I always find it hard to buy shares where I see fundamental good value and where I am intending to hold them as an actual investment rather than just a short term trade based on momentum.
Centamin (CEY) has announced “the final quarter delivered what was a highly successful 2021” and that it is now looking forward to delivering on a clear roadmap to growing and unlocking further value from the Sukari gold mine in Egypt and its exploration portfolio. The shares have responded up to 93.425p and look to have much further to go.
I see Emma Walmsley – the current (but surely not for much longer) CEO of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) – is very excited this morning, after the company announced hiring a new Chief Scientific Officer designate who will take the full job in August. I do agree with Emma that the appointment is positive and important, but I do wonder whether there will be also be a newly announced Glaxo CEO come August, irrespective of the company’s big intellectual and R&D push over the next few years. Even if Glaxo shares are back below 17 quid, you know my continuing positive thoughts as mentioned a few days ago HERE. Meanwhile, let’s talk about Burberry (BRBY).
The Edge Performance VCT reconvened AGM and General Meetings finally took place today, including the sack-the-board requisitioned meeting. The bottom line is that the Board survived and voting was heavy so it is hard to complain, even if the eventual votes went against the rebels. But…..
Of course I am excited to see GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shares up nicely today. No surprise, akin to my comments here yesterday, that it has formally told Unilever (ULVR) where to go. Suffice to say there is going to a load of full year number updates from the two names on 9th February (GSK) and 10th February (Unilever), but today’s additional announcement by the former of ‘detailed financial information and future growth ambitions for the new Consumer Healthcare business at a virtual Capital Markets Day for investors and analysts on Monday 28th February 2022’, is really going to be worth a listen to. As noted in my update yesterday I am holding onto my GSK shares. Let’s talk about something else and I see Taylor Wimpey (TW.) is out with its ‘trading statement for the year ended 31 December 2021’ today.
Hello Share Placers. I sang the praises of Tesco (TSCO) recently. But I also rate the chances of Sainsbury (SBRY) improving its share price. Like Tesco, it did well before Christmas with trading better than expected by the City. My local store has had a few gaps on the shelves caused by the general transport supply problems, but it’s not too much to worry about as customers will find alternatives.
Hello Share Makers. Though I’m not sure why folks would regularly shop at Tesco (TSCO) when budget supermarkets can work out cheaper, I rather like the look of the shares. Over the last year, the company’s done rather well and I think the positive trend could continue. The supermarket was already ahead in online sales when the pandemic came along and so was in poll position to take advantage.
It was two years and three placings ago that Eurasia Mining (EUA) first predicted on social media that it was on the point of paying a dividend. Now, three and a bit months after a potential bidder completed its due diligence on a bid for nearly all its assets there has been no offer, as yet, so Eurasia needs another ruse to keep its moronic shareholders happy.
Describing itself as “a world leading specialist in high-end embedded computer products for critical applications” Concurrent Technologies (CNC) for 2021 “expects to report revenues and profitability slightly ahead of market expectations” and notes “a robust order book and an exciting pipeline of innovative product releases to grow our customer base and revenues in 2022 and beyond”. Sounds good, but what does it mean financially?…
Previously writing on ventilation systems and window and door hardware company Titon Holdings (TON), last month with the shares at 109p I concluded that the numbers suggest the shares of potential interest but, ahead of the full-year results with the boardroom flux, only on the watchlist. Today the full-year results, and the shares currently down to 107.5p…
I have made and and I have lost money in Centrica (CNA) shares over the last twenty-five odd years. I guess – helped by the dividend flow – I am probably ahead over time, but it has only been a bit more interesting than keeping money in your bank (and let’s not even talk about the reality of underlying inflation over time for this). Unlike over thirty of its peers in the gas/electricity industry, it is highly unlikely to ever go bust though as at least it hedges its purchasing (and the benefit of being ‘British Gas’ for ever, is that you have seen almost all the possible historical challenges out there).
If I was even more of a sad sack than I actually am, I would find on the internet one of those ‘Currys…no worries’ adverts that used to try to convince you to buy some new tech, lounge or kitchen product. However, judging by today’s 10% fall in the Currys (CURY) share price, taking it back to the c. 110p level it was at a year ago, I would say ‘Currys…lots of worries’ would be more apt.
Previously writing on technology company to defence and related markets Cohort (CHRT), in September with the shares lower to 568p I concluded including also noted is that some delays have persisted – with the company noting some extended negotiations, restrictions impact and supply chain challenges… at this juncture, just on the watchlist. The shares last closed at 600p, but are currently lower towards 500p on the back of half-year results. So what’s the story now?…
Packaging company DS Smith (SMDS) has announced results for its half-year ended 31st October 2021 and that it has “confidence to deliver a significant improvement in profitability during the second half of this year” following an increased pre-tax profit to £175 million in the first half.
Hello, Share Gang. You’re probably aware that Primark clothing stores are normally chocker with customers. That’s probably because the gear is low cost and fashionable. Rather oddly, it is a business of Associated British Foods (ABF). And according to its latest numbers, the group is doing rather well.
I don’t think the 2020s is the 1970s mark two, but I really don’t think it will be the 2010s mark two either. And that suggests you are going to have to pick-and-choose more carefully during the 2020s. This is why, looking back to the 1970s, there are many relevant reasons why ‘gold’, ‘commodities’ and ‘value versus growth’ were the best performers across the decade then…and that should be the same against ‘bonds’ or ‘cash’ and ‘growth stocks’ by the time we get to the end of 2029. Anyhow, all of this brings me to the question of Anglo American (AAL), with its diamonds, copper, nickel, iron ore and metallurgical and thermal coal exposure.
Touch sensors manufacturing company Zytronic (ZYT) has announced results for its year ended 30th September 2021 and noted “the basis for good progress in the coming year”.
PGMs and chrome concentrates producer in South Africa Tharisa (THS) has announced results for its year ended 30th September 2021 and “FY2022 production guidance of between 165 koz and 175 koz PGMs (6E basis) and 1.75 Mt and 1.85 Mt of chrome concentrates” – further increases on the year just ended.
It is an exciting day at many levels, even if ‘the prime minister said it was too early to draw conclusions on the characteristics of Omicron but early indications were that it is more transmissible than Delta’. I see the FTSE 100 is within about 1% of its 2021 high, whilst the CAC 40 in France is even closer – and I won’t bore you with the observation about how close the S&P 500 in the US is to its goodness knows how many new highs this year. It is certainly all good fun for a certain type of investor.
Equipment rental company Vp plc (VP.) has announced results for its half-year ended 30th September 2021 emphasising “a strong and continuing recovery in all of our businesses”. This sounds encouraging.
Plastic products company Coral Products (CRU) has announced its results for its half-year ended 31st October 2021 and that it “remains confident of the group’s future prospects”. This sounds encouraging.
Packaging group Macfarlane (MACF) has published a trading update including news that it “now expects the group will exceed its previous expectations for the full year”. Sounds good!
Photonic components and systems manufacturer Gooch & Housego (GHH) has announced results for its year ended 30th September 2021 emphasising “delighted with the trading performance of the group in the year… looking forward, the board is very optimistic”. What though of the shares, currently slightly up from a last close 1120p but down from I previously writing?…
UK technology consultancy group Triad (TRD) announced results for its half year ended 30th September 2021 this month. The shares were 120p before the announcement and are currently available at 120p to buy. We believe the announcement though greatly encourages for the future.
