Member Info for mulledwine

Global industries are affected by global events – and catering group Compass revealed last week that the earthquake and tsunami in Japan will reduce operating profit by about £5m. However, forecast downgrades are not expected, as growth was relatively strong elsewhere. The shares are trading on a September 2011 earnings multiple of 14.4 and yielding 3.4%. This is at an unwarranted discount to French peer Sodexo, which is trading on a current-year multiple of 17.4 and yielding just 2.8%, claims the Sunday Telegraph. Compass shares were first tipped at 306¼p in the Telegraph on November 30 2008, as a defensive play in turbulent times. The shares are up 84% since then, compared with a FTSE 100 up 39%, but they are still a “buy”, the paper reckons.

zed - that is good because many in this racket just jump from pumped share to pumped share and have no idea of the opportunites out there. Some you win and some you lose. I actually find the research very stimulating , even if it only results in a small profit - its a a win. Good luck with your trading. ps ...you do have a few years on me but not too many !

ossamar - well it has bounced of that 400 mark - but it needs to consolidate that this week. Seymour Price have marked it down but Im not so sure that MTC is a sell at this level. It will be up against it but lets see how resilient it can be. I would like to buy in here but I will wait to see if it can emerge above 430 - if it does I may be persuaded to purchase a few. GL

Mothercare, up 5.3p to 405.3p. The baby products retailer issued a gloomy trading statement on Thursday, and yesterday Seymour Pierce downgraded its rating to sell, warning that it faces "real structural competitive pressures [which are]only likely to increase with Morrison buying Kiddicare."

John Lewis announced its latest weekly figures. The department store's sales were nearly 3.8 per cent below the same period a year ago, or 5.7 per cent without VAT, and Howard Archer, of IHS Global Insight, said the data was "particularly significant as John Lewis has been very much an out-performer in the retail sector."

zed - I reckon you will not have heard of half of the Companies I post on and probably never have researched any of them as much as I try to do - which is why I am able to earn a bob or two out of many many Companies.

silent mover - yes I agree this is a dark horse and one with ambition. Been in here before but not at present - however I think I need to change that soon. GL

Old Mutual rose 4.1p to 140.1p, the latter announcing that the planned sale of its US life unit to Harbinger had reached the next stage after being approved by regulators in Maryland.

The prospect of Victrex becoming a bid target was highlighted yesterday as positive broker comments helped the high-tech plastics company to surge up the mid-tier index. The Lancashire-based group was driven forwards 45p to 1,395p, with traders pointing to the decision by Goldman Sachs to name it as the broker's "top pick" in the mid-cap chemicals sector. Initiating coverage on Victrex with a "buy" recommendation and a target price of 1,830p, Goldman described it as an "attractive acquisition" target because of its "unique technology and customer relationships". Recommending the group toinvestors, the broker's analysts said it "presents an excellent opportunity to buy a consistently high-returning company", and they also praised its peers Croda and AZ Electronics, saying that all three "produce specialised products and operate in niche, high-growth markets with barriers to entry". The former put on 16p to 1,694p after the analysts said it was another company likely "to be the subject of merger and acquisition speculation", but AZ edged back 0.3p to 275.6p despite keeping its "buy" rating

The prospect of Victrex becoming a bid target was highlighted yesterday as positive broker comments helped the high-tech plastics company to surge up the mid-tier index. The Lancashire-based group was driven forwards 45p to 1,395p, with traders pointing to the decision by Goldman Sachs to name it as the broker's "top pick" in the mid-cap chemicals sector. Initiating coverage on Victrex with a "buy" recommendation and a target price of 1,830p, Goldman described it as an "attractive acquisition" target because of its "unique technology and customer relationships". Recommending the group toinvestors, the broker's analysts said it "presents an excellent opportunity to buy a consistently high-returning company", and they also praised its peers Croda and AZ Electronics, saying that all three "produce specialised products and operate in niche, high-growth markets with barriers to entry". The former put on 16p to 1,694p after the analysts said it was another company likely "to be the subject of merger and acquisition speculation", but AZ edged back 0.3p to 275.6p despite keeping its "buy" rating

