Newspaper and magazine share tips
Each week we round up share tips from national newspapers and investment magazines. For the Mail on Sunday's stock picks, read the Midas column.
Tips: Read the latest share tips.
The Times
Mitchells & Butlers is taking a big stride towards rehabilitation by reporting a robust 1% increase in like-for-like sales in the past nine weeks. The recent increase in the shares, up 17% in ten days, may prompt profit-taking, but M&B, in which John Magnier and J.P. McManus, the Irish racing tycoons, have a 16% stake, is making a rapid return to the winner's circle. At 187½p, up 1p, or nine times current-year earnings, a long-term hold.
A dairy might sound like a defensive investment but Robert Wiseman is there to prove otherwise. Shares in the Scottish milk producer have fallen 44 per cent in the space of a year. With Wiseman's costs and capital expenditure now set to fall, 328p, or 11 times next year's earnings, and yielding 4.6%, looks a good point to buy back in.
Investors Chronicle
With continuing deterioration of the property market and a net asset value that is almost certain to fall further, there are uncertain times ahead for land securities. Despite a 9% dividend yield it is probably better to get out now. Sell.
Thursday
The Daily Telegraph
VT Group, formerly known as Vosper Thorneycroft, a shipbuilder of repute, has an attractive long term plans and recently won a £160m contract to provide initial flight training for all three Armed Forces. VT Group operates in a defensive sector, has good earnings visibility, a strong order book and the outsourcing of government services is likely to continue. Buy.
BSkyB's second quarter update revealed that subscriber income is up 7% year-on year and advertising revenue is down just 1%. The company is also slashing the cost of an HD set-top box from £150 to £49 after the acquisition of box-maker Amstrad cut production cost. No business will be immune to challenges faced in 2009 and the shares are trading on a June 2009 multiple of 16 times. Hold
The Times
Ireland's C&C Group has proved a dreadful investment – the shares have lost three quarters of their value year-on-year. Despite this, Britvic, which paid £170m, 18 months ago for the soft drinks business, managed to increase total revenue by 2.1%. However, its net debt is unlikely to fall and there is little to suggest any overseas expansion. Pass.
Shares Magazine
The Brown Group is the largest quoted home shopping business in the UK. Despite shares more than halving in the past two years they are unlikely to fall any further. Broker Brewin Dolphin has said it is a 'well positioned growth business on attractive rating'. Buy
Friends Provident
The Times
Having fallen nearly 20% in the space of a fortnight, investors in Friends Provident were braced for the worst. Yesterday's results came as a surprise - worldwide sales for 2008 were a shade over £1bn, down from £1.14bn in 2007 but about 9% ahead of consensus forecasts. It is time to buy on weakness.
A year after PZ Cussons purchased The Sanctuary, the female only day spa and premium shower gels brand, the number of people through the door at it's Covent Garden site is still running at the same level as a year ago. PZ Cussons benefits from a solid balance sheet and its overseas exposure leaves room for profit upgrades. At 170p, or 12 times next year's earnings, hold on.
The Daily Telegraph
Questor recommended selling shares in Tate & Lyle on December 16, citing uncertainty surrounding the US legal decision on sucralose. The shares are yielding 6%, but some analysts are concerned that sterling weakness means that the payout level should be “treated with caution”. Sell.
TUESDAY
The Times
As the price of gold hit record highs last year, one might have expected shares in Peter Hambro Mining (PHM) to rise accordingly. However, threats by the Russian authorities to revoke five of its licences and an analyst's note suggesting that reserves and resources at some of its key projects have declined have done the shares no good. As gold prices circle $900 an ounce, the shares are worth holding.
The latest company brought uncomfortably close to breaching banking covenants is E2V Technologies. The company still has a relatively strong order book, with £165m of its products ordered at December 31, 2008 at reported exchange rates, up from £131m at the same time in 2007. But underlying weakness is likely to hamper profits for the foreseeable future. Sell.
The Daily Telegraph
Despite one of the highest price earnings ratios, Tullow Oil, the exploration company, isn't without risk. Questor also expects an oil-price recovery over the next couple of years that will help to support the share price. The shares are a definite buy for investors seeking growth opportunities. Buy.
Questor has had an avoid recommendation on Wolseley shares since September when the shares were at 470p. The world's biggest distributor of plumbing gear has been hit hard by the credit crisis as construction activity plummeted. Investors should continue to avoid the shares.
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