Atalaya Mining (ATYM) states it is pleased to announce its quarterly and nine-month results for the period ended 30th September 2021, with it emphasising “another strong quarter… robust operational performance, combined with strong copper prices, has seen our EBITDA for the first nine months of 2021 more than triple from the amount generated during the same period of 2020”. So what of a now more than 400p share price?
Whilst later on today I am looking forward to a capital markets event from Breedon Group (BREE), the ‘leading vertically integrated construction materials group in Great Britain and Ireland’ – which talked of ‘full year result to be slightly above top end of current market expectations’ – for now I am looking at Britvic (BVIC).
Hello, Share Thrashers. You might expect a giant catering combine to be on its knees after covid. But Compass Group (CPG) is getting back on track fast.
Previously writing on ‘celebrations, craft, gifting, stationery and creative play products’ group IG Design (IGR), last month with the shares down to around 300p I concluded that its challenges made the valuation still look ‘challenging’. The shares are currently up today on the back of half-year results, but are 245p. So what’s the story now?…
I will leave others to talk about the joke that is AO World (AO.) which – after today’s return of losses, more debt and a messy outlook – should change its advert to ‘A..O…let’s not go’. I thought this one was overvalued at the time of the IPO,more than 5 years ago but, after it regained that level during the early COVID-19 days, shares in the electrical retailer have correctly fallen over 75% year-to-date. It is a very clear avoid to me so I move onto something far more sensible…
As we get closer to the end of 2021, we all know there has been both some good news and some less good news. Positively – thanks to the world of vaccines and related – the global economy has opened up, to the benefit of the average company and the average stock market listing. Of course – as shown by the weekend excitements in Austria and Belgium – life does not remain simple, but it certainly could be a lot worse…especially when you think about the economic realities of a bit of inflation and too much debt.
Hello, Share Ramblers. Royal Mail (RMG) had been a steady disappointment for this family ever since it went public but more recently it’s been in a bull run and the latest numbers show the rally is likely to continue.
I have commented extensively on the winding down of the I-shares at Edge Performance VCT (EDGI) amid what is surely a scandal of corporate governance. But what of the H-shares (EDGH), following the disposal of approximately 90% of the holding in Unity Software Inc for £10.9 million in cash, a 20 times return according to the company for an investment carried in the books at just £1.2 million, as announced on Thursday 18 November?
Imperial Brands (IMB) has announced results for its year ended 30th September 2021, emphasising “operational improvements supporting growth in net revenue, profit and free cash flow”.
A few years ago I did own some shares in Royal Mail (RMG) on the basis that (1) it could be managed better as a private company rather than a state owned one and; (2) its property ownership in places such as the Nine Elms site in south London offered it the scope to even further improve its alright net cash position. Anyhow, I made a bit of money but lost interest in the shares at/around the 600p level in 2018. For many obvious reasons (fewer letters, worker angst and growing competition in the parcel business), the Royal Mail had a shocking couple of years after that, meaning by June last year I noted that its new chair Keith Williams had a big job going forward. And he certainly did but – as shown by the near tripling of the share price since – I doff my hat to him.
From memory I have never used a product from ‘British multinational enterprise software company’ Sage Group (SGE), but I know enough people who have and they are generally pretty happy with it. Over the last couple of years or so, I have been a bit more of a fan of the shares and noted back in May that the stock was worth a buy with a 800p+ share price target. Back then the shares were about 650p and – after today’s full year numbers – they are at a 750p share price. That is not too shabby then.
There are naturally many different views on tobacco shares. I have never smoked and dislike even being moderately close to smokers, but Imperial Brands (IMB) is in the top half of my personal pension fund portfolio. And, as I noted back in July, it is not the only UK listed name in the global sector which is cheap. I have hardly made a fortune holding shares in Imperial Brands over the last couple of years, but I have done alright, aided by increasing my position earlier this year (and then there have been some very reasonable dividend payments too – more on this later). So what do I make of today’s full year numbers to the end of September?
It is a busy Monday. I will leave some other experts to comment on names such as Cineworld (CINE) – which seems excited by recent UK box office moves but did not talk even remotely sufficiently about potential profit or issues with more debt – or CMC Markets (CMCX), which talked about potentially splitting the business (but which correctly for a spreadbetting firm has a share price fall still notably down year-to-date). Instead I will talk about Serco Group (SRP), who ‘specialise in the delivery of essential public services, with over 50,000 people working in defence, transport, justice, immigration, healthcare and other citizen services across our four regions’, and which was apparently formed back in 1929.
Power products manufacturer Volex (VLX) has announced results for its half-year ended 3rd October 2021, emphasising “strong trading and strategic progress with investment in growth”. So why have the shares currently responded towards 400p, more than 9% lower?…
Ventilation systems and window and door hardware company Titon Holdings (TON) announced in September that non-executives Bernd Ratzke and Kevin Sargeant had given notice of their intention to step down, noting that it “is going through a transitional period following the appointment of Mat Norris as CEO. Matt has settled in very well and will lead the group in the next stage of its development to drive growth in all of our businesses”. Today… “Chief Executive Officer resignation”!
Back in September I observed about Halfords (HFD) that ‘despite the slowdown in its cycling business, I would buy it sub 310p’, which was about the then share price. Judging by this morning’s just over 310p share price, we are back to about the same level. That is not however to say there has been no changes, after all the stock is up over 10% this morning. Hence Halfords shares have had a rather mixed couple of months before today. So what is going on?
Almost 13 months ago I observed about Cake Box (CBOX) that ‘all I have to do to complete my due diligence is…eat one of its cakes’. For a couple of reasons it did not happen, but the shares are up 4% today and up by more than 120% during the last year. That is far from shabby! But how do I feel now about the ‘Eggfree Cake’ company, where ‘having an egg free, fresh cream, celebration cake is as easy as 1,2… that’s it’?
BP (BP.) has announced third quarter of the year results, emphasising it is delivering significant cash to strengthen finances, growing distributions to shareholders and investing in strategic transformation.
Have you ever had a can of Vimto? I do now and again and you can find it in most supermarkets here. Anyhow, the company behind the soft drink is Nichols (NICL), which itself was formed back in 1908 in the Scottish town of Shortridge (although now it is based in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside). Today, sales are around 80% in the UK with the balance in the Middle East and (growing) in Africa. It is interesting to read today that full year 2021 profits are expected to be ahead of current market expectations, which is not too shabby given that, whilst UK sales were up 4.5%, elsewhere in the world growth was up over 36%.
Hello, Share Finders. As expected by some city analysts, including my humble self, BT Group (BT.A) is forging ahead. It’s half year report this week shows the company is modernising fast while at the same time slashing costs.
Back in June I observed that BT Group (BT.A) might have been floated in the 1980s but if you have been holding shares since then it has not exactly been a fantastic run. The company is having to change along with the world of telecommunications and I hold some shares because – in my opinion – the CEO Philip Jansen may have a good idea or two. The trouble is evolving a business can take time and cost a lot of money.
