PWS.L Share News (PWS)

When Tidjane Thiam faced shareholders at Prudential's annual meeting last June, few would have wagered on him still being the company's chief executive nine months later, as resentment over the company's failed $35.5bn (£21.8bn) deal for AIA intensified. Mr Thiam seemed focused on the future yesterday as Prudential reported a 33% jump in full-year profits to £2.07bn. But Telegraph believes there are more attractive alternatives in the sector such as Aviva, with Prudential's share price already reflecting most of company's strengths.Ignore the market, which sucked 3.2% out of Tullow Oil's value yesterday largely because of election-related delays to the company's long-running tax dispute in Uganda. Leaving the froth aside, the annual results for 2010 published by the FTSE 100-listed oil prospector showed strong progress. "There are plenty of drilling announcements to keep investors excited. If further exploration success continues, it could drive the share price closer to its £18 net asset per share value," Mr Shepherd concluded. The Independent agrees.Restaurant Group, which owns cheap but cheerful chains such as Frankie & Benny's, Chiquito and Garfunkel's, performed best in the North East, followed by the equally depressed South West in 2010. Profits before tax were up 12 per cent to £56m. A final dividend of 9p makes a total 12.5% higher. The shares, 9% higher at 306p, now trade on about 14 times' this year's earnings. About high enough, in the opinion of the Times..Lookers, the company behind more than a hundred franchise car dealerships, boasted a record trading performance in 2010, driven by a barnstorming performance from its automotive parts business. Lookers only trades on a forward earnings multiple of 9.7. The Independent thinks Lookers' shares are undervalued.Its strategy of buying struggling engineering businesses, turning them around and then selling them off has worked wonders for Melrose, with its share price increasing more than fourfold in two years. Melrose has certainly had a strong run, yet it looks fairly cheap. Further updates on disposals or acquisitions should drive the share price, so it could well be worth buying in advance, says the Independent. Figures for 2010 from Yule Catto are fairly irrelevant, as the speciality chemicals maker almost doubled in size in December with the proposed purchase for £376m of PolymerLatex (PL). What was worrying analysts yesterday was rising raw materials prices. The shares, off 8 per cent to 209p, sell on about ten times this year's adjusted earnings. Given the uncertainties, no reason to chase, says the Times.Sports Direct, the sportswear retailer owned by tracksuit-entrepreneur Mike Ashley had two bits of good news to tell the market yesterday. Firstly the retailer successfully refinanced its banking arrangements in a three-year unsecured facility. It also said that the Serious Fraud Office is not looking into individuals connected to the company in relation to past dealings between Sports Direct and rival chain JJB Sports. The 'pile it high sell it cheap' stores might not be to everyone's taste but the shares are worth tucking away. Buy, says the Telegraph.Pinewood is probably a 12 rather than PG when using film classification as a metric to assess risk. The shares of the studio behind some of the Harry Potter films have been as up and down in the past five years as the young wizard in a game of Quidditch. Relying on Hollywood is always going to bring its risks, but there are some clear benefits to Pinewood. To start with, the group is now as much about television studios as it is film studios.Please note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only as not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information.