Thomson Reuters Buys Pondera Solutions – Quick Facts

Thomson Reuters (TRI,TRI.TO) has acquired Pondera Solutions, a provider of technology and advanced analytics to prevent fraud in healthcare and large government programs. Pondera’s core detection system, FraudCaster, helps clients detect improper payments in health plans and government programs.

Steve Rubley, president of the Government business for Thomson Reuters, said: “Pondera will be a key component to the suite of tools available to government customers that use technology, data and human analysis to support their mission and benefit their communities.”

Accenture Slashes FY20 Outlook; Boosts Dividend 10% – Quick Facts

While reporting financial results for the second quarter on Thursday, Accenture Plc (ACN) slashed its business outlook for the full-year 2020 to reflect expected impact of coronavirus pandemic, and provided revenue guidance for the third quarter.

For fiscal 2020, the company now expects earnings in a range of $7.48 to $7.70 per share on revenue growth of 3 to 6 percent in local currency.

Previously, the company projected earnings in the range of $7.66 to $7.84 per share on revenue growth of 6 to 8 percent in local currency.

On average, analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expect the company to report earnings of $7.84 per share on revenue growth of 6.3 percent to $45.94 billion for the year. Analysts’ estimates typically exclude special items.

For the third quarter, Accenture expects revenues to be in the range of $10.75 billion to $11.15 billion, reflecting the company’s assumption of a negative 1.5 percent foreign-exchange impact compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2019. The Street is looking for revenues of $11.74 billion for the quarter.

Accenture also declared a 10 percent higher quarterly cash dividend of $0.80 per share, payable on May 15, 2020 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 16, 2020.

As previously disclosed, the company has moved from a semi-annual to a quarterly schedule for dividend payments in the first quarter of fiscal 2020.

Darden Restaurants Withdraws Outlook; Suspends Quarterly Dividend

Darden Restaurants, Inc., (DRI) said, in response to COVID-19, the company is withdrawing its financial outlook for fiscal 2020. The Board of Directors has suspended the quarterly cash dividend. Also, the company is fully drawing on its $750 million credit facility.

“With the drawdown of our revolver, and cash on the balance sheet, we will have approximately $1 billion in cash on hand,” said CFO Rick Cardenas.

For the fourth quarter to date through March 15, Darden same-restaurant sales declined 5.9%.

NYSE To Temporarily Close Equities Trading Floor

Intercontinental Exchange Inc. announced that its affiliate New York Stock Exchange or NYSE will temporarily close equities and options trading floors in its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

With effect from Monday’s market open, the exchange will move to fully electronic trading on a temporary basis.

The decision comes as coronavirus has spread to all 50 states in the United States, with 116 deaths and more than 6,500 confirmed cases nationwide. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he was considering a lockdown.

In its statement, the ICE noted that trading and regulatory oversight of all NYSE-listed securities will continue without interruption.

The facilities to be closed include the NYSE equities trading floor in New York, NYSE American Options trading floor in New York, and NYSE Arca Options trading floor in San Francisco.

The company will continue to monitor events to determine the appropriate time to re-open the NYSE trading floors.

Stacey Cunningham, President of the New York Stock Exchange, said, “While we are taking the precautionary step of closing the trading floors, we continue to firmly believe the markets should remain open and accessible to investors. All NYSE markets will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of the trading floors.”

Deutsche EuroShop Prelim. 2019 Figures Within Or Above Its Projected Ranges

Deutsche EuroShop AG (DUSCF.PK) reported, based on the preliminary figures, fiscal 2019 EBIT of 197.5 million euros, and FFO per share at 2.42 euros. Operative result before tax was at 163.1 million euros. Turnover was at 225.9 million euros, for the fiscal year.

The company said, due to the continued spread and unpredictable duration of the corona virus pandemic, the Executive Board has decided to propose the suspension of the dividend payment to the general assembly (scheduled for 16 June 2020).

Norway's crown currency rallies as central bank says may intervene

OSLO, March 19 (Reuters) – Norway’s currency rallied on Thursday following a statement by the central bank that it may intervene in the market to prop up the crown which has lost a third of its value this year.

Norges Bank declined to say whether it had intervened in the market.

The crown rose to 12.2870 against the euro from an all-time low of 13.1678 earlier in the day, erasing its intra-day losses, Refinitiv data showed. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik; Editing by Gwladys Fouche)

Saudi Arabia cancels 'Jeddah Season' festival over coronavirus: state TV

RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia canceled “Jeddah Season”, a weeks-long entertainment and cultural festival in the Red Sea port city, as part of measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak, state television reported on Thursday.

The event, which had been scheduled for June and July, was first run last year under efforts by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to open up Saudis’ cloistered lifestyle and boost domestic consumption in the kingdom’s nascent entertainment sector.