Engineering and Technology recruitment company Gattaca (GATC) has announced results for its year ended 31st July 2021 and that “since February we have seen the markets returning to growth across the majority of our major sectors, which has led to a candidate short market”. Why then currently a share price down 13.5% at below 180p?…
Previously writing on Braemar Shipping Services (BMS), last month with the shares up to above 263p I noted ‘ahead of previous guidance’. How’s the balance sheet now?. So what do half-year results today show?…
Petrofac (PFC) shares have been good for trading over the past few years, assuming you managed to get your entries right, but the company has had too many potential issues to really have been considered an investment, unless you had a very high appetite for risk.
Platinum group metals recovery company in South Africa, Sylvania Platinum (SLP) has announced results for the first quarter of its year, including “net profit of $8.6 million… Cash balance of $132.7 million”. Good news?
Hello, Share Collectors. Somewhere in the bible, it says ‘All is vanity’. And that’s probably why cosmetics are so popular. An AIM company which does well in the make-up game is Warpaint London (W7L). Interim results for the six months ended 30th June showed tasty growth in sales, profits and cash generation.
The Oxymorons at AIM Regulation, led by the hapless poltroon Mr. Marcus Stuttard, the bogus Sheriff of AIM, like to claim that they have created the world’s most successful growth market. But the events of the past two years at Eurasia Mining (EUA) have shown that those who want to run rings around Marcus and the clowns who work for him don’t have to try too hard. I have written to Marcus and his colleagues about the farce at Eurasia and the supposed bid talks. Enough is enough. Will AIM Regulation force a statement? The answer to that one may involve myself and Ms Cheryl Cole.
Johnson Matthey (JMAT) has seen its share price take a bit of a hit in recent months and is now trading at a similar level to where it started the year, despite the world economy looking in better shape now than it did then.
As a boring large cap-focused investor, I often look at the medium-term. I certainly bought a few Barclays (BARC) shares too early in 2017-18, but it did give me the rationale to double my holding during some dog days last year. But fundamentally it has told me for a while to take my profits and run when the share materially breaks the 2 quid plus level.
Fully-listed Egyptian Gold miner Centamin (CEY) has this morning released its Q3 report and the good news is that, once again, all is on track. Guidance remains in place, with a couple of positive tweaks – and that suggests the dividend is safe. Indeed, it is possible that it could increase from guidance.
I have not written about Moneysupermarket.com (MONY) before but Malcolm has, as you can see here just over a year ago. He was absolutely correct that helping to identify good value car insurance, home insurance, credit card deals, travel insurance, pet insurance and broadband deals, along with the ownership of MoneySavingExpert.com (thanks Martin Lewis), was popular with lots of people. And whilst COVID-19 issues with the travel industry has caused some challenges over the last year, a business with some overall net cash on its balance sheet and free cash flow generation helping to support a 5%+ dividend yield certainly could have been a lot worse. But the shares have had a very poor last few months as, whilst the travel insurance business has been only slow to improve, the energy deals business has been an absolute shocker recently.
Hello, Share Scrapers. Many commodities are rising in value as the world returns slowly to normal after covid. One of the world’s most useful metals is copper, especially in the plumbing and electrical areas. Think electric cars, for example. Therefore a company which produces and sells the stuff is probably going to see a rise in its profits and consequently its share price.
Previously writing on ‘infection prevention products’ company Tristel (TSTL), in July with the shares at 620p I reviewed why they were down in response to ‘confident for strong growth’ update. Today full-year results, and the shares are further down.
Shares in Central Asia Metals (CAML), having recently been hit further following already sector malaise, have responded 4.5% higher on the back of a Q3 “operations update”. There looks more to come.
Imperial Brands (IMB) is “pleased to report the business continues to perform well… on track to deliver our full-year results in line with expectations”. That suggests upside potential from a below 1500p share price.
I was impressed by a couple of corporate updates today. I wrote about Imperial Brands (IMB) most recently back in May, noting that despite never being a smoker I thought the stock was still a buy. It has hardly romped in recent months – including today – despite what seems to me a pretty good pre-close trading update.
A “Trading Statement” from iron casting and machining company Castings (CGS) includes “the current conversion rate of forward schedules to actual sales is significantly below what we would normally expect”. How does the statement make a current share price fall to 340p look?…
It is easy to make investment selection errors but it is also easy to miss out on sensible investment opportunities. Over the last 10 months I have written twice about the industrial flooring company James Halstead (JHD), most recently back at the end of March. Back then I talked about that ‘looking for a bad day (or three) share price below 500p feels like a sensible longer-term buy of this sensible family influenced name forged in 1915’. Judging by today’s update from the company, I should have taken advantage of the opportunity I had to do that back in May.
Back in July I observed that Next plc (NXT) ‘shares might not be cheap but they are quality’. Since then the stock has traded either side of an £80 share price, including being up 2% today after the publication of H1 numbers. With all the challenges for the clothes sector, you have had plenty of opportunities to buy Next shares over the last five years at a 40 quid or below share price. The share price this year though has been nicely above the previous all-time highs in late 2015 when the world was a different place for all of the biggest clothing names. Whatever happened to most of them?! Next has always been a bit different.
Central Asia Metals (CAML) has announced results for the first half of 2021 and said that the outlook for the remainder of 2021 is positive, including strong demand for the metals that it produces.
Miner in Azerbaijan, Anglo Asian Mining (AAZ) has announced results for the first half of 2021 and that “FY 2021 Production guidance of between 64,000 to 72,000 gold equivalent ounces remains unchanged”.
I was a little bit busy yesterday and therefore could not write about the potential Stagecoach (SGC) and National Express (NEX) combination, as Tom noted HERE. Another time then for me rambling on about the reasons why the last decade or so has seen the latter go from being the hunter to the hunted. Meanwhile as for the Conservative Party Conference next month…I guess I could have gone but I will be too busy washing my hair. There is always another year I guess. It has been far from a boring week in the markets and certainly there are a couple of names that did report yesterday that I will add a few thoughts on over the next few days. Today however I want to talk about PZ Cussons (PZC).
Formerly SimplyBiz Group, provider of technology and support services to the UK Retail Financial Services sector Fintel (FNTL) has announced results for the first half of 2021 and emphasised “significant financial resources to match our ambitions for the business, both in terms of accelerating organic growth and creating value through acquisitions”. What of the valuation, with the shares little changed at around 235p?…
AIM-listed Gold and Silver producer in Turkey, Ariana Resources plc (AAU), announced another round of drilling results from the Kepez North area at Kiziltepe yesterday and the numbers look very promising.
Jadestone Energy (JSE) has announced its results for the first half of 2021, reaffirming full-year production guidance of 11,500-13,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day and anticipating 20,000 boe/d towards the end of the year. We are well up on this 69p offer price share tip but where do we go from here?
I’m surprised to see Central Asia Metals (CAML) showing some share price weakness prior to the release of its interim results next week, as I’ve no reason to suspect that they will disappoint the market – in fact I would expect them to be good!
Recently the markets have been strong and generally have been heading in an upwards direction, which has been great news for many investors holding shares in larger FTSE companies.
