Broker Upgrades and Downgrades & Key UK Corporate Snapshots 18 August 2015

UK Broker Upgrades / Downgrades

 

 

Code Company Broker Recomm. From Recomm. To Price From Price To
Upgrades
ALD Allied Gold Mining Plc Nomura Buy Buy 280 320
BVS Bovis Homes Group Plc Deutsche Bank Buy Buy 1270 1352
PSON Pearson Plc Berenberg Sell Sell 1090 1100
WMH William Hill Plc Numis Securities Hold Buy
Downgrades
ANTO Antofagasta Plc Credit Suisse Neutral Neutral 710 640
BVS Bovis Homes Group Plc Liberum Capital Buy Hold
MRO Melrose Plc Credit Suisse Outperform Outperform 350 310
SRP Serco Group Plc Citigroup Neutral Neutral 142 121
SXS Spectris Plc Credit Suisse Outperform Outperform 2350 2210
TALK TalkTalk Telecom Group Plc Credit Suisse Outperform Outperform 425 400
VSVS Vesuvius Plc Credit Suisse Underperform Underperform 435 375
Initiate/Neutral/Unchanged
AAL Anglo American Plc Deutsche Bank Buy Buy
ADM Admiral Group Plc Barclays Capital Equal weight Equal weight
AZN AstraZeneca Plc JP Morgan Cazenove Neutral Neutral 4400 4400
AZN AstraZeneca Plc Credit Suisse Neutral Neutral 4320 4320
BG. BG Group Plc Citigroup Buy Buy 1263 1263
BLT BHP Billiton Plc Deutsche Bank Hold Hold
BP. BP Plc Citigroup Neutral Neutral 435 435
BTG BTG Plc JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight Overweight 1100 1100
BVS Bovis Homes Group Plc JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight Overweight
BVS Bovis Homes Group Plc Beaufort Securities Buy Buy
CLLN Carillion Plc Beaufort Securities Buy Buy
COST Costain Group Plc Beaufort Securities Buy Buy
CWC Cable & Wireless Communications Plc Deutsche Bank Hold Hold 53 53
GLEN Glencore Plc Deutsche Bank Hold Hold
GSK GlaxoSmithKline Plc JP Morgan Cazenove Underweight Underweight 1320 1320
GSK GlaxoSmithKline Plc Credit Suisse Underperform Underperform 1440 1440
HIK Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc Barclays Capital Overweight Overweight 2050 2050
HIK Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight Overweight 2500 2500
IAG International Consolidated Airlines Group SA Credit Suisse Outperform Outperform 750 750
IMT Imperial Tobacco Group Plc Deutsche Bank Buy Buy 4000 4000
NG. National Grid Plc Barclays Capital Overweight Overweight 960 960
OPHR Ophir Energy Plc Barclays Capital Overweight Overweight 160 160
PHNX Phoenix Group Holdings Barclays Capital Underweight Underweight
PMO Premier Oil Plc Barclays Capital Overweight Overweight 190 190
RDSA Royal Dutch Shell ‘A’ Citigroup Neutral Neutral 1975 1975
RDSB Royal Dutch Shell ‘B’ Citigroup Neutral Neutral 1975 1975
RIO Rio Tinto Plc Deutsche Bank Buy Buy
RSW Renishaw Plc Credit Suisse Neutral Neutral 2370 2370
S32 South32 Ltd Deutsche Bank Buy Buy 121 121
SHP Shire Plc JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight Overweight 6600 6600
TLW Tullow Oil Plc Barclays Capital Overweight Overweight 400 400

 

US Broker Upgrades / Downgrades

 

 

