London open: Banks unwanted as euro worries continue
19th Sep 2011 08:43
London's blue chip index sank below the 5,300 level in the opening minutes on Monday, as the debt crisis in Europe took centre stage again, dampening sentiment. Investors seeking a resolution to the problems were disheartened after a meeting of EU finance ministers in Poland on Friday failed to li
Read morePZ Cussons in lather over raw material costs
19th Sep 2011 07:26
'Imperial Leather' soap maker PZ Cussons said performance in the second half of the year has been in line with expectations, but the company's margins are under threat from rising raw material costs. Looking at European markets, the company said that in the UK, trading in the core washing and bathi
Read moreBroker snap: Panmure expects double digit growth at PZ Cussons
19th Aug 2011 12:45
Panmure Gordon highlighted drivers for double digit growth at PZ Cussons, the consumer products group, but kept its hold rating on the stock, saying that shares continue to look "fairly priced". The broker said that despite the tough trading conditions, earnings per share grew by 8.8% in the year
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Glaxo, BG, Finsbury Food...
27th Jul 2011 06:53
Amid all the doom and gloom across the stock market and beyond, GlaxoSmithKline gave investors a reason to smile yesterday. Yes, turnover was down in the second quarter, but the pace of decline was slower than before. Not just that, but profits were sharply higher, and the second-quarter dividend wa
Read moreNew products boost PZ Cussons
26th Jul 2011 11:26
Soapmaker PZ Cussons said new product launches have been helping it win market share in the UK as it reported a rise in profits for the year to 31 May. Pre-tax profits rose to £108.1m from £101.8m in the same period last year, on revenues that climbed to £820.7m from £771.6m. In Africa, source of
Read moreTuesday preview: BP, BG, Glaxo ...
25th Jul 2011 15:49
Two of the UK's big oil companies are set to release quarterly figures on Tuesday: BG Group and BP. Shares in BG shot up at the end of June after the company doubled its estimates for the Brazilian Santos Basin reserves and resources, but the shares have drifted lower for most of July. "In Q1 [th
Read moreFriday tips round-up: IG Group, Pan African Resources, JD Sports...
10th Jun 2011 06:41
IG Group announced a management rejig and the closure of its sport-betting business yesterday along with its end-of-year trading statement. The moves signal a welcome decision to concentrate on the spread-betting company's core financial business and to expand it in new markets and make use of new t
Read morePZ Cussons says FY was 'in line'
9th Jun 2011 07:47
PZ Cussons, the consumer products group, said that it has been able to offset subdued consumer demand and rising costs to trade in line with expectations during the year ended 31 May. The firm, famous for its Imperial Leather-branded soap, said trading conditions in Nigeria improved in May after th
Read moreThursday preview: Halfords, PZ Cussons, Bank of England
8th Jun 2011 14:58
Halfords, the car parts and bikes retailer, has had a sticky time of it over the last year but is still set to announce a solid increase in pre-tax profits. The market is expecting profits of £124.3m, versus £117m the year before. The company has already issued guidance for this measure, with a ran
Read moreLondon close: Retail rise fails to boost Footsie
14th Apr 2011 16:40
There were big movements in both directions on Thursday, but stocks finished lower in spite of a strong showing from the retail sector. Shares in Reckitt Benckiser took a sharp dive after the FTSE 100-listed maker of household products announced the retirement of its chief executive Bart Becht. The
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: Challenging outlook for PZ Cussons
14th Apr 2011 13:02
Interim results from newsagent WH Smith, a strong riser today, were in line with expectations, with like for like sales down 6% on the high street and 3% lower in the group's travel outlets. Profit before tax edged up to £64m from £62m the year before, despite the fall in group revenue to £686m from
Read moreBroker tips: Punch, PZ Cussons, Ashmore
14th Apr 2011 12:44
Credit Suisse retains its 'outperform' rating at pub owner Punch Taverns, but cuts its target price saying that a turnaround in its Spirit arm its not yet fully appreciated by the market. "We believe the demerger makes sense, as it will separate the Spirit business, which is growing and has turnaro
Read moreBroker snap: Headwinds persist at PZ Cussons
14th Apr 2011 12:41
Although trading in Asia remains strong for consumer products group PZ Cussons, Panmure Gordon draws attention to the persisting headwinds in Europe and Nigeria, and cuts its target price from 365p to 345p. "The impact of ongoing weak European consumer markets coupled with high levels of input cost
Read moreLondon midday: Reckitt and PZ Cussons lead declines
14th Apr 2011 12:11
Shares are moving in both directions on a busy day for company announcements, but the trend is firmly downwards. Shares in Reckitt Benckiser took a sharp dive after the FTSE 100-listed maker of household products announced the retirement of its chief executive Bart Becht. The Dutchman, who has bee
Read moreLondon open: Retailers advance after updates
14th Apr 2011 08:28
The top share index has moved slightly lower after yesterday's gains but retailers are on the rise as they update the market. Out-of-town home furnishings retailer Dunelm posted a fall in like-for-like sales in the quarter to 2 April and said conditions are likely to remain tough. However, it adde
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