I have been a keen cyclist all my life. And even if I am probably too old now to climb the infamous Alpe d’Huez climb in less than an hour, I can still push around my LeMond Buenos Aires carbon road bike at a decent speed. Whilst I could ramble on about the epic Tour of Britain route in Wales later today which I look forward to watching on TV, we need to focus on the investment world and that brings me to Halfords (HFD).
Hello, Share Shooters. The reason Rightmove (RMV) and the like are putting on share value is that house prices are booming. August saw record rises in home values. I’ve mentioned before that housebuilders seem to be a good sector to support. But I suppose the same goes for many outfits that supply the raw materials for the building game.
Hello Share Minders. My favourite house builder is on track. It expects to make a full-year pre-tax profit of about £518 million and possibly more. For this we can thank rising house prices and tighter efficiency. The firm says future orders are now similar to levels before covid.
It has been a really good last year to be a Headlam (HEAD) shareholder but here a couple of months ago I felt there was more to come, and I was pleased to read these thoughts here from Tom and Steve observing their appreciation hopes too. So is there any reason to change tack after the company’s first half numbers out a few days ago?
I have been criticised before for using the phrase ‘emerging markets’ with the observation “so what are they emerging from then?”. And there was I thinking that a bit of ESG utilisation would have made everything okay… Anyhow, I came across an interesting graphic the other day, which hopefully the internal technical genius (i.e. Darren) can upload.
The last time I moved was about fifteen years ago and I bought that without a mortgage in any case. In other words, I am of no interest for mortgage names and housebuilders. Nevertheless, even I have become a bit more interested in the sector over the last eighteen months as noted most recently a couple of months ago. One name I have commented on a few times is Barratt Developments (BDEV), which has published full year numbers this morning.
Financial markets technology and related services group Arcontech (ARC) states it “is pleased to announce its final audited results for the year ended 30 June 2021” and that “as the market comes out of this difficult period we are confident we will return to growth”. So why are the shares, at 140.5p, currently more than 15% lower on the announcement?…
If my maths is correct, it is almost one hundred months ago that I quit being an institutional fund manager. I certainly have no regrets. Anyhow, I do recall that one colleague was banging on about the attraction of Bunzl (BNZL), the ‘specialist international distribution and services’ company, at the time. Including dividends it has delivered a 200% gain since then which is far from shabby…even if at the time (and subsequently in my own pension fund) I’d invested in global companies I have inherently been much more excited by. So – on the last day of August, following the publication of first half numbers – what do I think now?
If you want to invest in London listed precious metals producers your choice of shares is fairly limited, and has become even more so in recent years following takeovers of a couple of the popular miners.
It was a fight to the death – well, not really for ShareProphets readers are far too civilised for that. In the blue corner we had Putneywill thinking that the massively long-awaited special dividend from Ariana Resources (AAU) would see the shares tick down by less than the dividend when it finally arrived. In the red corner we had Pierotlunaire arguing that it would not – and a bet ensued, with ShareProphets’ favourite charity Woodlarks the winner. The stats say there was a winner – but this is ShareProphets, where our readers operate by different standards, and it seems that in the end Woodlarks won one and a half times over.
Nearly seven months ago I observed that you should ‘always believe in gold…but stick with Barrick (GOLD) and Polymetal (POLY) and not Yamana (AUY)’ HERE. Most gold stocks are down year-to-date – after an excitable previous couple of years – and these three stocks have been no different. So what do I make of Polymetal now after it published its first half numbers today?
Hello Share Millers. How’s this for a good set of half year numbers? Persimmon (PSN), the home builder, has seen revenues soar to £1.8 billion. That’s better by more than 54% year-on-year. House sales also soared by more than half, and there’s been just shy of a 5% increase in house prices to an average of £236,000. But as my brighter colleague Steve Moore often reminds us, that kind of boast doesn’t amount to much if profits haven’t shifted. Well, that’s not the case for Persimmon.
Ariana Resources (AAU) has announced it will pay a dividend of 0.35p per share by 26th September, with further payments to then follow.
Previously writing on manufacturer of plastic and paperboard packaging Robinson (RBN), in June I reviewed sales growth… so why significant share price decline? with the shares down at 112.5p. They last closed at 122.5p, but what now of half-year results which currently see the shares at…112.5p?
Hello, Share Wallowers. Recently, I’ve suggested you take a favourable look at Legal & General (LGEN). One of my reasons is the pensions market is strong and post Covid is likely to get stronger. All that extra money flying around, you see, as folks have been unable to spend it. Another pension play I rather like is XPS Pensions Group (XPS).
I see a year ago that Malcolm observed ‘Balfour Beatty Set to Leap Ahead as Covid Restrictions Thaw’. He was absolutely right as reflected by a share price that has risen from 240p then to just over 300p today. Investors who bought the stock however may be thinking about what to do today given a 5% share price fall following the publication of half year results. So what is going on at the ‘leading international infrastructure group…(which) finances, develops, builds and maintains the vital infrastructure that we all depend on’?
AIM-listed Gold and Silver producer in Turkey, Ariana Resources (AAU) has finally declared the first part of the special dividend resulting from the part-sale of its Turkish assets to Ozaltin and Proccea as part of a three-way joint venture. This has been a painfully long time coming, but we now know that 0.35p per share will be paid up by 26 September, with an ex-dividend date of 26 August (ie next Thursday).
Just over a decade ago I remember selling BHP Group (BHP) shares when I used to call the ‘leading global resources company’ “Billiton”, but time has changed a little. Company name evolutions are a boring thing, but far more interesting is that the Australian miner is set to collapse its 20 year-old dual listed company structure that will see all of its shareholders transferred to the Australia-based BHP Group Ltd. There is plenty of other stuff happening in today’s first half formal numbers also.
Gold miner in Egypt, Centamin (CEY) has announced half-year results emphasising “a strong financial and operating performance”. Now capitalised at £1.19 billion, do the results suggest value?
Fans of a fantastic comedy show of twenty years note the reference above, but let us talk instead about the large cap company Phoenix Group (PHNX) which is ‘helping people secure a life of possibilities’. In short it is ‘the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business’ and reported earlier this week.
BP (BP.) has announced second quarter of the year results emphasising “generating value for our shareholders today while we transition the company for the future”. Sounds good, but what’s the detail?
In my update of Wednesday on AIM-listed Ariana Resources (AAU) and its latest drilling update I was kicking myself for not buying on Tuesday after the drop to just 4.4p – but still was sorely tempted at the then (mid-) price of 4.65p. My biggest issue, given that I already have far too many of these shares, is one of risk management although I am also very mindful of the current weakness of gold miners.
It might be August, but Thursday is always a busy day for anyone following stock market updates. Today I could write (again) about TUI (TUI) or Entain (ENT) but frankly I said enough on the former back in May, and today’s update may be talking about rising numbers of holidaymakers (but it is still making a loss and has a bunch of corporate debt). Meanwhile the latter has been a really good holding for me over the last 20 months, albeit after a dodgy start. As I previously noted, I still conclude that taking profits over recent months has been very sensible, but it is fine to run a few still (as I do) if you wish. Today though I am going to write more about Aviva (AV.).
Hello Share Splurgers. One of my best Footsie plays has handed in jocund results for the first half of this year. Spirax‐Sarco Engineering (SPX) is a heavy manufacturer dealing mostly in steam power. It’s reported revenue of £643.7 million compared to £569.7 million last time. And even better is that adjusted operating profit came in at £162.9 million, as opposed to £119 million last time.
