Investec eyes special dividend potential at United Utilities, Pennon
19th Oct 2016 14:37
(ShareCast News) - Eyeing significant undervaluation in the utilities sector, Investec slapped 'buy' recommendations on United Utilities, upgraded from 'sell', and Pennon from 'hold'. Investec said it believed the recent history and potential direction of the sector, from an equity investor standpoi
Read moreSector movers: Tesco sets fresh 52-week high, defensives lag
5th Oct 2016 14:53
(ShareCast News) - An upbeat outlook for margins from Tesco boosted the wider sector gauge. The company's shares rocketed to their best levels since late-summer 2015 - setting a fresh 52-week in one fell swoop - after management reported that UK like-for-like (LFL) sales doubled to 0.6% and operatin
Read moreUnited Utilities and Severn Trent drop on RBC downgrade
5th Oct 2016 09:54
(ShareCast News) - Severn Trent and United Utilities were under the cosh on Wednesday after RBC Capital Markets downgraded both stocks as it took a look at the UK water sector. The bank cut Severn Trent to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' on valuation grounds but lifted the price target to 2,300
Read moreThursday broker round-up
8th Sep 2016 14:03
(ShareCast News) - Tesco: JP Morgan reiterates underweight with a target price of 135p. G4S: Jefferies maintains underperform with a 160p target. Severn Trent: UBS keeps at neutral with a 2310p target. ITV: JP Morgan reiterates overweight with a 233p target. Babcock: Goldman Sachs keeps at buy wi
Read moreSector movers: UK engineers drop on downgrades, utilities lower as well
16th Aug 2016 17:34
(ShareCast News) - Shares in British engineering groups Spectris and Halma dragged the Electronic & Electrical equipment sector lower after analysts at HSBC downgraded their stance on both in the wake-up of the recent run-up in their stock price. "The sector continued to re-rate through results seas
Read moreSevern Trent trading in line in first half
20th Jul 2016 07:12
(ShareCast News) - Water and wastewater company Severn Trent posted a trading update for the period from 1 April to 19 July on Wednesday, as it continued to focus on enhancing its customer service, operational and financial performance. The FTSE 100 firm said it is making good progress with its plan
Read moreSevern Trent maintained at 'overweight' by JPMorgan Cazenove
26th May 2016 18:32
(ShareCast News) - Severn Trent has had its 'overweight' rating maintained by JPMorgan Cazenove, which said it sees further upside potential for the shares as it hiked its target price. It said the regulated business continued to perform strongly, with outperformance expected in full-year 2017 again
Read moreSevern Trent posts promising start to AMP6
24th May 2016 07:29
(ShareCast News) - Water utility Severn Trent issued what it described as promising annual results on Tuesday, with group turnover down 0.8% year-on-year to £1.79bn as a result of a regulated price decrease. The FTSE 100 firm's group underlying profit before interest and tax was down 3.2% in the 12
Read moreTuesday preview: Severn Trent expected to cut full year dividend
23rd May 2016 12:53
(ShareCast News) - Utility group Severn Trent is expected to report a decline in full year earnings on Tuesday following the regulator's decision to cut household bills. Deutsche Bank has forecast a 5% drop in earnings before interest and tax to £516m, a 4% decrease in adjusted earnings per share to
Read moreSector movers: Banks and homebuilders lead gains
26th Apr 2016 15:19
(ShareCast News) - Banks and real estate and property stocks rode to the top of the leaderboard on the heels of well-received quarterly earnings from StanChart and a perception that Brexit risks were fading, although analysts and market commentary were cautious on both counts. For the first quarter
Read moreCiti expresses concern around UK water utilities' premium valuation
9th Mar 2016 13:26
(ShareCast News) - Analysts at Citi on Wednesday recommended investors turn off the tap, cautioning they were increasingly concerned about UK water utilities' premium valuation. Their share prices had run up by 83% since 2010, outperforming the wider sector by 101% during that time frame, analyst Je
Read moreUnited Utilities and Severn Trent set up non-household joint venture
1st Mar 2016 07:25
(ShareCast News) - Water groups United Utilities and Severn Trent have formed a joint venture of focused on their business customers, merging the billing, sales and customer services functions ahead of the business market opening to competition in England. With both companies sharing the development
Read moreHard work leads to improved outlook at Severn Trent
3rd Feb 2016 07:31
(ShareCast News) - Severn Trent was looking at a larger net benefit for the financial year on Wednesday, updating the market on its performance in the three months to 31 December 2015. The FTSE 100 water utility increased its guidance for the net reward from outcome delivery incentives for the finan
Read moreOfwat's 'Water 2020' plans credit negative for UK water sector, Moody's says
15th Jan 2016 14:47
(ShareCast News) - Changes proposed by the UK regulator for water and sewerage companies in England and Wales - Ofwat - in its approach for the 2019 consumer price review would, if implemented, be credit negative for the sector, according to Moody's. Following a request by the government, Ofwat has
Read moreFriday newspaper share tips: 'Hold' on Severn Trent, newspaper pundits suggest
27th Nov 2015 11:12
(ShareCast News) - The newspaper pundits were in agreement on what to do with FTSE 100 water utility company Severn Trent on Friday. Turnover was down marginally year-on-year, sitting at £896.1m (down 0.2%), while profit before interest and tax was up 2.6% on an underlying basis to £281m in the firs
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