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Experian and The Gym Group updates provide Friday flavour

Last updated: 06:00 17 Jan 2020 GMT, First published: 14:27 16 Jan 2020 GMT

GVC Holdings - Experian and The Gym Group provide Friday flavour

Trading updates will be the main fare for Friday, with a smattering of UK retail sales and Chinese data providing a little macro interest for traders. There will also be final results from FTSE 250 gambling firm GVC Holdings PLC (LON:GVC).

Experian PLC (LON:EXPN) is concluding the week with its quarterly update where analysts expect to read about consumer borrowing in the UK and the US, which are key drivers of revenue.

UK lending growth may be restricted due to uncertainty, while the US may post increased borrowing.

The consumer credit reporting company, which collects information on over 1bn people and businesses, more recently added to its portfolio anti-fraud and identity theft products as well as health and automotive finance sectors as well.

“Consumer credit is a cyclical business though, and more important in the long run is the progress the company’s making in its newer segments,” analysts at Hargreaves Lansdown said in a note, adding the new markets are “key” to Experian’s premium valuation.

“Recent history has led the market to expect further strong growth, but if the group trips up the knock-on effect on the share price could be very unpleasant.”

Gym Group to flex its muscles

Also on Friday, low-cost fitness chain The Gym Group PLC (LON:GYM) will be looking to keep investor’s hearts pumping when it delivers a pre-close trading update.

Half-year profits jumped 36% to £9.1mln in the group’s half-year results in August thanks to a rise in memberships to nearly 800,000, a barrier than analysts are expecting the firm to breakthrough by the end of its current year.

However, the area that will be of greater interest is the average revenue per member (ARPM), particularly as the company looks to attract more members to it premium LIVE IT offering, which offers customers discounts, the ability to bring friends and access to multiple gyms.

Analysts at the company’s house broker Peel Hunt are expecting membership numbers to have risen 10% year-on-year, while ARPM is predicted to have increased around 5% alongside a 21% increase in total revenue.

“With little evidence of any discounting, the benefits of estate maturity and LIVE IT are emerging”, they said.

Significant announcements expected for Friday January 17:

Finals: GVC Holdings PLC (LON:GVC)

Trading announcements: Experian PLC (LON:EXPN), The Gym Group PLC (LON:GYM)

AGMs: IXICO PLC (LON:IXI)

GM: Futura Medical PLC (LON:FUM)

Economic data: UK retail sales, China GDP, China retail sales, China industrial production

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