So says Fleet Street legend Brian Basham. Given that Brian has accused Vast’s (VAST) board of malfeasance and repeatedly called on the useless regulators to act against the company I doubt he has its best interest at heart. This is one case I would love to fight so bring it on Vast: see you Bitchez in Court! So what is Brian’s point?
Hello, Share Bashers. I can’t see how BT Group (BT.A) manages to lose share value. If you examine the fundamentals now, well, they’re not very exciting. But look at the rosy future the telecommunications giant faces. And the p/e is only 11.
Back in May HERE I observed on ‘Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) whose shares have remained stuck in a 1400-1800p share price range over the last year…there is no reason – in my opinion – to own the shares here’. So what do I make of today’s full year to the end of June numbers?
Hello, Share Placers. The latest in my occasional series of suggested climate plays is ContourGlobal (GLO). Even those of you doubt the value of anti-carbon energy companies can still ride the popularity wave for this kind of stock. After all, in 90 days’ time we’ll be hosting one of the biggest climate conferences ever with politicians, millionaire businessmen and celebs jetting in to the UK from across the world to reduce carbon emissions.
Early in July we noted shares in Europe’s leading floorcoverings distributor Headlam Group (HEAD) looked a recovery buy at a 495p offer price, considering there clear potential for outperformance of forecasts based on the trading momentum and the operational improvement programme being implemented. A “Pre-Close Trading Update” sees the shares currently at 528p. Is there still further upside?
Fully-listed Egyptian Gold-miner Centamin (CEY) has delivered in line Interims this morning – although that is no surprise given that we knew most of the data offered already. What was a pleasant surprise was that the interim dividend, which I had expected at 3 US cents per share, has come in at 4 US cents.
Engineered electronics company TT Electronics (TTG) has announced results for the first half of 2021, emphasising “expected revenues for 2021 fully covered and order book visibility for 2022 is building nicely and ahead of where it would normally be at this stage of the year”. What of the valuation, with the shares currently up to 277p in response?…
Back in April I wrote about Taylor Wimpey (TW.), ‘one of the largest British based housebuilding companies’. Back then the shares were above 180p, but even with a decent rise this morning after the publication of first half numbers, the shares are still ten pence or so below the level back then. So what is going on?
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced second quarter of the year results, including stating “strong commercial execution” and “we are likely to deliver full-year Adjusted EPS towards the better end of our guidance range”. So where now for the shares?, with they currently having responded back up to 1400p.
Back in early March I wrote some thoughts about Essentra (ESNT), which describes itself as a ‘three global divisions’ business active in 34 countries and having 50 principal manufacturing facilities. After appraising its business I bought some shares a week or so later…and judging by today’s share price have made absolutely nothing (admittedly after putting aside the volatility of the last month or two in many parts of the market). So what do I think after today’s first half numbers?
Back in late April I wrote about the ‘US tobacco market shocker’ for companies such as Imperial Brands (IMB) and British American Tobacco (BATS), but argued that it was more of an opportunity than a threat HERE. British American Tobacco produced its first half numbers today and whilst there is plenty of difference between current rate and constant rate returns (thanks the rise of the pound against the dollar and related over the last year!), the company is still growing its underlying sales and profits. And whilst the US authorities were very grumpy concerning their desire to ‘ban menthol cigarettes, ban flavoured cigars build on previous flavour ban and mark significant steps to reduce addiction’, not only have the shares edged up since but sales and profits have continued to go up in both the US and around the world.
Centamin (CEY) has issued a second quarter 2021 report, emphasising “in line with budget and on track to meet 2021 guidance”. Is there still attractive upside from a current 102p share price?
Like many oil and gas companies at the lower end of the market, San Leon Energy (SLE) has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years, but in recent times has been heading in the right direction as it builds its business producing oil in Nigeria.
Ariana Resources (AAU) has made a “Significant Resource Update: Kepez North”-titled announcement and also is “exceptionally pleased to be able to announce the details of the company’s dividend distribution plan”. Should investors be also?
Fully-listed Egyptian Gold-producer Centamin (CEY) released its Q2 report this morning. The good news is that all seems on track to meet full-year guidance as the company continues its recovery from the ground movement issues last autumn and an interim dividend is on the way.
Back in May here, I observed that the Irish international sales, marketing and support services group DCC (DCC) was a buy on ‘a bad day below the current sixty quid share price’. And so I did a few weeks ago. So following a numbers update on Friday, am I still excited?
A trading update earlier this month from Headlam Group (HEAD) included “total revenue for the year-to-date is now in-line with the 2019 comparator, having been slightly below for the four months to 30 April 2021” and “the company’s Operational Improvement Programme delivering revenue growth opportunities and cost improvements”. This combination suggests there is further recovery value in the shares.
Tharisa (THS) has announced “record quarterly chrome concentrate output and increased PGM production supported by stronger pricing” and the shares have nudged up to 130p.
FTSE-100 pharma and healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is currently engaged in somewhat of a battle with well known activist investor Elliott Advisors. However, that is about the level of change as change is coming and Elliott is only involved as it “believes GSK has a substantial value creation opportunity – 45% upside in its share price – ahead of Consumer Health separation and greater beyond”. We concur that there is an attractive value creation opportunity here…
At 425p, shares in fully fibre-based, innovative packaging for consumer goods company DS Smith (SMDS) are well up on our 321.8p offer price November recommendation but is there more to come, particularly following results for its year ended 30th April 2021 and “accelerated opportunities a post-Covid-19 world offers”?…
Hello, Share Lovers. It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed Vistry Group (VTY), the house builder born of a link between Bovis Homes and Linden Homes. On the back of a covid-caused housing boom, it is doing rather well. The first half of Vistry’s financial year saw ‘significantly’ better sales than it expected. And it has high hopes for the rest of the 12 month period. But the shares hardly moved on the news, so there could be some room for us to make hay.
Ceramic products company Churchill China (CHH) “is pleased to provide an update in relation to trading for the six months ended 30 June 2021” and the shares have currently responded further higher to 1762.5p. What’s the update and what’s discounted in the share price?…
Ariana Resources (AAU) has announced completion of capital reduction proceedings and “excellent Kepez North drilling results”. What’s the detail and import?…
Hello, Share Sharpers. I wouldn’t have thought of commending Dixons Carphone (DC.) to your further inquiries before Covid. The firm has just reported a 1% improvement in revenue for its full year. Not much, you say, but you might be surprised at the underlying operating profit. That rose by more than a fifth to £262 million.
I3 Energy (I3E) has been a great example of why past failure doesn’t necessarily point to a continuation of that in the future – in the same way that past success doesn’t mean that a company or management team will manage the same again.
AIM-listed gold-producer in Turkey, Ariana Resources (AAU), has announced the completion of court proceedings in relation to its capital reorganisation which now allows it to pay dividends and buy back its own shares. This has been a very long time coming and we are finally there – hooray!
Hello, Share Trackers. When a company turns in nearly 7% better profits than last time, while Covid’s with us, then you’ve cause to respect the chances of the share rising. Full year revenues for my favourite house builder, Berkeley Group (BKG) improved by nearly 15% to £2.2 billion, while operating profits climbed to £502.3 million.