Code Company Broker Recomm. From Recomm. To Price From Price To
Upgrades
ABCO Advisory Board Robert W. Baird Neutral Outperform $55 $60
HSC Harsco KeyBanc Capital Markets Sector weight Overweight
IPHI Inphi Morgan Stanley Equal weight Overweight
JPM JPMorgan Chase & Co. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Market Perform Outperform $77 $77
KLXI KLX DA Davidson Neutral Buy $48 $48
MU Micron Technology Wells Fargo Underperform Market Perform
MG Mistras Group KeyBanc Capital Markets Sector weight Overweight
POL PolyOne Goldman Sachs Neutral Buy
PRI Primerica Jefferies Hold Buy $50 $50
SINA SINA T.H. Capital Hold Buy $62 $62
BANX StoneCastle Financial Robert W. Baird Neutral Outperform $21 $19
SUBCY Subsea 7 SA Citigroup Sell Neutral
SUM Summit Materials DA Davidson Neutral Buy $28 $32
UNT Unit Iberia Sector Perform Outperform
VMC Vulcan Materials DA Davidson Underperform Neutral $90 $106
WOSYY.PK Wolseley PLC Citigroup Neutral Buy
ZUMZ Zumiez Susquehanna Neutral Positive $29 $29
Downgrades
CSCO Cisco Systems Morgan Stanley Overweight Equal weight $30 $30
CPA Copa Holdings Cowen Outperform Market Perform $110 $60
CYT Cytec Industries Goldman Sachs Buy Neutral
FANG Diamondback Energy Iberia Outperform Sector Perform
MU Micron Technology Wedbush Outperform Neutral $26 $19
MU Micron Technology BofA Merrill Lynch Buy Neutral
PQ PetroQuest Energy Iberia Outperform Sector Perform
SN Sanchez Energy Iberia Outperform Sector Perform
SMLP Summit Midstream Partners Robert W. Baird Outperform Neutral $39 $26
WTI W&T Offshore Iberia Outperform Sector Perform
Initiated
BUFF Blue Buffalo Pet Products Citigroup Buy $33
BUFF Blue Buffalo Pet Products JP Morgan Overweight $32
BUFF Blue Buffalo Pet Products Wells Fargo Market Perform
CMC Commercial Metals Credit Agricole Buy $20
IMPR Imprivata Stifel Buy $24
IMPR Imprivata Barclays Overweight $28
KITE Kite Pharma Standpoint Research Buy $100
LOB Live Oak Bancshares Sun Trust Rbsn Humphrey Neutral $21
LOB Live Oak Bancshares Sandler O’Neill Hold $21
LOB Live Oak Bancshares Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Outperform $24
MWW Monster Worldwide Macquarie Outperform
NEOS Neos Therapeutics RBC Capital Markets Outperform $35
NEOS Neos Therapeutics JMP Securities Market Outperform $32

 

Key UK Corporate Snapshots Today

Akers Biosciences Inc. (AKR.L) Announced financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2015. Akers’ revenue for the six months ended June 30, 2015 totalled $1,476,970, a 42% decrease from the same period in 2014. For the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, the Company generated a net loss attributable to shareholders of $3,408,028 and $1,106,388, respectively. The company expects to continue to incur losses from operations for the near-term and these losses could be significant as it incur product development, clinical and regulatory activities, contract consulting and other product development and commercialization related expenses.

Alpha Real Trust Limited (ARTL.L) Announced, in its trading update for the period ended 30 June 2015, that the company has had a highly active period, with a new investment secured and capital recycling and asset management successes in the existing portfolio. NAV per ordinary share was 113.0p (113.2p: 31 March 2015), while adjusted earnings per share of 1.5p for the three months to 30 June 2015 (1.5p for three months to 30 June 2014). Meanwhile, dividend of 0.6p, for the quarter ended 30 June 2015, expected to be paid on 25 September 2015. Investment of £2.1 million for the purchase of Unity and Armouries, a central Birmingham development site with planning consent for 90,000 net developable square feet in 162 residential apartments with ground floor commercial units. The project has a potential gross development value in excess of £25 million. The new investment targets the increasing growth opportunities identified in the Private Rental Sector (“PRS”) residential market as a result of rising occupier demand and an undersupply of accommodation. H2O: as a result of asset management initiatives, including an improved tenant mix and physical upgrades undertaken by ART, the Madrid shopping centre attracted record visitor numbers in the first half of 2015. Amortisation of the ART loan to Europip; £0.8 million repaid following the sale of a non-core asset during the period. ART’s loan position has reduced from £4.3 million to £0.6 million since the date of loan extension in November 2014. Also, 93% of the company’s investment portfolio is in income producing investments in the UK and Europe. Additionally, income from core and non-core investments, both equity and high yield debt, continue to add to the company´s earnings position.

