Shares digital

by Susanna Twidale A potential bidding war, sparked by some hostile takeover moves from WPP has led analysts to increase their target prices for market research agency Taylor Nelson Sofres. Even though WPP’s initial bid, valuing the company at 230p a share was rejected in less than... READ MORE >>

by John Marshall David Stoddart of Altium has started coverage of music and books retailer HMV with a ‘hold’ recommendation in a move that betrays the firm’s unexciting medium-term prospects. Stoddart believes that HMV’s trading outlook in the short term is ... READ MORE >>

by Rachel Robson Following the news that unacceptable sales practices in Plus Orthopedics would cost Smith & Nephew around $100 million in lost sales this year, several brokers have been slashing their forecasts and recommendations. Hans Bostrom at Goldman Sachs has cut his... READ MORE >>

Bumper well appraisal sees analyst community in positive and upbeat mood by Tom Sieber A successful appraisal well on the Jubilee field in Ghana lit a match under Tullow’s share price and had the analyst community scrambling around to keep... READ MORE >>

by Tom Sieber It is not a question of if, but when Barclays makes its cash call, according to James Invine from Dresdner Kleinwort. In the wake of the billion pound rights issues proposed by both Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS, speculation has turned to Barclays. Downgrading the... READ MORE >>

by Dan Coatsworth A profit warning over a bumpy transition of airport contracts by sports car competition organiser Best of the Best has prompted house broker Charles Stanley to downgrade the stock from ‘buy’ to... READ MORE >>

Analysts foresee hard times for property companies as confidence drains from the capital by Rachel Robson Martin Allen of broker Morgan Stanley has lowered his recommendations for Land Securities, British Land and Brixton from overweight to underweight, adopting a more cautious view... READ MORE >>

by Carlo Svaluto Moreolo WH Ireland analyst Keith Ashworth-Lord initiated coverage of James Halstead, the Aim-listed flooring specialist, with a ‘buy’ recommendation last week. Ashworth-Lord assumes the company will grow in mid-single digits over a ten-year horizon,... READ MORE >>

by Carlo Svaluto Moreolo Margins at PV Crystalox Solar, the FTSE 250-listed supplier of multicrystalline silicon solar ingots, will stay strong this year, says Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander analyst Alexander Ivanovitch. He has raised its target price for the shares from 164p to... READ MORE >>

by Dan Coatsworth News that Enterprise Inns has received approval from the tax man that it can covert to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) gave analysts a reason to become more optimistic about pub operators. Nigel Parson and his team of leisure analysts at Evolution are... READ MORE >>