Company Interview / Market Update | ALS, IAG, Telstra, RPM Global, Vulcan Energy, Propel Funerals

Testing and inspection company ALS (ASX: ALQ) is in a trading halt - pending a $350 million institutional placement. It comes as ALS posted a 16% rise in full year revenue to $3 billion. Underlying net profit fell slightly to $312.1 million. ALS will pay a final dividend of 19.7 cents per share - taking total dividend payments to 38.6 cents - franked at 30%. The Group has also announced it will move its headquarters from the US to Europe, where close to 40% of its workforce is based. However, ALS says there's a low risk of any material impact on its business caused by the Trump administration's tariff announcements.

IAG (ASX: IAG) says it's received around 25-hundred claims as a result of the flooding on the NSW Mid north coast and Hunter region. IAG says it's too early to estimate the cost of the current event -- but stated a couple of weeks ago that its natural persils cost tothe end of April were around $900 million, $250 million lower than year-to-date expectation.

Telstra (ASX: TLS) has announced its Connected Future30 strategy -- aiming to double down on connectivity and drive growth -- at an investor day in Sydney. The telco has also raised its target for return on invested capital to 10% over the next five years, up from 8% currently. Telstra has also reaffirmed its full-year earnings guidance for underlying EBITDA of between $8.5 billion and $8.7 billion.

RPM Global (ASX: RUL) is extending its share buyback program, seeking to repurchase an additional 11 million shares from June 13 for a further 12 months.

Vulcan Energy (ASX: VUL) has commenced drilling the first new well for its Phase One Lionheart project in Germany. The new wells are designed to produce hot, lithium rich brine -- which Vulcan plans to use to increase its current renewable geothermal energy production.

Propel Funerals (ASX: PFP) anticipates operating earning in the $54 to $56 million range in FY25, similar to the previous year. Looking ahead, Propel Funerals has pointed to an "unavoidable demographic tailwind" with Australians aged over 80 years old expected to reach 2.75 million people in 2044, compared to 1.20 million last year. Also - The company's MD and Co-founder Albin Kurti will retire in August and an announcement on the leadership change is expected later in June.