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.
FRIDAY
The Daily Telegraph
Dana Petroleum seems to constantly be at the centre of bid rumours. The shares are trading on a December 2009 earnings multiple of 32 times but expectations of future production means this falls to 14.4 next year, then 12.2 in 2011. The stance on the shares remains buy.
Yesterday's decision by Ofwat was welcome. The regulator confirmed the level of investment required by each water company and the allowed returns. The Questor column has recommended two shares in the past year – Pennon and United Utilities. The rating on this sector is now upgraded to buy from hold.
The Times
Halloween held no fears for Clinton Cards. Britain's biggest greetings card retailer yesterday reported bumper trick-or–treat trading with sales up on 'double digits' on last year's event. However, at 46p, or less than nine times earnings on the forecast of Altium Securities, the share are not stretched. Hold.
More than two years late, Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is scheduled to take flight within a matter of weeks. Aviation experts remain sceptical but shareholders in Hampson Industries will be hoping it does. It feels too soon to buy. Pass.
Investor's Chronicle
It was ironic that shares in Fuller Smith & Turner fell when Enterprise Inns, another pubs operator, recently reported torrid full-year results. Fuller is many thing that Enterprise is not: rather than expand, Fuller stuck to what it does best and that is now paying off. It deserves a better-than-average rating. Buy.
Shares in CRH have risen by 12% in the past year, but this reflects the rise of share prices in general. With profits set to halve this year, and with no reasonable hope of any significant improvement next year, the shares, trading on 18 times forecast earnings for 2010, look expensive. Sell.
THURSDAY
The Daily Telegraph
As the world's largest catering group, Compass has proved pretty defensive – and this has been reflected in its results. The shares were recommended at 306.25p on November 30 last year and the shares are up 39% since then compared with a market up 27%. Buy.
Raising your final dividend payment by 24% is a confident move – and Britvic's solid performance over the past year in a challenging market justifies this. The stance on the shares remains buy.
The Times
Atkins is drawing two thirds of its work from the public sector and regulated utilities. First-half numbers show that WS Atkins is weathering a construction downturn well. At 600.5p, or nine times next year's earnings, and yielding 4.6%, buy on weakness.
Britvic's pre-tax profits were better than expected 23%, the dividend increased an above-forecast 24% and there were reported 'signs of improvement' in British sales of soft drinks. Until Britvic's acquisition plans become clearer, hold.
Shares Magazine
Property advertising website Rightmove should benefit from improvement in the housing market, a recovery in the advertising market and is a potential takeover target. Buy.
Retail and investment banking group, Banco Santander, is well capitalised and offers and attractive yield. The company is well placed to reap the benefits of significant growth in Latin American's largest economy, Brazil. Buy.
Wednesday
The Daily Telegraph
The positive news from Lloyds' rights issue announcement yesterday was that there was no negative news. The discount – at 59.5% - was in line with expectations. Investors currently holding the shares should take up their rights.
Shares in SSL International hit an all time high yesterday. The company now generates 85% of revenues from outside the UK, so it is transforming itself into a true global business. The share are up 43% since their initial recommendation. Buy.
The Times
SLL International's stock surged by 7% to an all-time high as the company filed a 46% rise in operating profits and reported return of sales that was better than expected. SLL is well managed, but at 720p, or 19 times next year's earnings, that shares are looking stretched. Take profits.
The BSS Group is braced for the worst. The new worry is the threat to the company's £130m of sales to the public sector from looming government cut backs. At 253.25p, or nine times next year's earnings, the gloom is priced in. Buy.
TUESDAY
The Daily Telegraph
VT Group caused a storm last week when it said it would be interested in buying the Met Office. Trading on a March 2010 earnings multiple of 14.4 times and falling to 12.9 next year, the stance, based on the prospects for outsourcing in the UK, remains buy.
The market has been cold on prospects for educational IT company EM. However, yesterday's figures should reassure as they beat market expectations and the tip is once again above the recommendation price. Buy.
The Times
Shares in RM, the provider of computers for schools, are out of detention. At 160.5p, or ten times earnings, yielding 3.9%, and sitting on modest net cash, RM is a buy.
Hyder Consulting, the small-cap consulting engineer now draws three quarters of its sales from outside the UK and nearly half its operating profit from Australia alone. At 249.5%, or eight times earnings, tuck away.
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