Broker tips: DS Smith, Taylor Wimpey, Acacia Mining

8th Dec 2014 12:01

UBS has lifted its target price for packaging group DS Smith from 340p to 355p and reiterated a 'buy' rating after the company's strong first-half results, saying it sees the potential for more deals in the future."DS Smith delivered an impressive performance during H1 with robust volume growth being delivered alongside further M&A activity and deleveraging," the bank said.Meanwhile, Moody's Investors Service has said that last week's reform of the stamp-duty system in the Autumn Statement is "credit positive" for Taylor Wimpey and a number of other housebuilders.Chancellor George Osborne announced last Wednesday a major overhaul of the stamp duty land tax (SDLT), which means that around 98% of house buyers will be better off.Elsewhere, Deutsche Bank has taken a more positive view of the UK gold-mining sector, saying that the recent plunge in oil prices and weaker currencies should help producers to lower costs.The bank upgraded its ratings for both Acacia Mining (formerly African Barrick Gold) and Randgold Resources from 'hold' to 'buy', explaining that free cash flow growth should accelerate over the next 12 months.