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Big News
Christmas gift for Tesco
Thursday 03 Nov 2016Fresh from apparently winning the Marmite war with Unilever ( ULVR ) , Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco ( TSCO ) has been handed another PR coup by rival ASDA. The Wal Mart-owned (WMT:NYSE ) supermarket’s nationwide card payments system crash could drive irate shoppers into the arms of Tesco, which...
Van Elle IPO wins over City’s finest
Thursday 03 Nov 2016Despite a solid shareholder register and a reasonably priced initial public offering ( IPO ) we are unconvinced by the investment case behind earthworks contractor Van Elle ( VANL ) . Nottinghamshire-based Van Elle attracted an all-star list of fund managers including Ruffer, Hargreave Hale,...
Clinton, Trump overshadows Fed
Thursday 03 Nov 2016Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump’s race to the White House means US non-farm payrolls due 4 November are unlikely to budge interest rate expectations. Market expectations of an increase at the US Federal Reserve’s final meeting of the year (14 Dec) are running close to 80%, largely predicated on a...
Rolls corruption reports
Thursday 03 Nov 2016Investors seem relaxed for now about corruption allegations circling aerospace engineer Rolls-Royce ( RR. ) . A BBC and Guardian investigation suggests the company made secret payments of around £10m to an unregistered Indian agent. We discussed the uncertain prospects for the aerospace sector in...
Fair wind behind Hurricane
Thursday 27 Oct 2016UK oil and gas play Hurricane Energy ( HUR:AIM ) looks to maintain its current upwards momentum raising more than £70m through a placing and accompanying open offer (20 Oct) to drill two new exploration wells on its Lincoln and Warwick prospects. Drilling is expected to commence in November. The...
Whitbread’s coffee hit
Thursday 27 Oct 2016Coffee prices at a two-year high are a significant headwind for Costa Coffee and Premier Inn owner Whitbread ( WTB ) which is also absorbing costs associated with IT investment and the introduction of the National Living Wage. First half results (25 Oct) included a 5% dividend hike and an otherwise...
Laird can rebound after warning
Thursday 27 Oct 2016A substantial profit warning (19 Oct) from electronics and high performance materials firm Laird ( LRD ) leaves the shares at their lowest levels in more than five years. This will come as no surprise to regular Shares readers, but is also raises the potential for a recovery play. Laird warned in...
Aggreko hit by Panmure ‘sell’ note
Thursday 27 Oct 2016Mobile power generation provider Aggreko ( AGK ) slumps 15% as Panmure Gordon analyst Michael Donnelly slaps a ‘sell’ rating on the stock. We think the outlook is more positive for a stock which is one of our top picks for 2016. Donnelly, who flagged concerns about Utilitywise ( UTW:AIM ) and...
Deal lights up tobacco sector
Thursday 27 Oct 2016The tobacco industry looks poised for further M&A as British American Tobacco ( BATS ) makes its long speculated move for US tobacco giant Reynolds American (RAI:NYSE) through a proposed merger (21 Oct) which values the business at $93bn (£76bn). In particular Imperial Brands ( IMB ) could now...
Fight for French Connection
Thursday 27 Oct 2016Fading fashion brand French Connection’s ( FCCN ) unloved shares have been enlivened by further whispers of an impending bid. Loss-making French Connection, where founder, CEO and chairman Stephen Marks doggedly holds sway with a 41.6% stake, is reportedly being circled by US private equity firm...