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A smaller sales decrease than expected boosts confidence in the pub operator by Dan Coatsworth It’s not often that analysts upgrade a stock when sales are falling, but in the case of pubs operator JD Wetherspoon, the City has reacted positively to news that trading in recent... READ MORE >>

by Simon Keane New recruit to broker Numis, Gujit Kambo, has made his mark by initiating coverage on nine asset managers. Kambo, who joined the broker six months ago from HSBC, says investors should give the sector a second look after a torrid few months. ‘There are opportunities out... READ MORE >>

Banknote printer De La Rue is expected to unveil a series of corporate changes at its full-year results later this month, potentially including a higher dividend and plans to return up to £4 a share to investors if it sells the cash systems... READ MORE >>

With its credibility torn to pieces after three downgrades in as many months you can’t blame Robert Sanders at Sigma Capital’s house broker Arbuthnot for playing it safe. Speaking after finals from Sigma last week, Sanders says: ‘I’ve kitchen sinked it as much as possible for the... READ MORE >>

Taking a knife to forecasts, Daniel Davies at Credit Suisse has slashed his target price on asset management group Schroders by a third. Formerly predicting £15.70 for the stock, his new target sits at just £10.50, a reaction to his view that Schroders will struggle in increasingly... READ MORE >>

A first-quarter trading update has sparked Andrew Saunders, analyst at Panmure Gordon, to reiterate his sell advice on Uniq, while also slashing his share price target by 20%. Uniq confirmed that sales had grown by only 0.8%, well below Saunders’ target of 2.9% for the year as a whole,... READ MORE >>

Motor insurer’s update receives mixed reactions with Numis’ Johnson concerned by the high valuation by Carlo Svaluto Morelo An update from motor insurer Admiral was met with mixed reactions by analysts. Having shed more light on near-term prospects, Andrew Crean of Citigroup... READ MORE >>

Motor insurer’s update receives mixed reactions with Numis’ Johnson concerned by the high valuation by Carlo Svaluto Morelo An update from motor insurer Admiral was met with mixed reactions by analysts. Having shed more light on near-term prospects, Andrew Crean of Citigroup... READ MORE >>

Dresdner Kleinwort analyst flummoxed by Smith & Nephew’s erratic form by Rachel Robson Whether it was a case of indecisiveness, or a hasty correction, Chris Donnellan of Dresdner Kleinwort has been chopping and changing his mind about Smith & Nephew, switching his... READ MORE >>

Analyst Scott Phillips foresees an end to the conditions that have powered the coal station’s shares by Carlo Svaluto Moreolo The operator of the UK’s largest coal-fired power plant Drax suffered three analyst downgrades last week, after a strong performance by the shares since... READ MORE >>

A $450 million deal to buy Russian motor business Musa has got analysts in upbeat mood on car distributor Inchcape. Tim Richmond, who follows the company closely at Arden Partners, was quick to fire out a buy note to clients due to the promise the acquisition offers. Musa is a... READ MORE >>

Both Royal Dutch Shell and BP surprised on the upside with their figures last week prompting some frantic activity among the analyst community. Recommendations were shifted and price targets increased virtually across the board. Edward Westlake, at Credit Suisse, upgraded BP to... READ MORE >>