Wetherspoon's trading reverse prompts another rant
9th Mar 2012 07:06
Interim results from JD Wetherspoon left a bitter taste in shareholders' mouths as the fast growing pubs group revealed a surprise reverse in like-for-like (LFL) sales for the current year. Total sales in the six weeks to March 4th were up 6.1% on the corresponding period of 2011, but that number i
Read moreFriday preview: Aggreko, JD Wetherspoon, Marshalls
8th Mar 2012 15:45
Temporary power solutions provider Aggreko has been doing very well out of an increasing number of ever larger spectator events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup, but most of those seem to take place in even numbered years, so 2011 may not be a real bonanza year for the Scottish firm. Neverth
Read moreMonday broker round-up - UPDATE
5th Mar 2012 09:03
Weir: Citi cuts to sell from neutral, shaves target to 1,850p from 1,950p. Morrison: Oriel downgrades to sell from reduce. Tesco: Oriel downgrades to reduce from hold. Sainsbury: Oriel downgrades to hold from add. Serco: Bank of America downgrades to neutral from buy. Afren: Credit Suisse rais
Read moreWednesday broker round-up
18th Jan 2012 09:32
BT Group: UBS downgrades from buy to neutral, target cut from 230p to 210p. Tullow Oil: finnCap retains sell rating and 1,000p target. Man Group: Peel Hunt keeps buy stance but puts 245p target under review. Vodafone: On UBS's most preferred telecoms list. Rio Tinto: UBS cuts target from 5,500p
Read moreLondon pre-open: Stocks to open marginally lower
18th Jan 2012 07:25
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open down 5 points from yesterday's close of 5,693, ahead of today's unemployment rate announcement. It seems that yesterday's cheery mood - on the back of positive economic data from China, Germany and the US - was short-lived, as attention also turns to cruci
Read moreWeather boon for Wetherspoon but margins ease
18th Jan 2012 07:11
Margins are under a bit of pressure at JD Wetherspoon, the ever-expanding pubs group, and the company has (once again) pinned the blame on the government. In a trading statement covering the 12 weeks to the middle of January Wetherspoon revealed it expects the operating margin for the half year end
Read moreWednesday preview: Man and Wetherspoon
17th Jan 2012 15:46
Pubs group JD Wetherspoon gives an update on Wednesday for the second quarter of its financial year, which will cover the hyper-busy Christmas and New year trading period. Panmure Gordon notes the group will be running up against some tough comparative figures from a year ago, but still reckons the
Read moreFriday tips round-up: RSA Insurance, Unilever, Wetherspoon
4th Nov 2011 06:37
The Telegraph's Questor column takes a look at RSA Insurance. The firm has fallen 12.6% so far this year and 27% in the last five years. On the surface this doesn't look good, it does however provide an earnings to price ratio of 7.6%, which is set to fall. For a viable business, doing especially w
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: C&W Comms jumps after first half results
3rd Nov 2011 16:25
Telecoms group Cable & Wireless Communications soared higher on Thursday after reporting a 24% rise in half-year revenue and signs of "stablisation" in the all-important Caribbean division. Waste management firm Shanks jumped as it delivered a 20% increase in underlying half-year profit, upped its
Read moreWetherspoon sales slow
3rd Nov 2011 09:22
Pubs group JD Wetherspoon served up a 1.1% increase in first quarter like for like sales as consumers continue to tighten their purse strings. The group, which owns 823 pubs, said total sales in the 13 weeks to 23 October 2011 increased by 7.3%. The operating margin was 9.3%, down around 0.2% from
Read moreUPDATE: Thursday broker round-up
3rd Nov 2011 09:03
Tate & Lyle: Panmure Gordon raises target from 615p to 645p, keeps hold rating. Marks&Spencer: Credit Suisse cuts target to 345p from 390p, stays at neutral. Next: UBS ups target from 2,600p to 2,800p, buy recommendation unchanged. St. James's Place: UBS downgrades from buy to neutral, target red
Read moreLondon close: Stocks dive on euro worries
9th Sep 2011 16:55
The volatility continued heading into the weekend and stocks were nursing hefty losses at the close of play. The resignation of European Central Bank official Juergen Stark brought the Eurozone crisis into focus. Stark, a German, like many of his compatriots is unhappy about the Bank's policy of b
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks fall after flat start
9th Sep 2011 12:06
Stocks have eased slightly as nerves set in ahead of this weekend's meeting of the G7 grouping of industrialised countries. Motor insurer Admiral is in the slow lane after saying it could see "a small proportion" of its profits put at risk under the government's plans to ban the payment of referra
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: Home Retail Group takes a dip
9th Sep 2011 11:24
Home Retail Group was heading south after Singer Capital Markets slashed its target price for the retailer by 29%, after the group's first half results showed continued tough trading at Argos and a challenging second quarter for Homebase. Shares rose on Thursday after the group reported that while
Read moreLondon open: Footsie flat as investors show caution
9th Sep 2011 08:31
The Footsie opened unchanged from yesterday's close, with the markets digesting an underwhelming jobs speech by President Obama last night. Describing the stalling of US economic growth as a "national crisis", Obama unveiled his much-trailed American Jobs Act, which Obama pledged "will cut payroll t
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