Titles in Action: Hudson's Bay Company, Ikea, Axa …

Here is a selection of ads that have made (or are going to make) move the prices of these companies:

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The Hudson's Bay Company ($ 8.90, HBC) is targeted by an activist investor, Land and Buildings Investment Management LLC, who once again criticizes Toronto's retailer's board of directors for failing to take steps to generate cash flow. value for shareholders. In a letter sent to securityholders, the US firm says it believes HBC could double or triple its stock price by releasing itself from Saks Fifth Avenue stores by selling its 50% stake in a European joint venture to its partner Signa and by relinquishing the Lord & Taylor sign. Land and Buildings also believes that HBC should seek real estate investment trust status in Canada in addition to subletting excess space in its La Baie department stores. This shareholder says he wants to talk with the company's investors to add "new perspectives" to the board of directors at HBC and that a special meeting of securityholders could be a means to that end. HBC is not available immediately for comment.

The insurance group Axa Wednesday raised its profitability targets and dividend distribution, explaining that it has made progress in the vast transformation of its activities over the past two years. "Axa has made a very significant progress in 2018 in the execution of its strategy" and "the simplification of the group continues to bear fruit," Thomas Buberl, its managing director, said in a statement on the occasion of a exchange day with investors. On the strength of this progress, the insurer has given its shareholders better expectations of remuneration: the dividend distribution rate is now expected in a range of between 50% and 60% of net profit, compared to 45% and 55% until the end of the year. now. This new policy should apply as of fiscal year 2018.

The giant of building materials LafargeHolcim Global demand is expected to remain "solid" in 2019, he said Wednesday ahead of a day for investors. Next year, the group resulting from the merger in 2015 of French Lafarge with Swiss Holcim aims at a growth of its turnover of between 3 and 5% on a comparable basis, in line with its objectives by 2022, he detailed in a statement. It also expects its underlying gross operating surplus to grow by at least 5% and expects more deleveraging, he said. For 2018, the concrete and cement giant still relies on a rise in sales of 4 to 6%, after raising its target at the end of the third quarter.

The general manager of a French factoryIkea Haute-Saone was indicted Tuesday evening for manslaughter after the death of an employee, overthrown by a machine late August, announced Wednesday the floor of Vesoul. The 54-year-old German, who was taken into custody on Tuesday morning, is being prosecuted for "manslaughter in the course of the work by carelessness, negligence or breach of a security duty that has involuntarily caused the death of a person during his working time ". He was placed under judicial control with the prohibition to leave France and Germany and the obligation to report every two weeks to the Gendarmerie Lure and pay a deposit of 60,000 euros ($ 90,000). The man incurs three years of imprisonment and 45 000 euros of fine. As for the company, which is civilly liable, it is liable to a fine of 225,000 euros.