Friday tips round-up: WS Atkins, WH Smith
15th Jun 2012 07:52
Engineering consultancy WS Atkins continues to reallocate resources into new, growth markets to keep its trading resilient through the downturn. The strategy is working. Contractors such as Atkins, which provides consulting, design and management services for large infrastructure projects, have had
Read moreLondon close: Losses pared, but Sky falls in
14th Jun 2012 16:42
A late rally on the back of Wall Street strength saw Footsie erase most of the day's losses. Eurozone worries were on the market's mind for much of the day after credit ratings agency Moody's slashed Spain's sovereign debt rating by three notches to a level barely above junk status. Italy's bond
Read moreLondon midday: Markets calm as Italian yields rise
14th Jun 2012 11:50
Markets have reacted positively in the main to the outcome of the Italian bond auction on Thursday morning, which saw yields rise fairly steeply. Italy issued a total of €4.5bn of debt in three, seven, and eight-year bonds. It matched its issuance target but had to pay higher yields than on the pr
Read moreLondon open: Sweet FA deal batters Sky and BT
14th Jun 2012 08:45
You would have thought that the market had become used to sovereign debt downgrades by now, but the decision by Moody's to take Spain's rating down three notches to a level adjacent to 'junk' status has ratcheted up tension ahead of Italy's debt auction this morning. Italy is set to auction €4.75bn
Read moreMargins improve at WH Smith
14th Jun 2012 08:06
WH Smith, the High Street and travel hub newsagent chain, saw like-for-like sales dip at the start of the second half of its financial year. Total group sales in the 15 week period from February 26th to June 9th were down 1% on a year earlier, with like-for-like (LFL) sales off 3%. The firm's Trav
Read moreMonday broker round-up
11th Jun 2012 09:37
Antofagasta: RBS Capital Markets downgrades to underperform. Ashtead: Jefferies keeps buy recommendation and 300p target. Barclays: Bank of America Merrill Lynch keeps buy rating and 370p target; Oriel Securities reiterates buy recommendation and 285p target. BP: Nomura retains neutral stance and
Read moreBroker tips: Petropavlovsk, Ladbrokes, Retailers
6th Jun 2012 11:14
UBS has upgraded its rating for Russia-focused gold group Petropavlovsk from neutral to buy on the back of the recent share-price underperformance and weakness in the rouble. However, UBS has cut its target price from 650p to 630p after lowering its 2012 earnings per share (EPS) forecast by 22% to
Read moreBroker snap: Forecasts for retailers have 'moved from the nadir'
6th Jun 2012 11:04
Peel Hunt has named its top picks and top risks as part of its review of the general retail sector, saying that while the category has enjoyed a strong start to 2012, the recovery is likely to be a long haul. "Outperformance across the retail sector continues to be earnings- driven and stock-specif
Read moreWH Smith director goes to the till
23rd Apr 2012 15:43
Jeff Harris, a Non-Executive Director at WH Smith, purchased 10,000 shares in the stationery and book retailer on Friday, one day after the firm's interim results. Harris, currently the Chairman of FTSE 250 speciality plastic and fibre products supplier Filtrona who joined WH Smith's board in June
Read moreMonday broker round-up
23rd Apr 2012 08:56
ARM Holdings: JP Morgan Cazenove upgrades from underweight to neutral, target lifted from 400p to 540p. AstraZeneca: Barclays Capital upgrades from underweight to equal weight, target upped from 3,200p to 3,250p. Aviva: Goldman Sachs upgrades from neutral to buy. Barclays: Nomura reiterates neutr
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Hargreaves, WH Smith, Ladbrokes
20th Apr 2012 07:03
The Tempus column in the Times has taken a look at stockbroker and investment manager Hargreaves Lansdown, saying that thanks to the success of its Vantage funds 'supermarket' platform, "it has been going like the proverbial train." The group reported a £1bn inflow of new funds in the first quarter
Read moreThursday broker round-up - UPDATE
19th Apr 2012 09:44
Afren: UBS raises target from 150p to 160p, buy rating unchanged. African Barrick Gold: Investec cuts target from 562p to 404p, hold kept. APR Energy: UBS downgrades from neutral to sell, target slashed from 1,110p to 860p. BHP Billiton: Credit Suisse reiterates outperform recommendation and 2,46
Read moreWH Smith sees sharp fall in LFL sales
19th Apr 2012 08:09
Bookseller and general retailer WH Smith saw like-for-like (LFL) and total sales fall in both its main divisions in the six months to the end of February but profits were up. The group has traditionally made most of its money over this period, which includes Christmas, but today's update makes clea
Read moreWH Smith Chief sells 40% of her shares in the firm
2nd Feb 2012 15:31
Kate Swann, Chief Executive of WH Smith, the books and stationary retailer, has sold a sizeable chunk of her stake in the firm to raise capital to buy herself more property, according to a company spokesperson. Swann, who is widely held responsible for turning the company around since her arrival
Read moreThursday broker round-up - UPDATE
26th Jan 2012 09:34
Misys: Panmure Gordon cuts target from 335p to 295p, hold rating unchanged; Peel Hunt puts 250p target under review, hold rating kept; Merchant Securities initiates coverage with sell rating and 220p target. Mitchells & Butlers: Panmure Gordon keeps hold and 240p target; Peel Hunt retains hold rati
Read more