All eyes on earnings and dividends as housebuilders report next month

Investors will be hoping activity picks up and payouts are at least maintained

After analysts at Deutsche Bank recently cut their recommendations on four leading housebuilders, investors will be keen to hear from Persimmon (PSN) and Taylor Wimpey (TW.). Persimmon, which reports full-year earnings on 1 March, revealed in November it had seen cancellation rates spike as high as 28%, putting its full year completions target in question. The firm also confirmed it had ended its capital return programme and would reveal its new dividend policy to shareholders with its results. Taylor Wimpey, which reports the following day, said cancellation rates spiked to 23% in the second half of last year, while net private reservations were down nearly 45% on 2021, although it made no comment on its dividend policy. [IC]

ITV's new streaming service is set to take the spotlight

Free-to-air broadcaster will update on ITVX platform

When ITV (ITV) reports its full year numbers on 2 March a lot of focus will be on the performance of its new streaming platform ITVX – its answer to the growth of streaming and structural decline of linear television.

Unveiled to widespread investor scepticism a year ago and launched in December 2022, the platform got off to a decent start thanks to a winter

World Cup. The free ad-funded streaming service delivered a 55% increase in streaming hours in the first month after launch compared with the same period a year ago. Exclusive content on the platform was said to have performed well.

Shore Capital analyst Roddy Davidson is positive on the appeal of free-to-air platforms with deep content at a time when consumers seem set to scrutinise their commitment to subscription services. [TS]