magazine archive
magazine archive
Under The Bonnet
Alfa Financial has a lot to prove after disastrous start to life on the stock market
Thursday 27 Sep 2018In little more than a year Alfa Financial Software ( ALFA ) has gone from cherished FTSE 250 technology luminary to virtual stock market leper. In a similar vein to Sir Richard Branson’s quip about how to become a millionaire (start with a billion, then buy an airline), owning shares in Alfa...
Bakk-it or Bakk-off? Should you invest in hummus and pizza seller Bakkavor?
Thursday 20 Sep 2018Having joined the stock market at 180p in November 2017, shares in food group Bakkavor ( BAKK ) have since drifted down to 164p. One possible explanation is a negative read-across from quoted peer Greencore ( GNC ) which has had mixed fortunes with its UK and US expansion. Also weighing on the...
Amigo Loans distances itself from Wonga in bid to gain investor interest
Thursday 13 Sep 2018The summer stock market float of Amigo ( AMGO ) brought the UK’s best known guarantor loan company to the London Stock Exchange with a market cap of £1.3bn. Given the trouble of some companies in the sub-prime lending sector, notably Wonga, it is worth asking if all companies in this bracket,...
Immotion looks to put some magic into leisure and shopping centres
Thursday 06 Sep 2018Virtual reality (VR) hasn’t been the mainstream hit with consumers widely predicted a few years ago, despite equipment coming down in price and it being a fascinating experience. There are a few obvious explanations such as the technology sometimes causing motion sickness, the price point still...
Intertek is vital to global trade but can its shares keep the pace?
Thursday 30 Aug 2018With Brexit looming and the real possibility of leaving the EU with no trade deal in place, quality assurance company Intertek ( ITRK ) may potentially be in a position to make hay. There may be additional regulatory regimes to satisfy once the UK leaves the EU. That could create additional work...
AstraZeneca sets sights on return to sales growth despite potential Brexit troubles
Thursday 16 Aug 2018As the UK plans to leave the European Union, jitters over a no-deal Brexit have sparked a swathe of warnings about potential shortages of food, staff and crucially healthcare products. One of the most concerning reports is that patients in the EU may not be able to receive medicines from the UK if...
‘Boring’ Computacenter is too expensive to buy despite impressive total returns
Thursday 09 Aug 2018This year Computacenter ( CCC ) celebrates 20 years on the London stock market. That’s a long time for any stock but more recently it has refined its business to become a ‘Boring’ award winner in June 2018, the tongue-in-cheek gongs handed out by respected UK technology analyst Richard Holway. The...
Venture Life seeks a step change in growth with major fundraise and strategic acquisition
Thursday 26 Jul 2018If you have ever shopped in Boots or Superdrug, you may be familiar with some of international healthcare group Venture Life’s ( VLG:AIM ) products. One of its biggest brands is UltraDEX , an oral healthcare product range that was introduced through the acquisition of Periproducts in 2016. Venture...
Crunch time for Sirius Minerals as it tries to secure $3bn
Thursday 19 Jul 2018With three years to go until the North Yorkshire-based Woodsmith potash mine starts production, it’s a long waiting game for the 25,000 shareholders in Sirius Minerals ( SXX ) . However this period is likely to be far from uneventful. Aside from successfully building the mine infrastructure, one of...
Ferrari’s share price race is still in top gear
Thursday 12 Jul 2018It is not just Ferrari’s army of Formula 1 fans that have something to cheer following last weekend’s victory at the British Grand Prix. Investors have been winning with the iconic sports car brands’ stock performance too. Last month the Ferrari share price hit a record $149.33, marking a near-200...