Broker Recommendations
Broker tips: Serco, Rightmove, Staffline
Analysts at Liberum maintained their 'buy' rating on public services provider Serco on Thursday, noting that the group's current share price was "cheap" given its "significant earnings momentum".
Broker tips: Lookers, Ted Baker, Hargreaves Lansdown, Dunelm
Lookers' valuation looks "extreme", Liberum said on Wednesday, a day after the car dealership's shares tanked on news of a Financial Conduct Authority investigation into its sales processes.
Broker tips: William Hill, Asos
William Hill got a boost on Tuesday as Morgan Stanley said it was set to benefit from US casino owner Eldorado Resorts' merger with Caesars Entertainment.
Broker tips: Carnival, Petra Diamonds, Melrose Industries, BT, Vodafone, Entertainment One
Barclays has cut its recommendation for cruise operator Carnival over concerns earnings will continue to suffer from weak European demand.
Broker tips: Berkeley Group, Rolls Royce, Ocado
Analysts at Berenberg hiked their target price of Berkeley Group from 3,280p to 3,480p, complimenting the strength of the property developer's balance sheet and its ability to deliver strong results in a "soggy" sales market, but told clients there were better pickings to be had elsewhere.
Broker tips: Vodafone, Berkeley Group, Halma
Analysts at Berenberg trimmed their target price for Vodafone's shares but reiterated their 'buy' recommendation, telling clients they spied 'greenshoots' in Italy and Spain and scope for a reduction in the telco carrier's leverage.
Broker tips: Just Group, Royal Dutch Shell, Tesco
Barclays reiterated its choice of Royal Dutch Shell as its 'top pick' in the the European Integrated Oil and Refinancing space, labelling the 9%-plus dividend and buyback yield on which Shell shares were trading "attractive" and reiterating its 3,250. 0p target price.
Broker tips: Experian, London Derwent, InterContinental Hotels, Acacia Mining
Credit Suisse downgraded its stance on credit-checking firm Experian to 'neutral from 'outperform' on Tuesday and removed the stock from its focus list, as it said the current price is reflecting the growth potential of the business.
Broker tips: Hargreaves Lansdown, British American Tobacco
Peel Hunt has reiterated its 'hold' recommendation on Hargreaves Lansdown, despite the pressure heaped on the blue-chip firm after Woodford Investment Management gated its flagship fund.
Broker tips: AO World, 3i, Ferguson, Tyman
Shore Capital upgraded its stance on AO World to 'hold' from 'sell' on Friday following recent share price declines.
Broker tips: Ferguson, Paragon
Jefferies reiterated its 'buy' recommendation for shares of Ferguson on Thursday, highlighting the company's better-than-average growth prospects, inexpensive valuation and the possibility of higher returns to shareholders.
Broker tips: Halma, Shell, Serco, Provident Financial
Analysts at Morgan Stanley raised their target price for Halma's shares on Wednesday but told clients that the current valuation they were sporting was "extreme".
Broker tips: Tesco, Ted Baker
UBS has upped its price target on Tesco, arguing that the supermarket chain is “fundamentally stronger" and that the market's ongoing scepticism is misplaced.
Broker tips: Vesuvius, Go-Ahead
Analysts at RBC Capital Markets upgraded engineered ceramics company Vesuvius from 'outperform' to 'top pick' on Monday, citing the upside to be had following recent weakness, supported by the company's self-help measures.
Broker tips: Royal Mail, Sage
Analysts at HSBC downgraded Royal Mail to 'hold' and cut their price target on the firm by almost a third on Friday, noting that its 2020 earnings before interest and taxes were likely to be lower than last year as positive earnings momentum was "some way off".
Broker tips: Mitchells & Butlers, Stobart, Ideagen
Mitchells & Butlers shares are "cheap as chips", Berenberg said on Thursday as it bumped up its stance on the stock to buy' from 'hold' and lifted the price target to 360p from 265p.
Broker tips: IMI, Lloyds, RBS, Barclays, CYBG, Metro Bank
Analysts at Goldman Sachs upgraded its recommendation for shares of flow control specialist IMI to 'buy' on Wednesday, citing margin improvements and industry consolidation.
Broker tips: Great Portland Estates, Serco
Goldman Sachs downgraded its stance on shares of Great Portland Estates to 'sell' from 'neutral' on Tuesday as it highlighted a weak market ahead.
Broker tips: Johnson Matthey, Britvic, Tesco
Analysts at Berenberg upped their target price on diversified chemicals outfit Johnson Matthey on Monday, noting that contrary to what the intraday share price reaction might lead one to believe, the group's 2019 results marked a pleasing continuation of a two-year-long pattern of "trusty delivery".