Latest broker ratings : Gem Diamonds, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Carillion
27/04/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 132 words
With Diamond market back in the sights of investors as an alternative to gold, Northland Capital has initiated coverage of Diamondcorp and a target price of 15p while Goldman Sachs has downgraded Gem Diamonds from buy to neutral.
UBS has upgraded the pharma group Hikma to 'buy' from 'neutral' target price of 755p. The broker sees the fall in share price so far in 2012 as an attractive entry point. UBS also notes that further acquisitions, particularly in Egypt could be on the cards.
Seymour Pierce rates services company Carillion as a 'buy' target price of 440p. Notes that the firm has been worst performing stock under its coverage in last 12 months but view the shares as too cheap with a strong pipeline and revenue visibility for 2012.
Latest broker ratings : ARM Holdings, Logica, Man Group
26/04/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 126 words
Mixed views again on ARM Holdings as Investec reaffirms a 'buy' with target price maintained at 800p. Liberum Capital rates the mobile phone chip supplier a 'sell' as it expects the firm will de-rate on the back of increased pressure from established competitor Intel.
Investec has upgraded Logica from 'sell' to 'hold'. The broker expects the first quarter update may be level but not dire and sets a target price of 84p on improved expectation for the near and longer term.
UBS has reiterates a 'buy' rating for Man Group. The broker has identified the investment manager as a possible takeover target with takeout price potentially 50% above its current share price level. UBS also slightly reduced its target price to 140p from 165p.
Broker ratings : Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, FirstGroup, Logica
04/04/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 120 words
RBC Capital Markets maintains an 'Outperform' rating on Lloyds Banking Group shares setting a target share price at 50p. Same broker holds a 'sector perform' rating on RBS Royal Bank of Scotland Group shares. We see a 16.7% upside says RBC Capital setting a target price of 32.
Public transport company FirstGroup has been downgraded from buy to hold by Liberum Capital, Oriel Securities and Deutsche Bank who also cuts the target price from 400p to 280p.
Meanwhile, Merchant Securities has a 'sell' for Logica following the news that Seamus Keating is leaving the group as head of its Benelux operations. Merchant remains sceptical that a genuine turnaround underway beyond 2012. The broker however maintains an 85p target.
Latest broker ratings : Diageo, Antofagasta, Wolseley
03/04/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 139 words
UBS retains a 'buy' rating for drinks company Diageo with improved target price of 17 GBP from 16 GBP. Diageo is expected to chase M&A opportunity within emerging market as well as to seek new products for its portfolio. Jose Cuervo is a potential target that UBS sees as strategically positive, with growth potential in the US.
UBS also retained a 'buy' rating in March for plumbing firm Wolseley following strong first-half results. The broker raises full-year 2012 EPS estimates by 2% and also raises the target price to 2,650p.
The same broker also downgraded copper mining company Antofagasta from 'neutral' to 'sell' with target price of 1,050p after updating earnings per share estimates by 7 to 12 % following second half results in mid-March. brokers notes that higher volumes may be offset by lower copper prices.
Latest broker ratings : BT Group, ARM Holdings, Vivendi
02/04/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 160 words
Following provisions announced recently to reduce its pension deficit UBS has revised ratings for BT Group with a new target price of 230p from 210p. The broker expects that BT could increase the dividend sooner than expected and projects a full year 2012 dividend of 10p rising to 12p for 2013.
HSBC has downgraded its rating for French telecoms firm Vivendi from 'overweight' to 'neutral' lowering its target price on the stock to €16 from €23. The broker said it expected Vivendi to be hit in the future by fierce competition from Free Mobile, a division of French mobile phone group SFR.
Barclays Capital has upgraded mobile phone chipmaker ARM Holdings to “overweight” from “equalweight”. The broker raises its target price to 725p from 700. Shares have been in a trading range for most of 2011 but the broker expects a return to positive earnings momentum with ARM to maintain the upper hand against competition from Intel.
Latest broker ratings : British American Tobacco, Marks & Spencer, Cookson
15/03/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 125 words
UBS rates the materials firm Cookson as “neutral” raising target price from 650p to 675p after cyclical fears appear unfounded. The business performed well in November and December, notes the broker who upgrades estimates by 6%.
Citi has raised target price for BAT, British American Tobacco to £33.30 maintaining a “neutral” rating. Results were as expected, says the broker who raised earnings per share forecast by 2.5% and holding an optimistic outlook for trade in Western Europe.
