Kitchen sinks Travis Perkins
13th Dec 2011 08:00
Builders' merchant Travis Perkins said like-for-like (LFL) turnover per trading day in the first 11 months of 2011 was 2.8% higher than in the corresponding period of last year, despite consumers' reluctance to splash out on new kitchens and bathrooms. The Wickes owner, which bought plumbing suppli
Read moreThursday newspaper tips: BAE, Speedy Hire, Rockhopper
13th Oct 2011 06:34
Since exiting the passenger jets market some years ago, BAE has been an entirely defence-focused business. Today, about half the workload comes from the UK military and about a fifth from the UK defence establishment. This is not a good place to be; last month the company announced about 3,000 job l
Read moreLondon close: Higher finish after choppy day
12th Oct 2011 16:36
London's leading share index closed in the blue as worries over the Slovak parliament's rejection of the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) gave way to optimism that it will be passed. SLOVAK SEE-SAW Late Tuesday night, just 55 of the 150 MPs in Slovakia's parliament voted in favour of expan
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: Premier Foods down after 'shocking' results
12th Oct 2011 13:24
Premier Foods plummeted after Exane's analyst Jeff Stent branded the firm's third-quarter results as "shocking" and said that he failed to see "an equity escape route" for the company. The broker has valued the firm's stock at -5.4p, a devastating blow for the company which has already issued two
Read moreUPDATE: Wednesday broker round-up: Goldman takes down Man and SSE
12th Oct 2011 09:16
Man: Goldman Sachs takes target price down to 230p from 290p. Scottish & Southern: Goldman Sachs adds to 'Conviction sell' list. Imperial Tobacco: Credit Suisse reiterates overweight. United Utilities: Morgan Stanley downgrades to 'neutral'. Robert Walters: Credit Suisse retains at neutral and
Read moreTravis Perkins sees Wickes sales down
12th Oct 2011 07:54
Travis Perkins, the UK builders' merchant and DIY retailer, says like-for-like sales at its Wickes stores were down 2% in the third quarter and 0.5% on the year so far compared to 2010. For the first nine months of 2011 total turnover in the merchanting division was up 11.4%, representing an increa
Read moreFTSE 250 Movers: Travis Perkins plumbs the depths
29th Jul 2011 13:00
Rentokil Initial, the pest control and cleaning services group, watched its share price head north after announcing it expects an improved fourth quarter performance at City Link. Building materials provider Travis Perkins saw its share price fall nearly 5% after sales of 'big ticket' kitchen and
Read moreTravis Perkins profit soars on BSS acquisition
29th Jul 2011 07:25
Building materials provider Travis Perkins posted a 25% surge in half year pre-tax profit, bolstered by earnings from last year's acquisition of plumbing supplies firm BSS. The owner of the Wickes home improvement products chain said its outlook for the full year remains the same with a weaker trad
Read moreSales firm at Travis Perkins
9th May 2011 08:41
Builders' merchant Travis Perkins said revenue rose 5.9% for the four months ended April 2011 as it gained a bigger market share. The owner of DIY and home improvement products supplier Wickes said it was pleased with the overall progress of the group despite markets that continue to offer little o
Read moreBramson vehicle buys more shares in F&C
15th Mar 2011 17:05
F&C Asset Management chairman Edward Bramson's investment vehicle SIGA LP has acquired more shares in the asset management company. Bramson was appointed chairman of F&C last month after a shareholder coup removed the previous incumbent, along with another non-executive, and appointed three new di
Read moreWife of outgoing FD sells British Land shares
14th Mar 2011 17:19
Diane Roberts, the wife of British Land finance director Graham Roberts, has raised more than £1m by selling more than three-quarters of the couple's stake in the property investor. She sold 191,780 shares at 562.8p each, which raised £1.08m. The couple are left with 50,464 shares in British Land.
Read moreBroker tips: Michael Page, International Power, Travis Perkins
8th Mar 2011 12:58
The current share price of recruitment firm Michael Page International (MPI) does not reflect the earnings growth or cash generative potential of the business, according to Credit Suisse. The full year results were in line with the broker's expectations and nothing much had changed since the group'
Read moreBroker snap: Inflation worries overdone at Travis Perkins
8th Mar 2011 11:56
RBS believes that investor concerns about cost inflation at Travis Perkins (TP) are overdone and maintains its positive stance on the stock. The builders' merchant and owner of the Wickes chain of DIY stores issued a 2011 overhead inflation guidance of £60m. "In our view, TP's guidance reflects inf
Read moreTravis Perkins chairman shows confidence
24th Feb 2011 17:02
Travis Perkins chairman Robert Walker has invested nearly £150,000 in the builders' merchants. He has bought 15,000 shares at 994.75p each, which takes his stake to 80,000 shares. Walker is also chairman of WH Smith and a non-exec at Tate & Lyle. The share purchase came after Travis Perkins an
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Capital Shopping, Logica, Galliford Try
24th Feb 2011 06:35
Capital Shopping Centres is back in the black with a £446.2m profit after a £150m loss the year before and it increased its net asset value by 15% last year. But the company has challenges ahead. Its Metro Centre in Gateshead is 25 years old next year and about half of the centre's rent is from leas
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