Broker Recommendations
Broker tips: Howden Joinery, Tullow Oil, BP
Analysts at Berenberg upped their target price on kitchen outfitter Howden Joinery from 490p to 520p on Wednesday following the firm's "good" first-half results published during the preceding week.
Broker tips: BP, Hiscox
Analysts at Morgan Stanley reiterated their 'overweight' recommendation for shares of BP on Tuesday, pointing to its sustained organic free cash flow generation, likely fall in gearing going forwards, scheduled divestments most of which still lay ahead and "significant" remaining leeway for share buybacks in the second half of 2019.
Broker tips: Just Eat, Aveva, Cobham
Analysts at Canaccord Genuity upgraded Just Eat to 'buy' on Monday following an announcement that the group and Takeaway. com had reached an agreement in principle for an all-share merger.
Broker tips: Victrex, Howden Joinery
Berenberg lowered its target price on speciality chemicals outfit Victrex from 2,250p to 2,200p on Friday, stating the group's "cautious" third-quarter sales update brought it "one step closer" to the end of the downgrade cycle, but adding that it was "not there yet".
Broker tips: Informa, Drax
Analysts at Berenberg downgraded events and publishing company Informa to 'hold' from 'buy' on Thursday, pointing to strong movements in the group's share price, on its recent results and over the last few weeks in general.
Broker tips: HSBC, Oakley Capital
Analysts at Jefferies downgraded HSBC to 'hold' on Wednesday, stating the bank needs to find "a new narrative" as past rate hikes had not transmitted through to margin improvement.
Broker tips: Whitbread, Scapa
Premier Inn owner Whitbread was under the cosh on Tuesday as Bernstein downgraded the stock to 'underperform' from 'market perform', pointing to a return to a fundamental-led performance following the recent cash return.
Broker tips: Asos, Tui
Analysts at JP Morgan Cazenove downgraded shares of fashion retailer Asos to 'neutral' from 'overweight' on Monday following the group's profit warning last week.
Broker tips: EasyJet, Beazley
Analysts at Berenberg upped their target price on low-cost carrier EasyJet from 1,120p to 1,150p on Friday, noting that momentum appeared to have improved earlier than they expected.
Broker tips: Hochschild, Polymetal, Rolls Royce, Ultra Electronics, Burberry
Analysts at Berenberg initiated coverage on precious metals producers Hochschild Mining and Polymetal on Wednesday.
Broker tips: Lloyds, ITV, Aston Martin
JPMorgan Cazenove has downgraded Lloyds Banking Group, warning that Brexit is weighing on the wider UK banking sector.
Broker tips: British American Tobacco, Sophos, Hastings Group
Morgan Stanley has backed the household, personal care and cosmetics sector – but sounded a note of warning about tobacco companies.
Broker tips: Barratt Developments, Sumo Games, PageGroup
Analysts at Morgan Stanley bumped up their target price for shares of Barratt Developments from 625p to 675p, following what they termed a "robust" full-year trading update and inexpensive valuation relative to peers, but remained a tad more cautious than the company when looking out to the medium-term.
Broker tips: Hiscox, Beazley, Lancashire, Mercia, Cineworld, Inchcape
Canaccord Genuity cut its stance on Hiscox, Beazley and Lancashire on Monday as it took a look at the UK insurance sector and said first-quarter commentary points to more challenges.
Broker tips: Spectris, Wood Group, Standard Life Aberdeen
Bank of America Merrill Lynch downgraded its stance on shares of Spectris to 'underperform' from 'buy' on Friday, cutting the price target to 2,700p from 2,900p as it pointed to a loss of momentum.
Broker tips: Persimmon, Vodafone, Associated British Foods
UBS and Peel Hunt have maintained their recommendations on Persimmon, as the housebuilder looks to improve its battered reputation.
Broker tips: Just Eat, Sophos
Just Eat got a boost on Wednesday as RBC Capital Markets reiterated its 'top pick' on the stock, saying the shares should re-rate from here.
Broker tips: Croda, InterContinental Hotels, Sirius Minerals, Centamin
Croda International was under the cosh on Tuesday as UBS downgraded its stance on the shares to 'neutral' from 'buy', as it argued that the stock's multiple was now fair and 2019 growth is likely to be weighted to the second half.
Broker tips: AB Dynamics, Hurricane Energy
In Liberum's eyes, the acquisition of rFpro, a developer and provider of simulation software, for an initial cash consideration of £18. 1m and £3. 5m contingent was an "excellent strategic acquisition" for AB Dynamics, which designs, manufactures and supplies advanced testing systems.