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Shares in instruments maker Judges Scientific rose on Wednesday after the company revealed that it is confident that adjusted earnings per share for the full year will exceed current market expectations. The current consensus EPS forecast is 63.4p. In a brief statement the company revealed that in the second half of the 2012 financial year, the group's businesses have generated satisfactory orders, sales and margins. It also said that the Global Digital Systems business that was acquired in March 2012 has traded in line with the board's estimates at the time of the acquisition. Broker Westhouse Securities said of the stock: "We have positioned Judges Scientific as a mini Halma/Spectris and today's upgrade indicates that there are good underlying businesses within the group which will be boosted by acquisitions."

UK Main Group: Investec raises target price from 290p to 300p, buy rating unchanged.

HAMILTON, Bermuda, October 24, 2012 - Signet Jewelers Ltd. (NYSE and LSE: SIG), the largest specialty retail jeweler in the US and UK, announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ultra Stores, Inc. from Crystal Financial LLC. and its other stockholders for approximately $57 million in cash. Signet will not assume any debt in connection with the acquisition. Founded in 1991, Ultra Stores is a leading jewelry retailer operating primarily in outlet centers, as well as licensed jewelry departments. "The addition of Ultra will immediately result in our having a significant share of the outlet channel for jewelry," said Michael W. Barnes, Chief Executive Officer of Signet Jewelers. "We had identified this rapidly growing channel as an opportunity to profitably increase our sales, enabling us to leverage our competitive strengths and add Ultra's expertise to our team. We believe that the resulting synergies will create a terrific win for our customers and investors." Ultra Stores' President & Chief Executive Officer Daniel Marks added, "We look forward to joining Signet and combining our expertise in the jewelry outlet channel with the market leader in the specialty retail jewelry segment".

Signet Jewelers: UBS raises target price from 3500p to 3700p, buy rating maintained.

Serco Group: Oriel Securities upgrades to hold with a target price of 500p

Paragon Group of Companies: UBS raises target price from 262p to 265p, buy recommendation reiterated. Jefferies raises target price from 260p to 290p, buy rating remains unchanged. RBC Capital Markets raises target price from 240p to 260p and dongrades to neutral.

Netcall: Merchant Securities raises target price from 33p to 35p, buy rating maintained.

MITIE Group: Oriel Securities reduces target price from 330p to 315p, add rating unchanged.

Land Securities Group: Morgan Stanley raises target price from 810p to 830p and upgrades to overweight.

Innovation Group: Investec raises target price from 24p to 30p, buy recommendation kept.

Informa Group: Credit Suisse reduces target price from 480p to 440p, outperform rating maintained.

Homeserve: Jefferies raises target price from 160p to 225p, hold recommendation unchanged. Numis raises target price from 176p to 260p, hold rating kept.

Hammerson: Morgan Stanley reduces target price from 530p to 500p and downgrades from overweight to equal weight.

Halma: Panmure Gordon cuts target price from 370p to 365p, sell recommendation kept.

Halfords Group: Investec raises target price from 355p to 360p, buy rating reiterated.

Direct Line: Morgan Stanley initiates with an overweight recommendation and a target price of 236p.

Chime Communications: Peel Hunt reduces target price from 255p to 240p, buy rating kept.

Carclo: Liberum Capital raises target price from 430p to 500, buy rating remains unchanged.

British Land: Morgan Stanley raises target price from 540p to 570p and upgrades to overweight. Jefferies raises target price from 554p to 561p, hold recommendation maintained.

Positive Points: The board summarised its first half performance as 'strong'. Management currently expects the company to meet analyst current full year forecasts. A net cash position of £21.5 million was achieved as of the end of September 2012 compared to a debt position of £145.3 million as of September 2011. Group net debt has reduced by over £550 million since 31 March 2009. Following the completion of a two year restructuring programme, a strategy to engender growth is now being followed. Defence products have and are being adopted in order to assist non-defence customers. The company previously agreed a deal to supply Royal Dutch Shell with monitoring equipment used in the natural gas fracking business. A progressive dividend policy is now being pursued. A 22% increase in the half year dividend payment was announced.