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Shell’s dividends look safe despite windfall tax talk
Thursday 12 May 2022Based on consensus forecasts Shell ( SHEL ) offers a 3.7% prospective dividend yield for 2022. Once you also factor in share buybacks, investment bank Berenberg has forecast the highest returns for the company’s shareholders in a decade. But how safe are these returns of capital given the pressure...
UK bank shares hit by concerns over the economy
Thursday 05 May 2022The key takeout from the UK banks’ first quarter earnings season is that the market is more focused on a deteriorating credit cycle than the fact reported earnings exceeded forecasts. This was reflected in languishing share prices for companies apart from emerging markets-focused Standard Chartered...
Tesla shareholders are the losers from Elon Musk’s plan to buy Twitter
Thursday 05 May 2022Investors are calculating the risks to Tesla (TSLA:NASDAQ) as Elon Musk tries to woo financial backers for his acquisition of social media network Twitter (TWTR:NYSE) . The omens are not encouraging for investors who own shares in the electric vehicle and renewable energy company. Twitter...
BP’s best underlying profit in a decade will only add to windfall tax calls
Thursday 05 May 2022Even $20.4 billion worth of write-offs linked to BP’s (BP) exit from Russia couldn’t obscure the strong first quarter enjoyed by the company. The non-cash impairments principally linked to BP’s investment in Russian oil producer Rosneft may have been hefty but the UK oil company’s underlying net...
Novacyt faces £134.6 million NHS legal claim
Thursday 28 Apr 2022Shares in international specialist diagnostics company Novacyt ( NCYT:AIM ) came under further pressure (26 Apr) after it received a claim of £134.6 million from the DHSC (Department of Health and Social Care). The shares dropped 12% to 167p on the news and languish around 85% below the highs...
Can consumer-facing firms beat the big squeeze?
Thursday 28 Apr 2022Soft drinks giant Coca-Cola’s (KO:NYSE) first quarter results (25 Apr) topped Wall Street expectations as consumers gulped down more of its namesake brand as well as Powerade and Costa Coffee as the world continued to reopen. But the beat was also driven by higher prices, with Coca-Cola’s sales...
Growth stocks continue to struggle as we reveal stocks at 52-week highs and lows
Thursday 28 Apr 2022It is one thing for analysts to forecast which stocks and sectors will do well in a rising-rate or inflationary environment, but when it actually comes to pass it’s always fascinating to see what works in practice. Judging by the list of stocks making 12-month highs over the past week, those who...
Shares in mining companies hurt by Chinese lockdowns and operational issues
Thursday 28 Apr 2022The strong run enjoyed by mining stocks has come to a juddering halt after Chinese lockdowns raised the prospect of reduced demand and some of the sector’s largest players revealed operational issues and downbeat outlooks. China is the world’s leading consumer of many commodities and the country’s...
Why language services group RWS could be the latest private equity victim
Thursday 28 Apr 2022Language services and technology company RWS ( RWS:AIM ) has attracted private equity interest following the announcement (21 Apr) Baring Private Equity Asia fund was considering making an offer for the company. Under stock exchange rules the private equity fund has until the close of play on 19...
How inflation is hurting companies on the UK stock market
Thursday 21 Apr 2022UK inflation is officially running at 7%, but unfortunately it is likely to go higher once the impact of the Ukraine conflict and the removal of the energy price cap take effect. A year ago, consumer prices weren’t even a concern, now they are front and centre with Google Trends showing internet...