magazine archive
magazine archive
Big News
Marks & Spencer in danger of losing FTSE 100 place
Thursday 29 Aug 2019Next week we will know which stocks are joining the FTSE 100 index of leading UK companies on 23 September and which have been relegated to the FTSE 250 in the latest reshuffle of the main UK indices. For one firm in particular, the stakes have never been greater. This time round the leading...
Foreign buyers cash in on cheap pound to grab assets
Thursday 29 Aug 2019It seems as though barely a week goes by without at least one UK-listed company being taken over. The fall in the value of the pound is one factor, but buyers are also focusing on unique brands, franchises and physical assets. Last week Entertainment One ( ETO ) received a £3.3bn takeover bid from...
Why WeWork’s IPO doesn’t work for investors
Thursday 22 Aug 2019On the face of it WeWork’s proposition makes sense and the timing of its initial public offering ( IPO ) couldn’t be better. WeWork provides serviced offices on flexible contracts with all the bills taken care of so that companies can concentrate on growing, and demand has taken off as office...
Body armour deal sparks value creation excitement for Avon Rubber
Thursday 22 Aug 2019Investors are excited about the potential of increased earnings and substantial costs savings after Avon Rubber ( AVON ) unveiled a long-mooted US acquisition. On 7 August the £535m defence technology company announced plans to acquire the ballistic protection business from US specialist materials...
Why we could be heading for another global recession
Thursday 22 Aug 2019Investor fears over the future of the global economy ramped up a notch this week as Germany’s central bank admitted the country could be heading for a recession. The news adds to a so-called ‘wall of worries’, already featuring a no-deal Brexit and the looming prospect of an all-out unification...
Greene King’s £4.6bn bid is ‘too cheap’ say analysts
Thursday 22 Aug 2019Several analysts suggest the 850p per share takeover offer for pubs group Greene King ( GNK ) is too low. Investors already holding the stock should sit tight and await a higher offer, either from the current suitor or a counterbid. Hong Kong-based property developer and investor CK Asset is...
Food and drink industry on alert
Thursday 22 Aug 2019There were two bombshells in the weekend press for the UK food industry. First, leaked government files predicted that in the event of a no-deal exit from the EU, supplies of fresh food would be reduced. Second, Lidl’s Irish subsidiary reminded its suppliers that as of 1 November they would need to...
Neptune Income tops Sanlam’s income ‘White List’
Thursday 15 Aug 2019According to Sanlam UK’s half-yearly Income Study, the Robin Geffen-run Neptune Income Fund (B8JCR45) was the best all-rounder within the UK equity income sector over the past six months. The latest study was dominated by domestic uncertainties related to Brexit and amid much turbulence, more than...
Investment trusts gearing up for Brexit bargain stocks
Thursday 15 Aug 2019UK facing investment trusts are using gearing to take advantage of what many managers perceive as a swathe of Brexit bargains among UK listed stocks. ‘Our belief is that there continues to be good, medium term value in UK equities, especially if interest rates stay low and sterling remains at these...
Thomas Cook, TUI, Tullow and other big news
Thursday 15 Aug 2019Travel operator TUI ( TUI ) allowed investors to breathe a huge sigh of relief after maintaining full year guidance despite plunging third quarter profits. The all-inclusive holidays firm reported a near-60% fall in pre-tax profit for the three months and an underlying $200m loss for the first nine...