In an environment marked by intense global competition and industry disruption, successful mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are increasingly important to the growth and profitability of many companies.Yet research shows most mergers disappoint. Over the decades, multiple studies have shown that mergers and acquisitions fail to generate the anticipated synergies, and many actually destroy value inste

We have always liked Ashtead (AHT) as a business but the shares seemed to be on never-ending upward path, so when the opportunity arises - as it has this week - to buy shares on a rare setback, investors should seize the chance.Ashtead, which has an exceptional track record for dividend growth, rents a full range of more than a million pieces of construction and industrial equipment to a wide base

Shares fell nearly 12% to £46.15Downgrades 2024 profit estimatesFull-year depreciation charge of circa $2.1 billionShares in Ashtead (AHT) fell nearly 12% as the industrial equipment rental group said in a trading update that Hollywood strikes and ?fewer naturally occurring events? hit second quarter earnings.Over the past year, Ashtead shares have dropped 4%, however, it shares have ?failed to r

Stock prices in London opened mixed on Monday morning, making few moves in anticipation of UK fiscal announcements and US central bank minutes.The FTSE 100 index opened down 25.58 points, 0.3%, at 7,478.67. The FTSE 250 was up 5.81 points at 18,573.68, and the AIM All-Share was up 0.39 of a point, 0.1%, at 719.44The Cboe UK 100 was down 0.3% at 746.20, the Cboe UK 250 was slightly lower at 16,070.

If there is one thing investors can agree on, it is that the UK stock market is cheap.How cheap depends on who you ask, but the strategy team at Morgan Stanley believe the FTSE 100 is trading at a 35% discount to the MSCI World Index on a PE (price to earnings) basis.If inflation pressures continue to ease and the economy shows further signs of cooling, there is a fair chance the Bank of England m

Spin-offs, demergers and disposals are often good news for investors, although it's not often a firm sees its share price rise when it has to pay someone to take assets off its hands, especially when those assets were previously thought to be earnings positive.In the case of hospitality firm Restaurant Group (RTN), however, that is exactly what happened.The group, best known for its Wagamama chain

Jefferies analysts keep FY2024 outlook unchangedFall in UK revenue to £177 millionHollywood actors' strike impacts upon CanadaShares in Ashtead (AHT) fell over 5% to £51.84 in morning trading despite the construction equipment rental group reporting an 11% rise in adjusted pre-tax profits to $615 million for the first quarter ending 31 July 2023.Adjusted earnings per share increased by 14% to 10

Ashtead Technology revenue soarsFull-year results seen 'comfortably' above forecastsWood Group inks $330 million dealAshtead Technology (AT.:AIM), the offshore energy services firm spun out of construction equipment hire group Ashtead (AHT) in late 2021, seems to be following in the tracks of its parent company with its latest trading update.After a 57% jump in first-half revenue, the firm now exp

Construction equipment rental specialist Ashtead (AHT) has setitself quite a high bar when it comes to its first-quarter earnings report on 5 September.The firm has beaten revenue forecasts in nine out of the last 10 quarters. Moreover, the comparison with the same quarter last year is a tough one as rental revenue was up 26% to just over $2 billion and adjusted pre-tax profit was up 29% to $555 m

There are an increasing number of large firms which are thinking about changing their main share listing from the UK to the US or elsewhere, raising fears London is losing its importance.This article explains why companies are giving serious thought to this issue and who might be next to press the button.Irish building materials giant CRH (CRH) is the latest firm to decide to move its main listing

Share prices in London had given up early gains by midday on Tuesday as caution took hold ahead of a US inflation reading seen as influencing this week's Federal Reserve policy decision.The Federal Open Market Committee begins its two-day meeting on Tuesday, issuing an interest rate decision late Wednesday. The US consumer price index is due out at 1330 BST on Tuesday as the meeting gets underway.

Sales and earnings grow by over 20%Robust end markets support higher rental ratesFirm upbeat on its current-year prospectsIndustrial equipment hire firm Ashtead Group (AHT) delivered record revenue and earnings for the year to the end of April driven by what it described as 'robust' end-markets.Having rallied roughly 20% since the start of the second quarter, the shares eased 80p or 1.5% to £53.3

Will Ashtead continue to benefit from a US infrastructure boom?Tool hire firm reported its end-markets were 'robust with ongoing momentum' in MarchUS-focused construction equipment hire group Ashtead (AHT) is set to report its full-year results on 13 June with investors hoping for its recent strong performance to be sustained.In its third-quarter trading update in March, the company described its

Ashtead Technology (AT.:AIM) 370pGain to date: 48%We said to invest in sub-sea equipment provider Ashtead Technology (AT.:AIM) at 250p in October 2022, suggesting the company could emulate its former parent, tool hire firm Ashtead (AHT).While it remains some way off the delivering the sort of returns the latter has chalked up over the long-term, it has nonetheless rewarded our faith in spades, wit

For years, UK-listed technology and biotechnology companies moaned about how they could get a higher valuation if their shares traded on the US market. Some added a secondary listing, others ditched the UK completely and parked their shares across the Atlantic. It was a trend that bubbled away, but not a mainstream activity.That's now changing after several larger companies across non-tech sectors

AdmiralInvestors are hoping the insurer doesn't deliver the scale of bad news served up by Direct LineOver the past year, a nasty profit warning by Direct Line (DLG), the cancellation of its dividend and suspension of a share buyback programme have put the shivers into anyone holding shares in the general insurance sector. The company was hit by a rise in claims and an increase in costs associated

- Revenues continue to top estimates- 'Substantial structural growth opportunities' ahead- Company lifts outlook for second time this yearEquipment rental firm Ashtead (AHT) confirmed its reputation as one of the best-managed companies in the FTSE 100 with its latest results and another increase in full year guidance.The shares topped the list of large-cap movers with a gain of 3% to £51.84 again

As the US reporting season rolls on, what have we learnt so far about the domestic economy and the global outlook and what challenges are firms facing?We have already heard from the US banks that domestic consumers are bearing up despite higher food, energy and housing costs, and the economy is 'resilient' for the time being.CONSUMER STOCKS PAINT A MIXED PICTURECredit card issuer American Express

Many investors will be familiar with tool hire business Ashtead (AHT), the best performing FTSE 100 stock over the past 20 years with a 21,934% total return.Lesser known is subsea solutions business Ashtead Technology (AT.:AIM) which was spun out of the FTSE 100 group. It was sold to a management-led buyout backed by Phoenix Equity Partners in 2008 and last year floated on the UK stock market.Desp

There is no question this year has been an extraordinarily difficult one for many companies, who have had to cope with a sharp rise in both operating and financial costs as energy and labour prices have jumped and interest rates have gone up.It is therefore not such a surprise that FTSE 100 chief executives are leaving in record numbers, with over a dozen either having moved already this year or d