Profit Warning

Sydney based coal miner, (ASX:WHC) issued a profit warning on Thursday.

• WHC 1H first half earnings (EBITDA: earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) could be below $10 million after weak coal markets and high Australian dollar takes its toll.

Australian Retailer, Harvey Norman (ASX:HVN) announced on Monday that full year pre-tax profit to June 30, 2012 was likely to be down 40 percent. The announcement to the stockmarket said that unaudited preliminary accounts for 2012 indicated a profit before tax and minority interests of $227.6 million compared to the $373.9 million profit in 2011 (down 39.1 percent).

Australian based investment bank, Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG) have announced a lower profit warning as a consequence of subdued global markets affecting the majority of its businesses. MQG said in an announcement to the stockmarket that it expects its second-half profit for the six months to the end of March 2011 to be around 5% lower than in the year-ago period.

Australian investment banker, Macquarie Group (ASX:MQG) has delivered its third profit warning in three months. At an investor presentation in London, yesterday, it was revealed that volatile financial market conditions is likely to be 25 percent below market expectations. Macquarie's first half profit for the six months to September 30 would drop to $359 million (from $479 million the previous year).