Amec Foster Wheeler Plc (AMFW.L) Announced that it has been awarded an extension to its current Project Management Consultancy (PMC) contract for the UZ750 project in the Upper Zakum (UZ) field which was given by Zakum Development Company (ZADCO). The value of the contract has not been disclosed. The company’s scope of work includes PMC Services to be delivered as part of an Integrated Project Management team. ZADCO will look into the contractors’ delivery of reimbursable Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) scopes of work, as well as commissioning and start-up support of the facilities. This work is scheduled to complete in December 2017.

APC Technology Group Plc (APC.L) Announced its trading update of 30 July 2015. APC stated that recent trading had been in line with expectations. The Board continues to expect that the three main operating divisions of Component Distribution, Water Hygiene and Minimise Energy will meet market revenue expectations for the full year and that the Distribution and Water divisions will meet profit expectations. However, following completion of a detailed project profit margin analysis it has become clear that margins achieved by Minimise Energy have been negatively impacted by excessive freight charges and other incremental costs incurred to meet delivery times on a number of recent contracts. In addition, the Board now expects the Minimise Generation business and the Minimise American business to miss the Board’s expectations for the full year. Minimise Generation was formed in January 2015 to serve the UK market and contracts have not yet materialised as anticipated. This is due largely to the uncertainty around government renewables policy and the knock-on effect this has had on the uptake of PV-T technology. A major contract, valued in excess of £1m, which has been active since January 2015, and was due to be delivered this year, has now been delayed. Business in the Americas is developing more slowly than previously expected, in part due to the short term fall in energy prices. Due to the above the Board expects that while the Group will be in-line with market expectations at the revenue line, underlying operating profit for 2015 will be below market expectations.

Avanti Comms Group (AVN.L) Announced the completion of financing for its HYLAS 4 satellite, in line with the previously announced financing plan. The company has successfully placed $125 million in Senior Secured Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”) under its existing indenture. The Notes will be issued at a small discount to the current trading price of the company’s existing notes and will have a coupon of 10%.

Cairn Energy Plc (CNE.L) Announced, in its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2015, that its operating loss stood at $50.0 million, compared to $125.2 million in the preceding period. Loss net of tax was $230.3 million compared to $62.1 million. The company’s loss per ordinary share was 40.35c, compared to 10.80c.

Cyprotex Plc (CRX.L) Announced, in its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2015, that its reported revenue stood at £6.9 million, compared to £5.4 million in the preceding period. Loss net of tax was £0.5 million compared to £0.4 million. The company’s diluted loss per share was 1.62p, compared to 1.80p.

Dekeloil Plc (DKL.L) Announced that it has been accepted as an approved supplier to the World Bank-backed Projet d’Appui au Secteur de l’Agriculture de Côte d’Ivoire project (PSAC), which aims to support and improve the palm oil industry in Côte d’Ivoire. PSAC is 70% financed by both the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) and 30% by the local Inter-professional Association of Oil-Palm Industry. Under the agreement, PSAC will subsidise 50% of the company’s costs associated with preparing nursery plants for sale to smallholders. The company has committed to allocating 140,000 plants grown at its state of the art nursery in Ayenouan in 2015 and 420,000 plants in 2016. All plants sold will be planted in the region where the company operates its producing palm oil project in Ayenouan, which complements the company’s strategy to increase production of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) for input into its 60tn/hr Mill. It is anticipated these smallholders will become new trading partners with the company as they come into FFB production in three years’ time.

Earthport Plc (EPO.L) Announced that it has the enhanced its global gateway by facilitating real-time cross-border payments through a distributed ledger protocol. The company has joined hands with Ripple Labs to enhance the system. There was considerable interest shown by the banks across the world in the power of the distributed ledger, but they had difficulty reconciling their compliance requirements with the technology. The company is trying to bridge the gap by allowing banks to maintain their current technology and compliance regimes, and also benefitting from such an enhanced new payment technology.

