magazine archive
magazine archive
Big News
Investors line up to buy cut-price stock from suspended Woodford fund
Thursday 27 Jun 2019The number of deals involving stocks being bought by third party investors from the troubled Woodford Equity Income Fund (BLRZQ73) is picking up pace. Dealing in the fund is currently suspended while fund manager Neil Woodford restructures the portfolio, selling the most illiquid holdings and...
IQE feels smartphones squeeze from intensifying US/Chinese trade dispute
Thursday 27 Jun 2019Analysts have slashed earnings forecasts by more than half for compound semiconductor wafer technology designer IQE ( IQE:AIM ) . The Cardiff-based company last week warned of an escalating squeeze on orders as the fallout from the US ban on Huawei rumbles on. This follows an increasingly sharp...
Emerging data and mobile money growth eyed by Airtel Africa IPO
Thursday 20 Jun 2019Mobile network Airtel Africa is hoping to raise around £595m from new investors as part of a London stock market flotation later this month in what could be an interesting emerging market opportunity for investors. Airtel Africa is the second largest mobile operator in the continent, providing...
Washout weather could hurt retailers and push up food prices
Thursday 20 Jun 2019For UK retailers, 2018’s late April-to-early August hot weather already provided a demanding comparative for the same period in 2019. Trade in the period was also boosted by the Royal Wedding and the England football team’s strong showing at the World Cup in Russia. Unfortunately for the nation’s...
Who is next as activist investors circle UK stocks?
Thursday 20 Jun 2019D omino’s Pizza ( DOM ) and Restaurant Group ( RTN ) could potentially be targets for activist investors, based on how they screen for valuation and quality. Both companies have suffered falling share prices in recent years due to trading difficulties. Domino’s has been getting into a spat with its...
Ted Baker, Ferguson, Games Workshop, and more of the week’s big news
Thursday 13 Jun 2019Faded British design champion Ted Baker ( TED ) continues to suffer, falling more than 25% as it warned profit for the year to January 2020 would fall significantly short of forecasts (11 Jun). The company, reeling from the recent departure of founder Ray Kelvin amid a storm of controversy, guided...
Politicians pledge radical changes to income tax
Thursday 13 Jun 2019A pledge by Boris Johnson, in the running to be leader of the Conservative Party, to cut income taxes for a large number of people should he become prime minister isn’t necessarily positive for many people’s retirement savings. His pledge to raise the higher-rate income tax threshold from £50,000...
Activist to tailor change at Moss Bros?
Thursday 13 Jun 2019Activist investor Gatemore Capital Management has acquired a 9.57% stake in struggling, lately unloved high street suit hire specialist Moss Bros ( MOSB ) . News of the stake may spur on expectations of an activist campaign from Gatemore, although according to a source close to the asset manager...
What recent property takeover action reveals about UK real estate
Thursday 13 Jun 2019Recent M&A activity shows the discounts to net asset value (NAV) endured by many property stocks are attracting interest from within the industry, showing UK assets still have appeal despite Brexit. However, the £415m bid from LondonMetric Property ( LMP ) for A&J Mucklow ( MKLW ) at the...
Billion-pound stock market flotations heading for London
Thursday 13 Jun 2019Following the runaway success of the US initial public offering ( IPO ) of Beyond Meat, which we correctly called in our overview of the market in May, London looks set for a swathe of billion-pound main-market offerings in the coming months. The names heading for the London market include life...