Full-year growth ahead of guidance Dividend hiked by 5.1% Planned separation on track Engineering group Smiths (SMIN) reported a strong full-year performance ahead of twice-raised growth guidance and operating profit margin expansion to the top of the range. The shares jumped as much as 5% in early trading to £25.46, marking a new all-time high, before slipping into negative territory by 10p...

Detection and Interconnect for saleFocus on John Crane and Flex-TekBuyback increased to £500 millionFTSE 100 engineering firm Smiths Group (SMIN) surprised the market in a good way this morning with the news it was planning 'a number of strategic actions to unlock significant value and enhance returns to shareholders'.The shares jumped as much as 323p or 17% to a new life-high of £21.88...

Stocks in London struggled for direction at the close on Wednesday, following a CPI print from the US, and amid general uncertainty in Europe.The FTSE 100 index rose 4.56 points, 0.1%, at 8,030.33. The FTSE 250 closed down 68.59 points, 0.3%, at 20,359.21. The AIM All-Share fell 1.57 points, 0.2%, at 729.29.The Cboe UK 100 climbed 0.2% at 807.56, the Cboe UK 250 retreated 0.4% at 17,791.49 and...

Missed on core profit and marginsStock slumps 8% to six-week lowPreviously faced break-up callsThere is 'panic on the streets of London' as Smiths (SMIN) missed headline profit and margin targets. While there were some pluses in the engineering outfit's annual results to end July, it is difficult to dress up the fact that headline profit was limp.The share price tanked 8% to £16.84, a...

Tobacco and alcohol firms lead UK rankingsAI machine analyses more than 10,000 data pointsProduces probabilities, not certaintiesTobacco and alcohol producers feature among the best UK stocks to buy in July, according to Danelfin's proprietary artificial intelligence stock picking engine. Imperial Brands (IMB) and Diageo (DGE), behind the Lambert & Butler, Rizla and Johnny Walker brands, stand...

Targeting largely defensive and highly regulated niches, Smiths Group (SMIN) has created a virtuous circle of high barriers to entry and increasing market share. Better still, it is in the middle of a transformation capable of adding millions in value for shareholders.Smiths' calls itself a 'pioneer of progress' with a diverse portfolio of engineering operations with safety at their heart....

- Record like-for-like revenue growth in first half- Medium-term growth target increased- Margins to grow in coming quartersFTSE 100 engineering firm Smiths Group (SMIN) delivered another quarter of higher revenues and earnings and lifted its medium-term underlying sales growth target.The shares gained 1.2% to £17.35 making Smiths the best-performing stock in the blue-chip benchmark, which...

- FTSE surpasses 2018 all-time high- Stocks riding under the radar- Dollar strength a tailwind for FTSEAfter posting its strongest start to a new year in close to a decade (up 6%), the FTSE 100 index surpassed its May 2018 all-time peak on Friday 3 February.Perhaps surprisingly, it isn't all about the biggest names driving returns although index heavyweight HSBC (HSBA) is up over a third since...

- Annual organic sales growth ahead of expectations- Earnings up 17.8%, beating expectations- Share buyback programme to finish in early 2023Industrial components company Smiths Group (SMIN) reported full year organic revenues up 3.8% to £2.56 billion, ahead of expectations, sending the shares up 4% to £15.31.The company said strong order books and leading market positions should support...

Special situation funds should, in theory, be busy making new investments in the current market environment. Their strategy includes finding unloved stocks which could either bounce back thanks to corporate self-help measures or the market eventually spots hidden value within a business which then attracts more buyers for the shares.Given how so many stocks have slumped in value this year -...

Industrial components maker Smiths Group (SMIN) said it was looking forward to its future as a more focused group with higher margins since selling off its medical division at the start of the year.The firm reported strong demand across most of its end markets in the first half of its current financial year, as well as the early repayment of some of its debt and the first tranche of its...

The FTSE 100 finished Monday's trading session 0.44% to the good at 7,255.46 points, with continuity-craving markets welcoming the White House's confirmation it will stick with Jay Powell as chairman of the US Federal Reserve.Also lending some support was speculation about private equity interest in several UK firms following the $12 billion bid for Telecom Italia; BT Group (BT.A) was bid up...

London's FTSE 100 was up modestly by midday on Monday, the blue chip benchmark gaining 0.1% to 7,231.69, but down on its highs for the day amid speculation about private equity interest in several UK firms following the $12 billion bid for Telecom Italia.BT Group (BT.A) was bid up 2.5% to 164.6p, while Vodafone (VOD) was up 1.6% to 115.4p.UK equity markets had started Monday's trading session...

UK equity markets started Monday's trading session on a positive note despite increasing concerns regarding the rapid rise in Covid-19 infections in Europe, where Austria has been forced to impose a lockdown on unvaccinated citizens.The blue chip FTSE 100 is 0.32% higher at 7,246.61 while mid-caps are also in vogue, the FTSE 250 adding 0.26% to 23,553.82.Germany and the Netherlands have also...

FTSE 100 constituent Smiths Group (SMIN) gained 4.1% to £14.19 on a positive set of full year results and confirmation it is offloading its medical arm.Essentially a conglomerate business with an engineering focus, Smiths had long resisted market pressure to break up the group.Today the company reported an 80% rise in underlying profit and upped its dividend, while confirming the sale of its...

UK stocks dropped at the open on Tuesday as the fuel crisis sweeping the country showed no signs of easing. To make matters worse, Brent crude oil prices surged to a three-year high over $80 per barrel, pushing up prices at the pump, and UK and European natural gas price hit new records.By 8.45am the FTSE 100 index was down 30 points or 0.4% to 7,035 points as weakness in miners and...

The FTSE 100 index encountered continued selling pressure during Wednesday's afternoon session closing 0.63% lower at 7104.50. The FTSE 250 index also ended the day down by 0.93% at 23,873.25.This was partly in response to comments from James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis who suggested the Fed would start tapering before the end of this year. All the major US...

On a largely uninspiring day for global equity markets, London's FTSE 100 ended modestly lower after trading broadly flat for much of the day.Sterling strength weighed on the overseas earnings dominated index, with the blue chip benchmark closing down 0.3% at 7,029.79, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 finished 0.2% lower at 22,438.90.Reopening names were in demand, among them the...

UK investors were in upbeat mood on Friday, helped by a rebound in US markets overnight after two days of losses, an encouraging retail sales report and a slew of positive company updates.At 8.30am the FTSE 100 index of leading stocks was up 60 points or 0.9% to 6,735 points, led by miners and consumer-facing 'recovery' stocks.Sterling was steady at $1.376 while Brent crude futures gained 1%...

Monday 9 November saw things change for investors as the surge of enthusiasm associated with finding a vaccine for Covid-19 buoyed markets. For the first time in many months the vast majority of my 30 shares rose markedly.This did not trigger a notable increase in buying and selling on my behalf. I reduced my investment in two funds but little else. It was pleasing though to see that half my...