H&T Group Plc (HAT.L) Announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2015. Revenue fell to £40.8 million from £43.8 million reported in the same period a year ago. Profit before tax was up 30% to £2.6 million (H1 2014: £2.0 million). The directors have approved an interim dividend of 3.5p (2014 interim: 2.1p). This will be payable on 9 October 2015 to all shareholders on the register at the close of business on 11 September 2015. Current trading is in line with management’s expectations for 2015. Allowing for the recent reduction in gold price, the company currently expects the full year results to be broadly in line with current market expectations.

IS Solutions Plc (ISL.L) Announced that further to the circular published on 24 December 2014, in relation to the acquisition of Speed-Trap Holdings Limited, the company has now partially released Consideration Shares to be issued and allotted under the Claims Retention Fund. This has resulted in the issue of 1,161,442 ordinary shares of 2 pence each in the company in accordance with the terms of the SPA. The final balance of Consideration Shares to be released under the Claims Retention Fund (the Second Retention Fund) is expected to be issued by 31 August 2016, also in accordance with the terms of the SPA. Application will shortly be made to the London Stock Exchange for 1,161,442 Consideration Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that Admission will become effective at 8:00 a.m. on 24 August 2015. On Admission, the Enlarged Share Capital will be 36,583,020 Ordinary Shares, including 95,666 Ordinary Shares held in treasury. Consequently, the total voting rights of the Company will be 36,487,354. The above voting rights figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA’s Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

Marshall Motor Holdings Plc (MMH.L) Announced, in its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2015, that revenue stood at £632.48 million, compared to £545.38 million in the same period last year. Operating profit stood at £11.85 million, compared to £10.68 million. Profit after tax was £8.15 million, compared to £7.33 million. Diluted earnings per share stood at 19.3p, compared to 208.5p.

MX Oil Plc (MXO.L) Announced, in its update in Mexico, that it has been making considerable progress along with its Mexican partner Geo Estratos (“Geo”) with respect to its on-going Bid Round 1 Licensing round in order to secure its onshore conventional concessions as the Mexican energy sector is re-opening. The company currently is one of only 15 participating companies in Bid Round 1 which has completed the payment for the bidding inscription and is currently finalising information ahead of submission of the pre-qualification filing. A total of 25 Land Contract Areas in the states of Chiapas, Nuevo Leon, Tabasco, Tamaulipas and Veracruz will be awarded to companies that will satisfy the pre-qualification requirements and will ultimately win the subsequent tender process.

Persimmon Plc (PSN.L) Announced, in its half year results for the six months ended 30 June 2015, that revenue stood at £1,332.5 million, compared to £1,198.1 million in the same period last year. Operating profit stood at £269.5 million, compared to £208.5 million. Profit after tax was £237.0 million, compared to £163.2 million. Diluted earnings per share stood at 75.6p, compared to 53.4p.

Quindell Plc (QPP.L) Announced that Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) informed the company with respect to the investigation by the SFO into past business and accounting practices of the company that it has decided to discontinue its investigation with immediate effect.

Vernalis Plc (VER.L) Announced that Ms Lisa Amster Schoenberg has been appointed to the board as a Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 September 2015.

Vipera Plc (VIP.L) Announced that is has secured a repeat sale with the Government Savings Bank of Thailand (GSB) through its partner TNFIS, part of the T.N. Information Systems group, utilising the company’s digital financial services platform MOTIF, under license.

Wood Group (John) PLC (WG..L) Announced its half year results for the six months ended 30 June 2015. Total revenue was down 19.3% at $3,069.0 million (2014: $3,801.2) and Total EBITA down 7.4% at $225.9 million (2014: $243.9 million) against a backdrop of reduced activity throughout the oil services sector. Profit from continuing operations on an equity accounting basis before tax and exceptional items was down 14.3% at $156.3 million (2014: $182.4 million). The Board announced an interim dividend of 9.8 cents (2014: 8.9 cents) up 10.1%, in line with intention to increase the dividend per share by a double digit percentage from 2015 onwards. Outlook for 2015 overall remains unchanged and the company anticipates that full year performance will be in line with analyst consensus. Separately, the company announced that it has received a letter of award for a new five year, US$ multi-million contract with Shell, to provide services to four onshore oil fields in Gabon.

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