The week ahead: WPP, Halfords, Barratt, Dixons Carphone

Again, things are picking up a little and there are some good stories likely to develop over the next few days, reports Lee Wild.

Monday 3 September

Trading Statements

Glenveagh Properties, ADES International Holding, Tissue Regenix, Microsaic Systems, Dechra Pharmaceuticals

AGM/EGM

Redcentric

Tuesday 4 September

WPP, still without a permanent CEO after founder Sir Martin Sorrell left in April, serves up half-year results which backers will hope will breathe new life back into the business.

Talk is that company insider and stand-in boss Mark Read will soon take the helm full-time. We may hear something very soon.

Confirming a new leader will remove an obvious overhang and let the company move forward. Look for organic growth during the second quarter, say analysts at UBS who have just lifted earnings per share forecasts by 3-4% to factor in sterling weakness.

"In Q218 we expect organic growth to inflect to 1% from -0.1% in Q118 with H118 EBIT margins flat," they say, repeating their 'buy' rating and 1,660p price target.

Shares in bikes to cycle parts group Halfords Group have gone nowhere in recent months. A disappointing full-year update in May knocked the business off balance, then tough competition from Amazon.com and online rivals caused further declines through the summer.

• Wheels come off at plunging Halfords

Waitrose finance chief Loraine Woodhouse will be in place on 1 November, taking over from Jonny Mason who left last month for Dixons Carphone, but not in time for this 20-week trading update or capital markets day on 27 September.

Trading Statements

Johnson Service Group, Boku, Alfa Financial Software Holdings, Taptica International, Michelmersh Brick, India Capital Growth Fund, Cairn Homes, WPP Group, Gulf Marine Services, Telit Communications, Dalata Hotel Group, Supermarket Income REIT, Mucklow (A & J), Smith (DS), Halfords

AGM/EGM

Severfield, Bagir Group, Smith (DS), European Wealth Management Group

Wednesday 5 September

Housebuilders are off their post-Brexit vote peaks, but most are still cheap and offer knockout dividend yields. Barratt Developments, about to publish full-year results, is among them, trading on a price/earnings (PE) ratio of 8 times and forward yield of 8%-plus.

Again, UBS is positive, rating the shares a 'buy' with 665p price target, implying potential upside of around 22%. Any indication of margin improvement would be well received by the market.

Trading Statements

Gem Diamonds, Atlas Mara Co-invest, Location Sciences, Barratt Developments, Berkeley Group Holdings

AGM/EGM

Zanaga Iron Ore Company, Triad Group, Myanmar Strategic Holdings, Quiz, Empyrean Energy, IG Design

Thursday 6 September

In May, new chief executive Alex Baldock attacked previous management at Dixons Carphone and issued a warning on profits. The shares plunged and, despite bullish rhetoric from the top man, they've shown no credible sign of recovery since.

Not long after a massive data breach, analysts at RBC cut their price target to 200p. But even that looks optimistic unless Baldock and his team pull something out of the bag at these first-quarter results.

Trading statements

PPHE Hotel Group, Just Group, Hunters Property, Curtis Banks, Melrose, International Public Partnership, Mpac Group, Okyo Pharma Corporation, Genus, Go-Ahead Group, Avation, Dixons Carphone

AGM/EGM

BCA Marketplace, Funding Circle SME Income Fund, Phaunos Timber Fun, Shefa Yamim

Friday 7 September

Trading statements

EnQuest,Secure Income REIT, Ashmore

AGM/EGM

Schroder Real Estate