UPDATE: Thursday broker round-up
22nd Sep 2011 09:55
Burberry: AlphaValue downgrades to sell, target cut from 1,297p to 1,302.5p. Anglo American: Societe Generale upgrades to buy, target cut from 3,250p to 3,000p. TUI Travel: Numis Securities downgrades to hold, target decreased from 180p to 160p. Aegis Group: Barclays downgrades to equal-weight, t
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: Charter International soars on bid revelation
12th Sep 2011 13:20
Shares in engineer Charter International jumped after it revealed that Colfax, the US manufacturing group that was earlier this month named as a mystery bidder for Charter, is considering making a 910p a share offer. Colfax - which supplies fluid-handling products including pumps, fluid handling sy
Read moreFriday tips round-up: Reed Elsevier, Glencore, BAE
29th Jul 2011 06:34
Publishing and exhibitions business, Reed Elsevier's full-year results in February were pretty flat, indicating that further recovery would be gradual. First-half figures confirm this. The shares sell on an unexciting 12 times this year's earnings ? although as one analyst pointed out, their defensi
Read moreSt James's Place raises divi by 58%
28th Jul 2011 15:47
Wealth management group St James's Place (SJP) hiked its dividend by 58% in the first half ended 30 June after attracting strong levels of new investments. New business on an annual premium equivalent (APE) basis jumped 15% from £292.6m to £335.6m, beating Panmure Gordon's forecast of £330m. The d
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Rail and bus groups in demand
5th May 2011 15:44
Go-Ahead, the rail and bus operator, saw shares rise after reporting that trading in the quarter to 2 April was strong, as passenger numbers rose by 7.2%. Sector peer National Express is also firmer after saying that is on track for an improved financial performance in 2011 after seeing good growth
Read moreSt James's Place new business grows, chairman departs
5th May 2011 13:09
Shares in St James's Place (SJP) edged lower on Thursday, despite the group seeing new business grow by 18% in the first quarter, as the wealth management group announced the retirement of long-standing chairman and co-founder Mike Wilson. Wilson is due to leave the board at the end of the year and
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Punch disappoints as profits fall
12th Apr 2011 14:07
Punch Taverns disappointed after interim profits fell to £61m, from £66m. Financial services firm Matrix said that while the results were 'in line', there was not enough new information to warrant it changing its 'hold' rating. Pub peer Greene King, however, is among the risers. Budget airline eas
Read moreBroker tips: St James's Place, Schroders, Punch Taverns
12th Apr 2011 13:27
UBS has downgraded wealth management group St James's Place (SJP) to 'neutral', from 'buy', despite saying that the company remains the "best run undiversified UK life company." However, UBS cuts its rating given the increasing odds of Lloyds selling its 60% stake in the company. The broker believe
Read moreBroker snap: St James's Place sees rating cut
12th Apr 2011 11:55
UBS has downgraded wealth management group St James's Place (SJP) to 'neutral', from 'buy', despite saying that the company remains the "best run undiversified UK life company." The broker notes that SJP's share price has risen by 31% in 2011 so far, helped by strong 2010 preliminary results. Howe
Read moreSt James's Place bullish as profits soar
23rd Feb 2011 16:09
New business poured into St James's Place in the year to 31 December as the wealth manager benefited from low interest rates, higher taxes prompting more people to seek financial advice and improved productivity. Funds under management jumped to £27bn from £21.4bn in 2009. Pre-tax profits were up b
Read moreFUM at new high at St. James's Place
20th Jan 2011 07:39
Wealth management group St. James's Place saw a surge in funds under management (FUM) in a fourth quarter that capped a year of record new business. The group saw a net inflow of FUM of £3bn, compared to an inflow of £2.3bn in the fourth quarter of the previous year, taking FUM up to £27.0bn, a gai
Read moreThursday preview: AB Foods, Enterprise Inns, St. James's Place
19th Jan 2011 17:05
A busy day is in prospect with Primark owner Associated British Foods one of the last retailers to update on Christmas trading, while updates are also expected from other blue-chips such as Enterprise Inns, Invensys, Man Group, Wolseley, easyJet and St. James's Place. It won't all be about Primark
Read moreLondon close: More gains for Footsie after well-received results
2nd Nov 2010 16:36
A strong performance on Wall Street ahead of the US Federal Reserve's decision on whether to increase monetary stimulus measures - not to mention the mid-term election - helped sustain good gains in London. Sentiment here was buoyed by well-received results from some big names. Beleaguered oil gia
Read moreFTSE 250 movers: Stagecoach pulls away
2nd Nov 2010 14:51
Bus and train group Stagecoach reported an increase in ticket sales at its train and bus operations in the first half and remains on track to meet profit expectations for the year. Shares in Enquest have moved ahead after the oil and gas group said it has entered into a plan of arrangement to take
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie consolidates gains
2nd Nov 2010 14:26
Footsie moved sideways over the lunch time session, as investors digested a busy morning of big company announcements. Beleaguered oil giant BP comfortably beat third quarter profit forecasts though it has had to take an additional $7.7bn charge in respect of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The marke
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