UBS has upgraded the Marks & Spencer to “buy” from “neutral” plus target price from 325p to 410p on the back of prelim results in May this year showing signs of life. The broker has increased its like-for-like sales projections for 2012-13 by 1%.
Broker recommendations : Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, HSBC, Barclays
22/02/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 122 words
Citigroup has released a broker note maintaining its overall 'overweight' rating on the UK bank sector. Citigroup currently holds a 'buy' rating on Lloyds Banking Group although Barclays is its top pick in the sector with target price from 245p to 275p.
Citigroup also maintains buy' ratings for HSBC and Standard Chartered while Royal Bank of Scotland was downgraded to “neutral” with a target price of 30p. The broker also downgraded its recommendation for Bank of America to 'neutral' from 'buy'.
Shore Capital is less upbeat on Barclays though following its full-year 2011 results. the broker upgrades Barclays to “hold” from “sell” after an improvement in the banks Tier 1 capital provision, sets a target price of 240p.
Brokers views : Bovis Homes, Barratt Developments, Mcbride
06/02/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 143 words
As house prices remain stagnated, brokers at Investec have added a positive view of the UK housing market seeing solid fundamentals to support the sector.
Investec rates housebuilder Barratt Developments a “buy” setting a target price of 180p. The broker believes Barratt offers greatest upside in the sector. The companies position as a major player in the London market also attractive.
Meanwhile, Citigroup has raised target price to 520p from 495p for Bovis Homes on a strong balance sheet a land bank well-placed to pursue expansion as markets recover. Citi expects volume growth of 8% in 2012-13.
Household goods provider Mcbride has been upgraded by Goldman Sachs to “buy” from “neutral” with expectation for strong growth when first-half results are released in February. Current value is unjustified, presents a buying opportunity says Goldman setting a target price of 136p.
Broker ratings : ARM Holdings, CSR, BT Group, Spirent Communications
12/01/2012 - Broker Recommendations - 0 Comments - 185 words
ARM Holdings shares were down 2.6% yesterday after Intel indicated that it will compete to supply chips for Smartphones. The Cambridge-based firm has so far stolen a lead in supplying smaller, faster chips for use in latest generation products.
Meanwhile, brokers at FinnCap note that ARM Holdings remains at the heart of the mobile revolution and rates the firm a 'hold' setting its target price at 575p. Finncap recons there is plenty more upside from more new products using ARM chips as the firm also receives royalties from its intellectual property users.
Morgan Stanley rates industrial chipmaker CSR 'equal-weight' with a target price of 250p after the firm announced that it is halting its programme in digital television and tuner business. As a result Morgan Stanley has lowered its 2012 revenue forecasts by $50m.
In other telecoms and high tech broker recommendations JP Morgan Cazenove rates BT Group 'overweight' and reduces target price from 240p to 210p on concerns over pension deficits. Deutsche Bank has started coverage of Spirent Communications and issued a 'buy' rating with target price 140p.
UK city news : Vodafone, Lloyds Banking Group, easyJet, Deltex Medical
06/01/2012 - Broker Recommendations, Stockmarket Reports - 0 Comments - 300 words
The UK stock market has enjoyed a strong session in the first week back since new year. The FTSE 100 was up 0.86% just after lunch as buyers were again prepared to target oversold stocks.
Euro pain may endure into 2013 after IMF Chief Christine Lagarde indicated she expects the enbattled currency to see out 2012. 'The Euro its a young currency and its a solid one as well' says an optimistic Legarde.
In banking, latest news is that Lloyds Banking Group will remain loss-making this year as Barclays estimates it will mark down its mortgage portfolio by a further £5bn in 2012 while RBS expects a further £1bn of mortgage impairments.
In rare good news for the Travel sector, low-cost airline easyJet has reported that passenger figures in December were actually up 13.1% up on previous year although figures may be skewed by holiday makers delaying summer holidays to coincide with a break to the Christmas tradition.
In mining, shareholders in West African Minerals have approved acquisition of Ferrum Resources while First Quantum Minerals has settled a dispute with ENRC - Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation and agreed to dispose of residual assets and settle all claims over operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
One of the Sun newspapers tips for 2012 Deltex Medical Group says it has foundation in place to underpin long term and accelerating growth. Chairman Nigel Keen added that 'Deltex Medical enters 2012 with considerable confidence and growing traction in a number of key markets'.
Meanwhile, income stock favorite Vodafone is back on the buy lists after Goldman Sachs upgrades the mobile phone giant to buy from neutral with target price 245p from 197p. Oriel Securities also started coverage by setting 'buy' with target price 230p.
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