magazine archive
magazine archive
Week Ahead
Looking for NCC’s turnaround
Thursday 13 Jul 2017Tuesday 18 July Full year figures from NCC ( NCC ) on 18 July could be ugly. Expect a slump in pre-tax profit (to about £26.6m) and a sizeable hike in net debt thanks to lost contracts, write-downs and two profit warnings. There should be an update on the internal strategic review, designed to get...
Close Brothers hoping for more of the same
Thursday 13 Jul 2017Friday 21 July FTSE 250 merchant bank Close Brothers ( CBG ) is releasing a trading update on 21 July and investors will be hoping it can match the momentum on show in first half results to January 2017. These numbers included key takeaways such as a 21% increase in adjusted operating profit and a...
Jet2 airline owner set to report full year results
Thursday 06 Jul 201713 July Investors will be keen to find out how well Jet2 owner Dart ( DTG:AIM ) has performed when it reveals full year results on 13 July. The leisure travel firm reported in April that underlying pre-tax profit was anticipated to beat market expectations. The current consensus forecast is £98m...
Two large recruitment agencies to update on trading
Thursday 06 Jul 201711 July and 14 July Two of the UK’s largest quoted recruitment firms, PageGroup ( PAGE ) and Hays ( HAS ) , will next week tell investors about the state of the global jobs market. Both companies are issuing quarterly trading updates; PageGroup reports on 11 July and Hays updates three days later...
ASOS to strut its stuff
Thursday 06 Jul 201713 July While UK consumers are pulling in their horns, web-based fashion seller ASOS’ ( ASC:AIM ) third quarter trading update (13 Jul) could confirm continuing strong growth in all global regions. Increasing its differentiation in the rapidly growing online retail channel and benefiting from a...
Focus on volume and price for Persimmon
Thursday 29 Jun 2017Wednesday 5 July Investors will be looking for the 5 July trading update from housebuilder Persimmon ( PSON ) to match the positive momentum seen by many of its peers of late. Key metrics to watch include the volume of completions, forward sales and the average selling price of its homes. Also...
Can SQS turn growth taps on again?
Thursday 29 Jun 2017Monday 3 July IT systems and applications testing business SQS Software Quality Systems ( SQS:AIM ) saw limited organic revenue growth last year and battled pressure on its managed services business. Some of that can be blamed on a lack of customer commitment to new contracts. Past three to five...
Check in on Booker
Thursday 29 Jun 2017Wednesday 5 July Cash and carry and foodservice provider Booker’s ( BOK ) takeover by Tesco ( TSCO ) is being pored over by the UK Competition & Markets Authority (CMA). As such, Booker’s investment thesis is all about the merger, though the forthcoming first quarter trading update (5 Jul)...
Market will focus on Blue Prism growth
Thursday 22 Jun 2017Tuesday 27 June Expect massive losses but also substantial growth from Blue Prism’s ( PRSM:AIM ) half year results on 27 June. Last year the robotic automation process technology designer did a little more than 40% of its £9.6m full year revenue in the first six months, implying about £8m sales in...
Cracking update expected from IG Design
Thursday 22 Jun 2017Tuesday 27 June As foreshadowed in a March trading update, gift wrap, Christmas crackers and stationery products maker IG Design’s ( IGR:AIM ) full year results (27 Jun) will show sales topping £300m for the first time and a cracking cash performance. Expect a positive update on IG Design’s global...