Earlier this year – a week or two after I published an article on the British multinational pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) HERE, I bought shares in the FTSE 100 giant for the first time in well over a decade. It has worked out pretty well so far, but the story is certainly evolving because as I noted here in early May ‘GlaxoSmithKline is fortunately about so much more than the current CEO’. I am sure you have heard about the ‘strategic overhaul of GlaxoSmithKline by Dame Emma Walmsley’ which was announced yesterday.
Hello, Share Bunnies. Shall we have another look at BT Group (BT.A), which I reviewed fairly recently? The shares have been on an upward slope for some months now but I still think the improved share price has further to go.
I admit I am very boring when talking about everything including shares. It is amazing that my wife is still with me. Back in April, I observed about FTSE 100 name DS Smith (SMDS) I ‘typically loving-up its exposure to e-commerce delivery box-making…along with a capability for sustainable packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services worldwide’. The share has historically worked really well for me – especially over the last nine months – but I do admit it has made little further progress since my last write up a couple of months ago. So should I still be excited or start to consider alternative options after today’s publication of its full year numbers to the end of April?
Recommending shares in J Sainsbury (SBRY) as an Income portfolio buy in November at a 199.7p offer price, we noted grocery and general merchandise sales had remained strong to date in its second half of the year and suggested a 260p+ share price achievable. Little more than 7 months later the shares are already nearly there.
Back in April I wished Tesco (TSCO) CEO “Newbie Ken” the best of luck over the next year or two ‘but I can understand why there are not a bunch of new shareholders buying hard and pushing the share price sharply up’. Since then the shares have stayed nor far either side of 230p. Is there any need to radically change view after today’s first quarter update?
Oil has been on a bit of a charge recently and there aren’t any real signs of that strength coming to an end anytime soon, but quite a few of the producers haven’t responded as well as you would expect, in terms of share price movement.
At various points during the last five years, the ‘British luxury clothing retail company’ Ted Baker (TED) has been written about on this website, almost exclusively describing it as having a range of business issues. If only it was just losing money! And whilst the shares have pushed up over 75% since December (thanks general bump in the market!), over the last five years they are down a cool 92%, moving from a multi-billion market cap at one point to c£300 million today. The question today is whether it is even worth this?
Hello, Share Twiddlers. How much do you rely on the internet to fill your working and leisure hours? Well, just imagine if it went down for a week. How would you cope then? And as the developing world catches up and even more services go online, including the much bigger, virus-swollen army of home workers, use of the net is only going to grow and grow.
Insurance businesses investor B.P. Marsh & Partners (BPM) has announced results for its year ended 31st January 2021, emphasising “total shareholder return of 10.1% for the year including the dividend paid in July… remain optimistic that we will be able to secure scalable and high growth investments, which will deliver substantial shareholder returns over time”. That sounds good to us.
An “AGM Statement” announcement from cosmetics company Warpaint London (W7L)…and the shares are currently approaching 17% higher on the day at 163.5p. What’s the story?…
Previously writing on Amino Technologies (AMO), in February with the shares at 128.5p I concluded I continue to consider there looks some recovery value here. What about now, with the shares at 158p on the back of a trading update?…
April was not an easy month for the largest London-listed tobacco stocks. As I observed at the time it was a US tobacco market shocker for Imperial Brands (IMB) and British American Tobacco (BATS) back then, although I remained optimistic on both stocks. Since then the shares have recovered and after a positive recent update from the former, how has BAT got on with its update today?
Hello, Share Players. When Beaufort Securities went belly up, I cast around for other brokers to look after my babies. My first priority was to avoid companies that charge an annual fee. My second was a broker with low commission charges. One of the very few British firms, possibly the only one, to fulfil both requirements was Jarvis Securities (JIM).
Last month here, I concluded that ‘Johnson Matthey (JMAT) shares are worth buying’. It is positive to see the FTSE 100 name noting that ‘our vision is for a world that’s cleaner and healthier, today and for future generations’.
Miner in Azerbaijan Anglo Asian Mining (AAZ) “is pleased to announce its final audited results for the year ended 31 December 2020” and emphasises “exciting development opportunities”. Though don’t they all say that?
It has been a great last year for my investment in Aviva (AV.), shares in which have risen from just over 250p to above 400p in the last month or so. Certainly my view back in February was that the sale of its business in France, Poland, Italy and part of Asia struck me as a very sensible move. The completion of these deals is still set for later in the year – along with the anticipated return of capital. Elsewhere, ‘our positive trading performance in the first quarter of 2021 reinforces our confidence in the targets we announced earlier in the year…we still have much more to do, to deliver stronger returns for our shareholders’, which sounds like good movement.
A couple of months ago I noted on the multinational diversified engineering company Smiths Group (SMIN) that you could see why the share price was ‘kicking around the £17 level a number of times from mid 2017’. And hence my perception back in March was that it was worth waiting for a ‘couple of bad days back below a £15 share price’ which would justify a buy.
Base metal producer Central Asia Metals (CAML) looks to have macroeconomic structural and economic recovery demand against supply constraints in its favour and as that is further reflected in its financial results we see further share price upside from current levels.
Hello, Share Stitchers. Royal Mail (RMG) currently has a P/E of about 10. That’s half my usual average and suggests the stock could be a bargain. Remember gang, that this is a company which benefitted hugely from the pandemic. When you can buy few non-food goods any other way, why shouldn’t the mail bags swell.
Eight days ago, Eurasia Mining (EUA) said that it was in talks with a credible party which had made an offer to buy essentially all of its assets and that if the deal went through it would become a cash shell after paying a “significant” dividend. Guess what? Today there is a $20 million placing. For such. Almost criminal. Spoofery to happen once is – on AIM – understandable, twice looks like carelessness.
Previously writing on Nexus Infrastructure (NEXS), in February I concluded with the trading recovery required from here and indeed the noted pre-Covid performance, I continue to avoid. What of results for its half-year ended 31st March 2021 then?…
The last time I wrote about DCC plc (DCC), the London-listed but ‘Irish international sales, marketing and support services group’, was back in early November HERE. My observation back then was that its observation in ‘four divisions: LPG, Retail & Oil, Technology and Healthcare’ and hence great performance over the last 26 years meant that ‘I really should consider buying some’. Well I still haven’t…and the stock is still at/around the sixty quid level. So what am I thinking today?
Regular readers will know by now my views on tobacco giant Imperial Brands (IMB). Earlier this year I outlined HERE why a business with ‘brands such as JPS, West, Winstone and Davidoff plus new brands such as blu offer skills in ‘Next Generation Products’ (NGPs)’ offered turnaround value. Since then the shares have risen back to over sixteen quid, but how do I feel about the prospects for further share price appreciation and the maintenance of the current c. 8.5% dividend yield?
Hello, Share Bunnies. In a week when eating places return to inside noshing, the share price of catering king Compass Group (CPG) is holding up rather well when you consider that its revenue dropped by nearly a third in these difficult times. Even so the latest half-year revenue is still £8.6 billion and that’s tickling up a share price which has been slowly recovering.
