs and network depreciation rose and forecast a larger impact from roaming regulation.

Agfa Profit Drops 72% on Raw Materials; Customers Shun Film

Agfa-Gevaert NV , Europe’s biggest maker of prepress products, said first-quarter profit fell 72 percent on higher raw-material costs and reported revenue that missed estimates as customers bought fewer film products.

"The announcement first and foremost tackles speculation that Telenet will make an offer for Base, a dossier in which speculation momentum went crescendo ahead of last week's deadline for non-binding offers."

- Nico Melsens on Aug 13, 2012

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Europe

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