Thursday tips round-up: Land Securities, Randgold Resources, WH Smith

24th Jan 2013 06:55

Yesterday's trading statement from Land Securities, although light on financials, showed that lettings of its development portfolio were moving in the right direction. The shares, after a mild underperformance so far this year, trade on about a six per cent discount to the latest net asset figure. Given the quality of that portfolio, further progress looks likely in due course, says The Times´s Tempus column.WH Smith has had a clear strategy focusing on growing profits rather than chasing sales at any cost. This helped it become one of the retail winners over the Christmas trading period. The shares are trading on a 2013 earnings multiple of 9.3 times, falling to 8.5. The prospective yield is an attractive 4.7% rising to 5.1%. They were last recommended as a buy in August last year at 597½p and they are up 9% from that time. Analysts are broadly supportive, with 10 of the 16 analysts monitored by Bloomberg having a buy rating. Of the rest, four say hold and two say sell. The Telegraph´s Questor team thinks the shares are a hold for now, down from buy.Randgold Resources has taken a party of analysts to its mines in West Africa to reassure them that any unrest there is having little impact. They first went to Tongon, Ivory Coast. They are heading for Loulo, Mali, on the far western border with Senegal. One reports brightly: "All appears calm and peaceful." "It is, I would point out, a very large country, indeed, if you look at the map, and you are a long way from most of the trouble," Tempus muses. Please note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only as not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information.AB