Hello Share Tycoons. It’s possible you’re rather wary of construction companies, with the sector having had it tough in the last couple of years. And if Blighty encounters a post-covid recession, it’s likely that heavy building will be one of the first and worst areas to be hit. But if you’re in my camp that guesses there’ll be a coiled spring boom, then UK giants of the construction world could be among the stars.
I have been a fan of multinational enterprise software company Sage Group (SGE) for a while now. However as I observed in a piece here last year the reason I bought the stock was based on my hope of seeing it return to the 800 pence share price level it achieved during 2018 and 2019. We are nowhere near there yet, so is there still plenty of reason to be optimistic or not?
Another day of volatility ‘excitement’ in markets today…but you can read more of some of my thoughts on this yesterday HERE, so let’s talk about something else and – for me – that has to be luxury goods company Burberry (BRBY) which published its full year to the end of March numbers today.
Back in early January I observed that ‘Morrisons (MRW) is rudely unloved’. Since then the shares have done very little, but this morning’s update is another indication that the stock remains cheap – and that Morrisons is a good place to do your food shopping too.
On banking near 300% gains on Jubilee Metals (JLP) earlier this year, we noted still significant positives but management actions which were not comfortably supportable. On fundamentals, at 20p, Jubilee still looks to have 10% upside, or arguably more, which is why Tom Winnifrith & Steve Moore remain shareholders but we cannot, in good conscience, tip shares in a company where there are such clear corporate governance issues. So, on that basis, the following looks a good replacement for it .
J Sainsbury (SBRY) has announced results for its year ended 6th March 2021 and that it has “carried good underlying trading momentum into the new financial year and started the year strongly”.
Back in early February HERE I wrote ‘Barratt Developments really, really loves Help to Buy’ but had to admit that the share was going to go up a bit more. Since then the stock (BDEV) has moved a quid or so and now has a 775p stock price. So happy days for holders but, given the share price in early 2020 was only a little over 800p, is there anything left for shareholders to chase?
Hello Share Bunnies. Fool that I am, my biggest holding is in Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA). My intention is to sell up as soon as the price gets closer to its highs, even though I realise it will not get all that close, possibly ever again. Never mind, the share price is currently rising as the value of Brent Crude continues to soar.
Centamin (CEY) has always been one of my favourite gold producers, and although I may not be as bullish as fellow ShareProphets writer Nigel Somerville, I still expect the metal to do well over the next few years.
Hello, Share Mashers. António Horta-Osório, Chief Executive of Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY), is standing down, saying he views the bank with pride. Though he’s presided over a big fall in share price during his reign. Never mind, he’s been a good head honcho and nobody saw the pandemic coming. And the latest trading statement is encouraging, with the share price rising 5% on it, a rare jump for a Footsie giant.
Previously writing on a trading update from cosmetics company Warpaint London (W7L), with the shares at 123p I noted the net cash detail means a lot less without the other information – are the flows even sustainable?, concluding I’ll monitor for further financial details but currently still only on the watchlist. Today full-year results…
Private investors are often looking to buy into companies where the share price has fallen, rather than those which are near all time highs, but in some cases that is the opposite of what they should be doing!
Fully-listed Egyptian gold producer Centamin (CEY) offered up its first quarter report this morning and the big news is that once again the outlook is unchanged. Given the ground movement issues revealed last autumn and the consequent reduction in gold produced and higher costs, it is pleasing to see that the company’s response is thus far working out as planned.
I often see people saying that you can’t actually invest inshares in AIM miners and the only way to play them is by trading the swings they have along the way.
In his soft interview with Lucy Barton of The Daily Telegraph on 13 February of this year, we are told that Neil Woodford claimed: From the moment of the fund suspension Craig [Newman, his sidekick] and I received absolutely no income, or dividends or any remuneration from Woodford Investment Management, none, and indeed haven’t received any for the best part of two years. The accounts of Woodford Investment Management for the year to March 2020 are now out (two and a half weeks late). So was the disgraced fund manager telling a whopping lie? What do you think?
Iron ore pellet producer in Ukraine, Ferrexpo (FXPO) has announced a first quarter 2021 production report which includes it noting some ongoing pelletiser upgrade work impact though also that there has been some additional production, in terms of high-grade concentrate…
Previously writing on self-styled “a leading provider of innovative, highly engineered technology products principally for the global gaming and broadcast industries” Quixant (QXT), last year I noted wariness of the company’s confidence for the future. It has today announced its 2020 results…
Two FTSE 100 names of interest published an update this morning. First easyJet (EZJ) which noted that the group headline loss for the 6 months ending a couple of weeks ago is expected to be somewhere between £690-730 million. Naturally that is a lot of money but there were even worse losses feared by some analysts.
Designer and manufacturer of computer boards for particularly the defence and telecommunications industries, Concurrent Technologies (CNC) has announced 2020 results, noting “record revenue for the year of £21.14m (2019: £19.38m)” and a “record order book, which has seen a substantial increase during the first quarter of 2021”. Why then have the shares currently responded to below 100p, more than 7% lower?…
Hello, Share Pushers. I’ve not covered Kingfisher (KGF) before, if ever. But it’s hard to ignore that this company seems to have benefited from Covid - and could continue to do so once the virus has gone. It’s the stay-at-home DIY boom that has prompted its soaring sales. That and the fact that many of its 1800 stores have stayed open, in Blighty, anyway, because what they sell is deemed essential.
Gold miner in Egypt Centamin (CEY) has announced its results for the 2020 calendar year, emphasising “record revenue of US$829 million… generated significant free cash flow, of US$142 million, a 91% increase, making it possible to propose and pay dividends attributable to 2020 of US$104 million” but also ‘impacted guidance’. But that impacted guidance was already known about, there were no new nasties here. Indeed…
Gold miner in Egypt Centamin (CEY) announced results for the 2020 calendar year emphasising “record revenue of US$829 million… generated significant free cash flow, of US$142 million, a 91% increase, making it possible to propose and pay dividends attributable to 2020 of US$104 million” but also ‘impacted guidance’. A recovery buy?
Almost six months ago, here, I wrote about the industrial flooring company James Halstead (JHD) concluding that ‘at a billion quid market cap now and unlikely to best £50 million of operating profit this year, it is not a cheap stock but if you dig below the surface it is an impressive one’. With the shares little changed from a 500 pence share price, how did today’s half-year numbers to the end of last year get on?
Hello, Share Tasters. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). It’s the big British rival of AstraZeneca (AZN). Though it’s lost out in the publicity stakes associated with a covid vaccine, Glaxo should still benefit from a heightened interest in all things medical.
The oil and gas market is quite hard to read at the moment, particularly when it comes to individual companies which are producing, as some have seen large share price rises whilst others barely seem to have moved despite the fundamentals appearing to be strong.
Yesterday I indicated what I was looking for from today’s FY20 results from fully-listed Egyptian Gold miner Centamin (CEY). So what does the score card show?
It has been a while since I either visited one of its B&Q stores or even talked about Kingfisher (KGF), but it has done rather well during the Covid-19 period.
Hello, Share Checkers. One of my oldest holdings – and one whose share price simply trundles on – is changing. It’s buying and selling assets which could improve profitability in the green revolution.
