FTSE 250 movers: Persimmon in top spot on cash return
28th Feb 2012 15:10
Persimmon raced into the top spot after the house-builder announced a cash return worth £1.9bn over the next nine and a half years, something that Peel Hunt has called a 'game-changer'. Meanwhile, underlying pre-tax profits increased 55% to £148.1m, higher than market expectations of £141.1m. Also
Read moreLondon midday: Footsie edges higher, GKN tumbles
28th Feb 2012 11:48
-Footsie trade within narrow range, edges 0.2% higher. -GKN, Whitbread, Serco disappoint after results/updates. -Persimmon jumps 13% after announcing cash return. London's FTSE 100 index held on to moderate gains by lunchtime, after having traded within a narrow range of just 19 points in the morni
Read moreBroker tips: SABMiller, Persimmon, Cookson
28th Feb 2012 11:19
Nomura has downgraded its rating on drinks giant SABMiller, saying that while the long-term story still looks appealing, the shares have travelled well. "We are downgrading our rating...after a strong run in the shares which leaves minimal upside to our revised target price (2,700p vs previous 2,60
Read moreBroker snap: Persimmon's cash return is a game-changer, says Peel Hunt
28th Feb 2012 10:34
While house-builder Persimmon's results appeared to be broadly in line with expectations, shares surged on Tuesday on new of a cash return worth 1.9bn pounds over the next nine and a half years, something that Peel Hunt has called a 'game-changer'. "The decision to pay out 620p of surplus capital a
Read moreTuesday broker round-up - UPDATE
28th Feb 2012 10:02
SABMiller: Nomura downgrades from buy to neutral, target increased from 2,600p to 2,700p. HSBC: Nomura cuts tagged from 725p to 650p, buy rating kept. Pearson: Nomura reiterates reduce rating and 1,200p target. Whitbread: Peel Hunt cuts target from 1,938p to 1,860p, buy rating kept; Nomura reiter
Read moreLondon open: Banks, miners provide a lift early on
28th Feb 2012 08:38
- Banks, miners rise strongly. - GKN drops after full-year results. - Persimmon surges after handing back cash to shareholders. The FTSE 100 opened higher on Tuesday, despite a negative reaction to statements from GKN, Whitbread and Serco, as banks and miners rose strongly following yesterday's bac
Read moreDecade-long dividend bonanza in prospect at Persimmon -UPDATE
28th Feb 2012 07:14
Persimmon is the latest housebuilder to post results this week and its strategy of improving margins, investing in quality land and paying down debt, has proved successful in the face of difficult housing market conditions. It is the above which this morning has led the company to announce that it
Read moreTuesday preview: Whitbread, GKN, Serco, Persimmon
27th Feb 2012 18:55
Tuesday will be the day to wake up and smell the coffee as Costa Coffe chain owner Whitbread issues a trading update at 7:00am. Whitbread is not just about Costa Coffee, however; it also owns pub restaurants such as the Beefeater chain, not forgetting the Premier Inn hotels chain. It is the latter
Read moreTuesday tips round-up: Persimmon and EnQuest
10th Jan 2012 06:54
The Times's Tempus column looks at house builder Persimmon. In its latest trading update the company said it expects a 50% increase in full year pre tax profits. Persimmon has also been scrupulous in cutting costs, with its margins expected to rise from 8.2% to 10% between 2010 and 2011. With two
Read moreLondon close: Footsie drops after Merkozy meeting
9th Jan 2012 16:59
The FTSE 100 finished close to its lowest levels of the day with resource, pharmaceuticals and banking stocks providing a drag in the afternoon session. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy gave a press conference earlier today in which they outlined details of their
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: JD jumps on Blacks talks
9th Jan 2012 16:04
Sports fashion wear retailer JD Sports Fashion jumped after confirming press speculation that it is in talks to buy assets of struggling camping equipment retailer Blacks Leisure and that talks are at an advanced stage. Shares in Blacks Leisure were suspended on 6 January as the company enters an ad
Read moreLondon midday: Eyes on Merkozy meeting as Footsie falls
9th Jan 2012 11:43
London's blue chip index was trading slightly lower by midday, following a moderate rise early on, with all eyes on the meeting between Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy. The German Chancellor and French Prime Minister are to hold a press conference in the next hour in which they are expected to d
Read moreMonday broker round-up - UPDATE
9th Jan 2012 09:19
InterContinental Hotels: Deutsche Bank upgrades to buy from hold. Fresnillo: Deutsche Bank upgrades to buy from hold. Antofagasta: Deutsche Bank downgrades to hold from buy. ARM Holdings: Citi reiterates buy. Capita: Panmure Gordon downgrades from hold to sell, target cut from 700p to 560p. Mor
Read morePersimmon sees results at top end of expectations
9th Jan 2012 07:50
Housebuilder Persimmon said it expects a 50% increase in underlying pre-tax profit after it introduced a raft of measures to combat the sluggish UK housing market. An improvement in underlying operating profit and a reduction in net finance costs will result in full year underlying pre-tax profit b
Read moreWeek Ahead: Big week for retailers
6th Jan 2012 12:54
Next week is a big one for the UK retail sector, with a number of heavyweights set to report on Christmas trading, including Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Debenhams, Sainsbury and Tesco. Among the second tier players, the announcements from Game, Halfords, Home Retail, HMV, Thorntons and Mothercare
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