It’s been a challenging first half of the year for investors with so many stocks falling in value. Our annual stock pick selection features a few bright spots, yet the portfolio is still in negative territory. We can only hope for a much better second-half, though the outlook is far from encouraging. Since we published the portfolio on 23 December 2021, we’ve seen a 14.5% loss versus a ...

The fact that Whitbread’s (WTB) share price fell when it said Alison Brittain would step down from her position as CEO implied that investors didn’t think now was a good time to rock the boat and bring in a new leader. Difficult economic conditions call for stability in leadership and a change at the top is a big deal, even if it’s been telegraphed, choreographed and planned down to the ...

-Shares fall 11% on broker downgrade -Business has defensive traits -Earnings expectations for 2023 are modest Shares in pet supplier Pets at Home (PETS) slumped 11% following a downgrade from market perform to underperform from broker RBC Capital Markets. The broker has lowered the share price target from 330p to 280p. A VALUATION ARGUMENT The principal argument for RBC’s ...

One of Shares’ stock picks for 2022, pet care business Pets at Home (PETS) proved a Covid winner as the retailer profited from the pandemic-induced pet ownership boom. But the shares have fallen sharply in 2022 on fears, as yet unfounded, that the Covid tailwind will abate and with Pets at Home tarred by the broader sector brush as investors fret over the impact of a consumer downturn on ...

The announcement that every household is to receive £400 off their energy bills in the autumn coupled with a comprehensive package of support for pensioners and those on benefits immediately resonated with investors and shares in retailers shot up. But the resurgence was short-lived, the consensus being there are just too many challenges facing the sector, with consumers on both sides of the ...

As 2022 began many investment experts were whistling a similar tune; that conditions still look good but the rip-roaring rallies powered by the reopening are history. Growth will ease. Returns will moderate. Risks abound—but so do opportunities. As we close in on the halfway stage of 2022 investors have the opportunity to reflect, and it’s a good bet that with the benefit of 20/20 ...

- Retailer posts resilient annual results - Raises dividend by 36% - Vows to remain competitive on price Shares in Pets at Home (PETS) bounded 9.1% higher to 306.2p to top the FTSE 250 after the UK pet care leader posted a better than expected 65.3% surge in annual underlying pre-tax profits to £144.7 million as it capitalised on the pet ownership boom. Drawing confidence from a ...

It is one thing for analysts to forecast which stocks and sectors will do well in a rising-rate or inflationary environment, but when it actually comes to pass it’s always fascinating to see what works in practice. Judging by the list of stocks making 12-month highs over the past week, those who favoured real assets were on the money. Standing tall are 3i Infrastructure (3IN), AEW UK REIT ...

Despite the best efforts of quite a few holdings, our ‘stocks for 2022’ portfolio is lagging the FTSE All-Share index since being launched in late December 2021. We’re up 2.4% versus a 3.2% gain from the benchmark. Nevertheless, to be in positive territory is a good achievement given how volatile the first three months of the year have been for stock markets, and the FTSE All-Share index ...

Already contending with red hot inflation, consumer-facing businesses are about to be severely buffeted by headwinds from another tick up in energy prices, higher National Insurance tax and rising interest rates putting pressure on family finances. Consumers may pull in their purse strings with further inflation-driven price hikes expected over the months ahead. Shares believes the ...

Female representation in British boardrooms became heathier this week as two women were appointed as chief executives at Taylor Wimpey (TW.) and Pets at Home (PETS). They join Roisin Currie who was unveiled as the new boss at Greggs (GRG) in January and who will succeed the long-serving Roger Whiteside in May. In one sense this is to be celebrated purely in the interests of equality and ...

Pets At Home (PETS) 407p Loss to date: 13% Original entry point: 467.6p, 22 December 2021 The year has got off to a good start for the team at the UK’s leading pet equipment and veterinary services group Pets At Home (PETS) with an increase in earnings guidance and a new chief executive set to take the hot seat. Yet the company’s shares are now 13% below where we recommended ...

Shares in Pets at Home (PETS) improved 1.1% to 412p as investors applauded the pet food-to-veterinary services group’s appointment of Lyssa McGowan as its new chief executive. McGowan joins from Sky UK, where she is chief customer officer, overseeing a consumer business serving more than 10 million customers and generating over $10 billion of revenues. The hand over from the well-regarded ...

UK stocks opened stronger on Monday and were continuing to hover just under multi-year highs touched in January, as investors looked past fears over hot inflation to focus on global recovery hopes. By 8:42 am, the FTSE 100 index was up 0.1% at 7,524.03 points, while the FTSE 250 traded 0.2% higher at 21,753.76. Miners were in demand, as an ongoing inflationary environment should be positive ...

Solid third quarter trading and another annual profit guidance upgrade from Pets at Home (PETS) went down well with investors on Wednesday following a turbulent start to 2022. Shares in the pets equipment and veterinary services supplier had fallen about 8.5% since the start of the year with investors reluctant to back growth stocks so far, but the stock rallied as much as 5% in early deals ...

Leading UK shares have shrugged-off concerns currently upsetting Wall Street as expectations grow that the Federal Reserve will act more swiftly than previously predicted to try and tame rampant inflation. At the same time, tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to grow, adding another volatile factor into the mix. At 9am, the benchmark FTSE 100 is close on 1.5% ahead at 7,479.13, not far ...

Pets at Home (PETS) is in an excellent position to take advantage of the opportunities created by an expanded pet population. It’s one of those stocks easily dismissed by some investors given that the share price has already been a strong performer. We view it as a great business with plenty of room to continue growing earnings and where the valuation is still reasonable. Unlike ...

Accsys Technologies Accsys (AXS:AIM) is a global leader in sustainable wood technology and sells its products into the construction and building materials industries in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia through timber distributors. Its Accoya wood product is both sustainable and high-performing, with a 50-year guarantee, which makes it an ideal replacement for ...

One of the key ingredients in the success or failure of a company is the quality of its management. When change at the top of a struggling company occurs, it can act as a catalyst for an underperforming business and trigger a share price boost, while the wrong CEO appointment has the potential to ruin a hitherto successful business and undo all the painstaking work of his or  her ...

UK stocks closed marginally higher on Tuesday despite most European markets sinking deep into the red and a weak opening on Wall Street. Investors seemed to put their faith in the UK's booster vaccination programme, while European Covid cases rise sharply leading to the re-imposition of government measures to curb the virus's spread. In the US, the re-appointment of Fed chairman Jerome ...