French and Benelux stocks-Factors to watch on Jan 20

PARIS Jan 20 (Reuters) - Below are company-related news and leading stories from French and Benelux media which could have an impact on the region's markets or individual stocks.

CAC-40 futures FCEc1 are down 0.29 pct at 0746 GMT

ACCOR (ACCP.PA)

Europe's largest hotel group raised its 2010 profit goal again on Wednesday as fourth-quarter sales slightly beat expectations amid a global recovery in demand for hotel rooms. [ID:nLDE70H1ET]

AHOLD (AHLN.AS)

Strong growth in the Netherlands, and a small improvement in its main U.S. market, helped the Dutch grocer meet forecasts with an underlying 5.5 percent rise in fourth-quarter sales. [ID:nLDE70I151]

REMY COINTREAU (RCOP.PA)

The French drinks group saw a 17.5 percent rise in sales in its third quarter, traditionally its strongest, driven by solid demand for cognac in Asia. The company also forecast good revenue and earnings growth for the full year. [ID:nLDE70H1MB]

ALSTOM (ALSO.PA)

The French engineering group said on Thursday its order intake was set to increase during the fourth quarter and confirmed its full-year financial targets. [ID:nLDE70J05A]

RENAULT (RENA.PA)

Three executives fired by Renault on suspicion of industrial espionage plan to take legal action against the French carmaker. [ID:nLDE70I29L]

FRANCE TELECOM (FTE.PA)

VIVENDI (VIV.PA)

France Telecom announced a movie channel joint venture with Vivendi unit Canal Plus on Wednesday, part of the French telecoms group's broader shift towards content partnerships.

France Telecom has spent 1 billion euros ($1.35 billion) on content in the past five years, and effort to ink partnerships instead of going it alone is aimed at reducing that budget. The telecom operator's CEO Stephane Richard also said that he would not bid on the French football rights in 2012, which accounted for the largest chunk of its content spending. [ID:nLDE70I247]

EDF ENERGIES NOUVELLES EEN.PA, ALSTOM (ALSO.PA)

The companies have signed an exclusive agreement to bid jointly for tenders that the French government is planning to launch for offshore wind projects. [EEN.PA]

DEXIA (DEXI.BR)

France's La Poste mail deliverer and bank services provider has agreed to the idea of subscribing to fund-raising issues by Franco-Belgian bank Dexia (DEXI.BR), according to the daily Le Figaro, citing unnamed sources. The newspaper said the two groups had quietly agreed in December to drop the idea of a possible joint venture. [ID:nLDE70I2CI]

BIOMERIEUX (BIOX.PA)

The biotech company posted an 11 percent rise in full-year sales to 1.36 billion euros and said it aims to achieve sales growth of between 5 and 6 percent this year like-for-like. [BIOX.PA]

ARCELORMITTAL (ISPA.AS)

Baffinland Iron Mines BIM.TO investors have all but given up hope that the Canadian Arctic iron explorer will attract a second suitor, with the deadline on an existing, C$590 million ($593 million) bid only days away.

Shares of Baffinland have receded to within a penny of the C$1.50 offered last week under a joint bid by ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS) and Nunavut Iron. [ID:nN17286488]

DSM (DSMN.AS)

The world's largest vitamins maker announced a strategic cooperation in Russia with Kuibyshevazot to create two joint ventures. In both joint ventures DSM Engineering Plastics will hold a majority share. As a result of the license agreement, DSM will realise royalty income over 15 years. [ID:DSMN.AS]

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