Fully-listed Egyptian Gold-miner Centamin (CEY) has had a torrid few months and the shares are looking battered and bruised. Tomorrow sees full-year results to December 2020 and my hopes are high for a turn of fortune for this ongoing tip of mine – but it is a nail-biting wait!
Hello Share Trackers. This family has held Royal Mail (RMG) shares since the privatisation in 2013. And I don’t think we have faced better prospects for the stock than we do now. The pandemic has helped with more people buying online, as well as sending parcels to friends and relatives they can no longer visit. But even before the virus, growing numbers were buying stuff over the net.
I know that many people believe this area is a bit boring, but I continue to really like Headlam Group (HEAD) which describes itself as ‘Europe’s leading floorcoverings distributor’. I last wrote positively about the stock HERE, as it happens just a few hours before I ended up in hospital until just before Christmas. I see reader Steve B wrote a positive agreement piece with my November thought and has made a further positive return year-to-date in the 2021 readers tip competition. Even nicer for us both is to see the performance of Headlam Group’s shares in March. So is there still room to be excited here or is it time to take the profits and run?
Wm Morrison (MRW) has announced its results for its year ended 31st January 2021 and that it is confident it can continue momentum into the new year, expecting both profit growth and a significant reduction in net debt.
When I last looked at fully-listed Hammerson (HMSO) last September, it had just raised money to, in effect, start again. But since then Bonkers Boris has locked the country up for a second and third time and as such there was simply no attraction for me to this property (lack of) income play.
Hello Shares Tasters. Kicking off its preliminary report on progress, one of my favourite companies boasts: ‘Resilient performance in 2020; well-placed for 2021’. And after the dangerous 12 months we’ve just been through, that’s a pretty encouraging opening line. Spirax-Sarco (SPX) is a heavy industrial giant specialising in steam engines. Now that might seem a little old fashioned, but this is a British company at the forefront of heavy engineering. It also does electrical stuff.
Results for its half-year ended 31st December 2020 from financial markets cloud computing and connectivity group Beeks Financial Cloud (BKS) today which it “is pleased to announce”. Why therefore are the shares lower in response?…
Previously writing on footwear retailer Shoe Zone (SHOE), last month I concluded that I continue to consider there is likely future recovery potential from a now 54p per share, £27 million market cap, valuation here but the current balance sheet uncertainty sees this presently only on my watchlist. So what of results now for its year ended 3rd October 2020?…
Hello Share Shiners. You may have gleaned from past writings that I’m a fan of most insurance companies. There’s no doubting that this is a time of all sorts of increasing risks. From Covid effects to storms and floods caused by climate change. In such unhappy environments, more people turn to the protection of the big insurers. And although I’ve not invested yet, Admiral Group (ADM) seems to me one of the better bets.
Back in August the Gold price peaked at $2063 and it has been more-or-less downhill ever since. On Friday the Gold price closed at $1700 – a 17.6% drop in around seven months. So is the Gold bull story all over? My answer is definitely no. But as a Gold Bull, I would say that, wouldn’t I!
Shanta Gold (SHG) has announced results for its year ended 31st December 2020 and claims that “2021 presents huge opportunity for Shanta as we continue to strengthen our core operations at New Luika, progress mine construction at Singida that began in Q4 2020 and continue the drilling campaigns underway at our high-grade West Kenya project”. So what’s the detail?…
Hello, Share Twiddlers. The house builder formed from a merger between an arm of Galliford Try and Bovis has reported a big Covid hit. But now the pandemic approaches its final months, we can expect better from now on. Especially as the Chancellor has extended the stamp duty holiday…
Hello, Share Followers. In the week when Rishi, possibly the world’s richest chancellor, gave us a budget which was nowhere near as punitive as it should have been, I want to commend to you one of the Footsie’s biggest gainers on the news. It may be a boring choice, but sometimes a more steady performer is a vital adjunct to the best portfolios…
Previously writing on soft drinks company Nichols (NICL), in January I reviewed share price decline towards 1150p despite it arguing Vimto & International business positives – concluding I monitored on the watchlist but to avoid the shares. Today results for the 2020 calendar year emphasising “Resilient financial performance despite challenging trading conditions”, but the shares further lower at 1100p?…
Hello, Share Strivers. I don’t think I’ve returned to Reckitt Benckiser (RB.) since the virus struck a year ago now. So let’s see if my commendation still holds. The full year figures are as encouraging as you’d expect from a company that does hygiene and health in such a big way. Like-for-like income rose by nearly 12% to £14 billion…
Hello, Share Chums. Shares in ambitious outfit I commended to you not long after the pandemic struck hasn’t performed as well as hoped. But I’ve not lost faith, as the latest full-year results look good. And we all know the plague will last longer than we first thought. Despite the virus’s benefit to the company, my own holding has been absolutely static for many months now. But I’m looking forward to a ‘coil spring’ effect…
Pharos Energy (PHAR) has been one of the worst stocks that I’ve been invested in – not necessarily in terms of the share price performance, although that has also been awful, but more the way the company has been managed and the amount of money that I’ve seen them waste over the years.
The last time I wrote about gold stocks was here in late January. As noted a few weeks back, my top sector holding for many years was the London listed Randgold, but a couple of years ago this company was purchased by the US/Canadian listed Barrick Gold (GOLD on the American markets). So how do the full-year numbers and profile for the next few years look?
We the start of UK banking sector results with the comments from Barclays (BARC) today. Yes, I have been an owner for a while and my musings here in October look inspired as we have seen a pleasant 40% share price rise over the last four months. Timing matters.
Hello, Share Twiddlers. Yes, I know, you can’t get a more boring company than one that supplies stuff to cover floors. But to misquote the Yorkshire proverb, ‘Where there’s boredom, there can be brass.’
I have not been a fan of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shares for a long time now but if you pick up its chart today, you will see the stock kicking around at a new five year low. So what to think about a name that used to be a FTSE 100 favourite…and is even actively trying to finalise a Covid-19 vaccine product?
Previously updating on BP (BP.), in October we concluded with the shares currently down to below 200p (they were above 500p early this year) and yielding around 8%, we continue to see long-term recovery and income value from here. Therefore, still a long-term Income buy. They’re currently still above 250p on the back of fourth quarter 2020 results but they are still cheap.
Previously writing on Amino Technologies (AMO), in December with the shares at 120p I suggested they worth a small speculation again. On the back of results today, they are currently at 128.5p – though that is down from a last close 135p, so what’s the story?…
Hello Share Trundlers. Ever since the big crash of 2007-8, it takes a brave bunny to suggest you look at British bank shares. But as a big holder of Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY), I’ve been heartened in the last few days at the jumps this difficult share is making. It’s all to do with the roll-out of the vaccines, of course. But is that optimism justified?
Hello, Share Followers. It seems optimism towards housebuilders has won another example of vindication. Barratt Developments (BDEV) has just announced a record half-year with 9,077 home completions. And that’s up by 9.2% on last time. My more brilliant colleague Chris Bailey likes those figures but allow me to proffer even more encouragement…
Hello, Share Crackers. Have you noticed the oil price lately? It’s now around $58 a barrel. And that surprisingly is higher than it was before the pandemic crash in March. You would have thought, with so fewer car journeys being done, that it would stay lower for longer. But it is good news for the army of Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA) shareholders…
