Broker tips: Legal and General, Tullow Oil, Marston's
14th Mar 2012 12:06
Nomura has reiterated its buy recommendation and 180p target price for insurance group Legal and General after its 2011 results came in ahead of consensus expectations in key areas. Nomura says the focus of the results was on the dividend, which was raised by 35% to 6.4p, surpassing expectations of
Read moreBroker snap: Peel Hunt upgrades Marston's to buy
14th Mar 2012 11:41
Peel Hunt has upgraded its rating for brewer and pubs group Marston's from hold to buy after like-for-like (LFL) sales growth surpassed expectations in the first half. Managed LFL sales increased by 3.5% in the 23 weeks March 10th - Peel Hunt had estimated a 3% rise. The broker says that trading in
Read moreWednesday broker round-up
14th Mar 2012 10:02
Antofagasta: Fox-Davies upgrades from sell to hold, target lifted from 1,121p to 1,197p. AZ Electronic Materials: Goldman Sachs upgrades from buy to conviction buy, target raised from 380p to 440p. Close Brothers: UBS raises target from 690p to 750p, neutral rating kept. Computacenter: UBS raises
Read moreLondon pre-open: FTSE to continue its winning streak
14th Mar 2012 07:29
City sources predict the FTSE 100 will open up 21 points from yesterday's close of 5,956, with investor sentiment boosted after stocks surged in the US and Fitch announced an upgrade of its rating for Greece out of default territory. All four of insurance leviathan Legal and General's operating b
Read moreMarstons keeps pulling them in
14th Mar 2012 07:04
Brewer and pub operator Marstons has reported sales slightly above expectations in the 23 weeks to 10 March. The trading update, which covers the bulk of the first half of its financial year, showed like-for-like sales for were 3.5% ahead of last year. The company could not keep up the 5.0% growth
Read moreWednesday preview: Marston's, SIG
13th Mar 2012 16:12
Pubs and brewing group Marston's could almost more accurately be referred to as a restaurant chain these days, such is its pell-mell pursuit of the dining pound. It issues a trading update for a 23 week period, covering the bulk of the first half of its financial year, on Wednesday. It is not expe
Read moreFriday broker round-up - UPDATE
27th Jan 2012 09:43
CRH: Liberum Capital downgrades to hold from buy. Misys: Espirito Santo downgrades from buy to sell, cuts target to 263p from 275p. Aquarius: Credit Suisse maintains neutral and price target at £2.1. Lonmin: Credit Suisse maintains underperform and price target at £9.8. Imperial Tobacco: Cit
Read moreMarston's raises a glass to milder weather
27th Jan 2012 07:32
Marston's said its pubs had a good Christmas and New Year while the brewer's cask ales saw increased sales and outperformed the market. In the group's managed pubs estate, where the landlords are Marston's employees, sales in the 16 weeks to January 21st were up 5.0% year-on-year (YOY) on a like-fo
Read moreSecond day of sales for Reckitt Benckiser director
1st Dec 2011 13:55
Peter Harf, the deputy chairman of the board at Reckitt Benckiser, has once again sold millions of pounds worth of shares in the firm, totalling £23m in just three days. The company insists the director, who has occupied his position since 1999, isn't going anywhere just yet. "He's made the sale
Read moreBroker tips: Weir, Drax, Marston's
30th Nov 2011 12:17
UBS has raised its target price for industrial engineer Weir from 2,400p to 2,500p, saying that comments from US peer Halliburton have made it much more optimistic. At last week's Reverse Energy Roadshow in Houston, Halliburton said that it expects the pressure pumping industry to raise capacity by
Read moreBroker snap: Evolution remains a buyer of Marston's
30th Nov 2011 12:15
Evolution Securities has reiterated its buy recommendation on pubs owner and ale brewer Marston's, saying that the group delivered exactly as it promised in its full-year results. The firm served up a 4.8% increase in annual revenue and saw a robust start to the new financial year with a 3% increas
Read moreLondon midday: Stocks rocket on Chinese move
30th Nov 2011 12:09
With China acting to ease fears of a 'hard landing', European stock markets - and US futures - swung back into positive territory after sharp falls early on. Banks and miners roared into the lead in London, despite being the worst performers early on. The Footsie stood at 5,390 just after the midday
Read moreDigital Look broker talk
30th Nov 2011 10:46
International Power: "While other UK utilities are facing a challenging growth against the backdrop of a difficult economic environment, IPR offers attractive growth prospects...IPR remains our preferred stock in the UK space, and one of our top picks at a sector level" [Nomura]. Marston's: "Marsto
Read moreWednesday broker round-up - UPDATE
30th Nov 2011 09:42
Weir: UBS increases target from 2,400p to 2,500p, buy rating kept. BG Group: Nomura ups target from 1,750p to 1,850p, buy rating unchanged. BHP Billiton: Investec reiterates buy rating and 1,919p target. International Power: Nomura cuts target from 410p to 390p, buy recommendation kept. Sage: In
Read moreLondon open: Mining stocks weigh
30th Nov 2011 08:39
London's leading stocks are trimming early losses after the weakness of mining stocks pushed the Footsie below 5,300 at one point. With resource stocks excluded from the picture, the index would be little changed, although downbeat consumer confidence data from market research firm GfK NOP has not
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