The prospect of Victrex becoming a bid target was highlighted yesterday as positive broker comments helped the high-tech plastics company to surge up the mid-tier index. The Lancashire-based group was driven forwards 45p to 1,395p, with traders pointing to the decision by Goldman Sachs to name it as the broker's "top pick" in the mid-cap chemicals sector. Initiating coverage on Victrex with a "buy" recommendation and a target price of 1,830p, Goldman described it as an "attractive acquisition" target because of its "unique technology and customer relationships". Recommending the group toinvestors, the broker's analysts said it "presents an excellent opportunity to buy a consistently high-returning company", and they also praised its peers Croda and AZ Electronics, saying that all three "produce specialised products and operate in niche, high-growth markets with barriers to entry". The former put on 16p to 1,694p after the analysts said it was another company likely "to be the subject of merger and acquisition speculation", but AZ edged back 0.3p to 275.6p despite keeping its "buy" rating

The small-cap online gaming company 888 Holdings soared 6.75p to 50p after reports emerged that Ladbrokes – down 1.1p to 131.4p – is considering increasing its offer to more than 70p a share. The two revealed preliminary discussions were taking place last December, but updates on the progress of the talks have been scarce.

The pubs group Mitchells & Butlers crept forward 0.9p to 302.6p on suggestions that it should make a play for Spirit, the unit which Punch Taverns – 0.15p ahead at 77.2p – is planning to spin off. Nigel Parson, of Evolution Securities, said the demerger offers an "opportunity" for M&B to "grow earnings via acquisition or merger, find a new chief executive in the form of [Punch's] Ian Dyson and lead to the stock being re-rated."

The pubs group Mitchells & Butlers crept forward 0.9p to 302.6p on suggestions that it should make a play for Spirit, the unit which Punch Taverns – 0.15p ahead at 77.2p – is planning to spin off. Nigel Parson, of Evolution Securities, said the demerger offers an "opportunity" for M&B to "grow earnings via acquisition or merger, find a new chief executive in the form of [Punch's] Ian Dyson and lead to the stock being re-rated."

2nd April 2011 Analyst: Derren Nathan Email: derren.nathan@gecr.co.uk Tel: 0207 562 3371 Empresaria Group*: Finals - Buy at 58.5p with a target price of 85p

Week Ahead: M&S, BoE rate decision Date: Friday 01 Apr 2011 Retail giant Marks & Spencer brings out a fourth quarter trading update on Wednesday and broker Matrix Group is expecting like for like (LFL) sales of general merchandise (GM) to “fall out of bed” as the comparative figures are “ultra tough”. Unlike last year, “this quarter’s figures will not be boosted ... by the launch of the post-Christmas sale or by Easter. The figures may look grisly (we forecast -5.0% GM LFL, consensus is -6.2%), but the long-term story is healthier,” Matrix analyst Tom Gadsby says. “Food sales should have held up. We forecast +1.5% LFL vs consensus of 1.2%. Kantar food retail market share data suggest a fall off in the past few weeks. The timing of Easter is material in this fall, so the food-sales figures should rebound in Q1 2011/12, we believe,” Gadsby added.

polymers manufacturer Victrex (VCT) tradng update this week

interim management statements from IT solutions group Misys (MSY) next week

interim management statements from recruiter Hays next week

Adrian Yong, Chief Executive of CSF Group plc, commented: "The Board believes that the Group is well placed to take advantage of a number of exciting opportunities in our chosen markets and our core business segments of data centre rental and maintenance, and the design and fit-out. We remain well place to continue to drive the business forward both in terms of revenue generation and geographic expansion. I look forward to providing further details when we announce our preliminary results in July 2011."