Broker tips: Shire, Vodafone, Easyjet

Shire has had its target price lifted by UBS from 5,400p to 6,600p as the Swiss bank highlighted three potential blockbuster products at the pharmaceutical group. A 'buy' rating was maintained.

The bank played down recent concerns that Shire overpaid earlier this year when it $5.2bn for US biotech group NPS. It estimated that the Natpara and Gattex products acquired through NPS could be worth $9bn on a net present value basis. Shire's own Vyvanse product for Binge Eating Disorder also has "blockbuster potential".

JPMorgan Cazenove has maintained an 'overweight' stance on Vodafone after results from an Indian spectrum auction this week came in better than many had expected.

"With the auction overhang removed, and FX pressures easing, we believe it is time to focus back onto the re-rating potential offered by Vodafone’s improving European outlook, and our anticipated return to revenue growth" JPMorgan said.

Easyjet's shares were flying higher on Friday with analysts at RBC Capital Markets providing a lift after upgrading their view on the airline from 'sector perform' to 'outperform'.

The broker, which hiked its target price for the shares from 1,800p to 2,000p, said consensus forecasts for the company look "too gloomy".