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EDITIONS
Tuesday, 26 November, 2002, 17:37 GMT
Tour firm delays earnings report
Holidaymakers on the beach
MyTravel hopes to return to sunnier times
Struggling tour firm My Travel has postponed the publication of its full-year financial results.

The group, which has issued three profit warnings in seven months, said it expects to sign fresh credit agreements with its banks soon and would issue its results shortly after that.

The firm's last profit warning, in October, was followed by the departure of chief executive Tim Byrne.

Analysts were expecting the firm to announce that profits fell by 76% compared with the year before to �30m.

Accounting fears

My Travel shares closed down 6% at 31 pence on Tuesday.

The firm warned in October that it had uncovered accounting problems that might cut its earnings by 10s of millions of pounds.

My Travel shares had risen strongly on Monday after The Times newspaper reported that My Travel was hopeful of renewing a vital �250m credit facility with its lending banks.

The newspaper also reported that the firm had collected about �25m ($37.5m) in down-payments on holidays, in a sign that customers have stuck by the firm despite its well-publicised financial difficulties.

Monday's share price recovery reflected rising hopes that the company might be poised to emerge from period of financial turmoil that wiped out nearly two thirds of its market value in a single day last month.

Rivals scan assets

Since October, My Travel is thought to have been approached by rival tour operators - including online travel agents Lastminute.com and Ebookers - seeking to buy parts of its business.

The company was also expected to announce the results of a financial review by its new auditor Deloitte & Touche.

There has been speculation that this might recommend the sale of some of My Travel's assets to raise cash.

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