Sector movers: RSA drags non-life insurers lower as results underwhelm
26th Feb 2015 15:14
Underwhelming results from RSA were weighing down on the non-life insurance sector on Thursday despite the FTSE 100 company swinging to a profit and recommencing its dividend payment. RSA, the third-largest insurer in the UK, reported a pre-tax profit of £275m for 2014, compared with a £244m loss th
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: Serco, Hiscox
11th Nov 2014 07:31
Take a step back to keep forging ahead, that was yesterday´s message from Serco´s chief, Rupert Soames, as he announced a 1.5bn pound write-off related to a review of goodwill and mispriced contracts. Understandably, given that it wiped 40% off of next year´s consensus forecast for earnings, the sha
Read moreHiscox's gross written premiums stable in first nine months of 2014
10th Nov 2014 15:00
Specialist insurer Hiscox said gross written premiums were largely stable in the first nine months of 2014. The firm said gross written premiums amounted to £1.36bn, compared to £1.37bn in the corresponding period of 2013, as a controlled approach in reinsurance was offset by solid growth in insuran
Read moreMonday broker round-up UPDATE
4th Aug 2014 10:10
Afren: Canaccord Genuity reinstates with a target price of 120p and a hold recommendation. Bodycote: N+1 Singer cuts target price from 850p to 835p, while staying with its buy recommendation. BT Group: Berenberg moves target price from 460p to 475p and maintains a buy recommendation. Espirito Sant
Read moreWednesday broker round-up UPDATE
30th Jul 2014 09:50
Antofagasta: Westhouse Securities downgrades from add to neutral with a target price of 885p. Investec places its target price (prev.: 690p) under review, while keeping its sell recommendation. Aureus Mining: FinnCap lowers target price from 66p to 62p maintaining a buy recommendation. British Ame
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
29th Jul 2014 09:37
Abderdeen Asset Management: Berenberg cuts target price from 530p to 510p and maintains a buy recommendation. African Barrick Gold: Numis takes target price from 260p to 330p upgrading from hold to buy. Anglo American: Deutsche Bank increases target price from 1590p to 1650p and reiterates a hold
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: Hiscox, Reckitt Benckiser, GlaxoSmithKline
29th Jul 2014 07:56
Insurance outfit Hiscox is one of the most respected names in its sector and for good reason. For the first half of the year the outfit achieved a combined ratio of 82%. That marks a deterioration on the 74.7% seen in the comparable period of the year before but is nevertheless a good result. The co
Read moreHiscox's first half profit falls amid tough market conditions
28th Jul 2014 10:09
Insurance provider Hiscox saw first half profit fall, reflecting a slump in the reinsurance rate and the foreign exchange rate. Pre-tax profit in the six months ended June 30th came to £124.6m, down from £180.7m a year earlier, as the company was hurt by a £51m foreign exchange swing from 2103.
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
4th Jul 2014 12:12
Antofagasta: Morgan Stanley upgrades from underweight to equal-weight with a target price of 750p. AVEVA: Societe Generale initiates with a target price of 2650p and a buy recommendation. Balfour Beatty: Westhouse Securities cuts target price from 220p to 183p downgrading from neutral to sell. RBC
Read moreSunday newspaper round-up: Tesco, AstraZeneca, Asos
22nd Jun 2014 13:02
Some of Tesco's biggest shareholders have complained to the retailer's senior independent director (Sid) about its strategy and management, the Sunday Times said. An unidentified top 10 shareholder said it expressed its concerns with the Sid, Patrick Cescau, and not Tesco's Chairman, Sir Richard Bro
Read moreHiscox expects rates to remain under pressure
6th May 2014 07:47
- Gross written premiums little changed as markets soften - Small losses on Malaysia Airline flight and Korean ferry loss - Expects rates in many lines to remain under pressure Lloyd's of London insurer Hiscox said first quarter gross written premiums rose by 2.3 per cent in local currency as it to
Read moreTuesday broker round-up UPDATE
22nd Apr 2014 07:39
ARM Holdings: Goldman Sachs cuts target price from 1500p to 1450p and keeps a buy recommendation. Ashtead Group: Investec increases target price from 800p to 1100p and keeps a buy recommendation. Babcock International: Investec cuts target price from 1385p to 1377p, while upgrading to buy. Beazle
Read moreMonday broker round-up UPDATE
7th Apr 2014 10:19
Abcam: Canaccord Genuity lowers target price from 386p to 375p, while upgrading from sell to hold. Aberbdeen Asset Management: Credit Suisse ups target price from 415p to 440p and stays with its neutral rating. AO World: Jefferies initiates with a target price of 410p and a buy recommendation. JP
Read moreFriday broker round-up UPDATE
28th Mar 2014 12:35
888 Holdings: Deutsche Bank lowers target price from 166p to 160p retaining its hold recommendation. Aberdeen Asset Management: JP Morgan cuts target price from 529p to 509p and stays with its overweight rating. Advanced Medical Solutions: Investec shifts target price from 121p to 129p, while down
Read moreAPR Energy Chief continues sale of shares due to 'matrimonial matter'
12th Mar 2014 15:50
A 'matrimonial matter' has forced a trust belonging to APR Energy Chief, John Campion, to this week sell another 34,655 shares as part of a wider 12-month share trading plan. The plan, which will result in the sale of as many as 355,000 shares, will reduce JCLA Cayman's interest in APR by a total
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