Thursday tips round-up: Interserve, Inmarsat, Weir Group

These are busy times for Interserve. The group's support services side does work for a number of London boroughs and for the Metropolitan Police, including running the CCTV control centres at Croydon and Ealing. The shares, up 10.5% to 326½p yesterday, sell on a relatively inexpensive earnings multiple for the sector of less than eight, but a glance at the price graph suggest that immediate progress may be limited, the Times says.Inmarsat provides global mobile satellite communication services using a fleet of 11 owned and operated geo-stationary satellites. Inmarsat's diverse trading profile, with marine, air and military applications are showing considerable potential. The company remains a world class satellite operator with a solid management and strong strategic trading position. In these volatile markets, there could be some investing opportunities in the days ahead. Buy, says the Scotsman.The share price slump of almost a quarter in engineering group Weir shares at the height of recent doom was completely overdone. The shares are trading on a December 2011 earnings multiple of 14, falling to 12.5 next year. The prospective yield is 1.8%, but this is a story about growth. Buy, says the Telegraph.Yesterday was, on balance, not the greatest day for an urban regeneration specialist to announce progress on its two key London projects. The statement from Quintain Estates & Development contained some encouraging sentiment over the long-term prospects for the capital's property market, but there is no doubt that, in the nearer term, riots and stock market mayhem are negatives. In the light of current events it is hard to see sentiment in the market shifting soon. Hold, says the Times.Dragon Oil's main asset is the Cheleken field in the Caspian off Turkmenistan. A combination of 25% higher production and a 39% rise in realised oil prices allowed Dragon to report a 135% increase in operating profits to $407.3m in the first half to the end of June. The company needs to do a deal with the Turkmenistan authorities to take the gas from the field, it needs a further agreement to allow the gas to be exported once the world price has improved and needs to find a diversified investment for the $1.4bn of cash reserves it has built up from the proceeds of Cheleken. Investors may need patience yet, says the Times.Vodafone's shareholders were cheered a few weeks ago by news of the long-awaited dividend from its US joint venture Verizon Wireless. The company's $4.5bn (£2.8bn) share answered some of the six years' worth of questions over the future of the venture. Vodafone has been knocked into shape in the past few years. Citi analysts predict a dividend yield of 9% for the next financial year, which is not to be scoffed at, particularly in light of the prevailing market turmoil. There is also the valuation, which, at 9.9 times forward earnings for next year, is hardly pricey. Buy, says the Independent. Suddenly, Sportingbet is the belle of the ball, but will its flirtation with Ladbrokes lead to a marriage? Sportingbet may struggle without a partner such as Ladbrokes, not least because the environment, from a regulatory and taxation standpoint, is set to favour the bigger firms in the long run. So, despite the takeover talks, there is still no good reason to be in these shares. Avoid, says the Independent.Investors piled into French Connection yesterday after it delivered an upbeat update on trading for the six months to 31 July. The retailer said its profit for the first half will be "in line" with management expectations, adding that it had delivered net cash of £30.5m, which was ahead of expectations, and that its 2011 winter wholesale orders are ahead of last year. This company is doing well, but the high street, and the consumer, in general is struggling, arguing against a buy view, says the Independent.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.---RG