Equities

Next plc is a top turnaround opportunity

Next plc is a top turnaround opportunity

5 mins. to read

This week has been a cruel one for Next plc (LON:NXT). It has seen its share price fall by around 17% following the release of a profit warning. In my view, the downgrade in profit expectations for the 2017 financial year was hardly surprising. After all, the company had warned that 2016 ‘may be the…

There’s more to come from the miners in 2017

There’s more to come from the miners in 2017

8 mins. to read

The recovery in mining stocks took many by surprise in 2016. However, despite the renaissance, there is still a heavy weight of opinion against the mining sector. With this in mind, the contrarian in me is optimistic for continued outperformance in 2017. I know my writing here is too intermittent to update readers on investment…

Why 2017 could be BP’s year

Why 2017 could be BP’s year

5 mins. to read

BP is entering a new phase in its history, with it having drawn a line under the costly oil spill of 2010. Its valuation and yield have appeal in my view within a sector that remains generally undervalued. Therefore, I feel that now is the right time to buy BP and that 2017 could be…

Our Picks for 2017

Our Picks for 2017

14 mins. to read

Happy New Year! As if 2016 wasn’t tumultuous enough, 2017 promises to hold many more surprises. Here’s a selection of our best ideas from some of our favourite commentators…  Alphabet Inc. (Google) – Victor Hill During 2016 I wrote more about Alphabet/Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) than any other company. Reading around, I came to understand that Google…

Gastronomic nationalism gives investors food for thought

Gastronomic nationalism gives investors food for thought

8 mins. to read

In the January edition of the MI magazine I’m going to be talking about food. Specifically: why global agribusiness is likely to step centre-stage in the next decade. Basically there are two main reasons. Firstly, the world’s population is growing faster than crop yields are rising. Secondly, we are running out of new agricultural land…

Neil Woodford’s secrets to success

Neil Woodford’s secrets to success

1 mins. to read

We do not focus on short-term performance issues; we focus on the valuation of fundamentals. Our disciplined approach guides us, we believe, to the best opportunities in the stock market and we are very patient investors. We expect our performance to improve when the market begins again to focus, as it inevitably will, on valuation.…

BT’s appeal has been boosted by Brexit

BT’s appeal has been boosted by Brexit

5 mins. to read

Perhaps the main effect of Brexit thus far has been a weakening of sterling. This is set to cause a rise in inflation as imports become increasingly expensive. Although the Bank of England remains dovish, a tighter monetary policy stance may become necessary as the price level rises at a faster pace and weaker sterling…

The hunt for a growing dividend leads to RSA Insurance

The hunt for a growing dividend leads to RSA Insurance

4 mins. to read

2017 could be the year that dividend growth becomes the most important aspect of income investing. In 2016 and recent years, low levels of inflation have meant that investors focused on higher yielding stocks. While this was enough when inflation has been at or near zero, a faster rising price level could mean that the…

Three small caps punching above their weight in M&A

Three small caps punching above their weight in M&A

1 mins. to read

There are generally considered to be two ways in which companies can grow their earnings. The first, and most common for businesses both large and small, is organic growth – whereby a company expands its existing, or “internal”, operations via increasing sales, breaking into new markets or launching new products for example. Inorganic, or acquisitive…

Brexit makes me bearish on the Sainsbury’s growth plan

Brexit makes me bearish on the Sainsbury’s growth plan

4 mins. to read

Sainsbury’s (LON:SBRY) has a rather strange growth strategy, given the outlook for the UK economy. Its purchase of Home Retail Group mans that it is becoming less defensive and more cyclical at a time when real disposable incomes seem certain to come under pressure. A mix of higher inflation and uncertainty regarding the economic outlook…