Stockbroker tips from ShareCast

• Broker tips: Centrica, Standard Life, Aveva
  Mon 15 March 2010 13:04
  Expectations of strong growth in the UK and the US have prompted Nomura to raise its rating on British Gas owner Centrica to 370p from 340p.

• Broker snap: Aveva has cash for acquisition
  Mon 15 March 2010 13:01
  Friday's rise in the Baltic Dry index, which measures price changes in international shipping markets, has prompted Panmure Gordon to recalculate its numbers for engineering data and IT systems provider Aveva.

• Broker snap: Standard Life's yield looks well supported
  Mon 15 March 2010 12:50
  While not going so far as to rate the shares a 'buy', Charles Stanley thinks stock in Standard Life is worth accumulating at the right price after the life assurance giant's recent results topped expectations.

• Broker snap: UK and US to fuel Centrica growth
  Mon 15 March 2010 10:24
  Expectations of strong growth in the UK and the US have prompted Nomura to raise its rating on British Gas owner Centrica to 370p from 340p.

• Broker tips: Old Mutual, Home Retail, Connaught
  Fri 12 March 2010 13:15
  The strategy update from South African insurer Old Mutual has left Nomura Securities largely unmoved.

• Broker snap: Connaught undervalued
  Fri 12 March 2010 13:09
  Social housing firm Connaught has denied press speculation about a bid but Panmure Gordon is not surprised at the bid speculation as the 'business is attractive'.

• Broker snap: Mixed signals from Home Retail
  Fri 12 March 2010 12:55
  Homebase and Argos owner Home Retail Group 'posted a mixed but incrementally positive fourth quarter update' earlier this week, according to Numis Securities, but the broker thinks the group will be 'challenged to make progress in 2010/11.'

• Broker tips: Tullow, John Menzies, JD Wetherspoon
  Thu 11 March 2010 12:53
  Patience is a virtue, points out Morgan Stanley as it keeps its 'overweight' rating and 1,500p target price on oil explorer Tullow.

• Broker snap: John Menzies due re-rating
  Thu 11 March 2010 11:24
  Aviation and newspaper distributor John Menzies should be re-rated after getting debt to more acceptable levels and re-introducing the dividend, says JP Morgan.

• Broker snap: Good news to come at Tullow
  Thu 11 March 2010 11:23
  Patience is a virtue, points out Morgan Stanley as it keeps its 'overweight' rating and 1,500p target price on oil explorer Tullow.

• Broker snap: Wetherspoon rating too low says Panmure
  Thu 11 March 2010 11:22
  Pub owner JD Wetherspoon's interim results were 6% ahead of broker Panmure Gordon's forecasts, due to a lower net finance charge.

• Broker tips: Petrofac, Inmarsat, Shanks
  Wed 10 March 2010 12:46
  Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has mulled over the record numbers announced by oil and gas plant provider Petrofac and determined that they warrant an upgrade in the broker's rating of the stock.

• Broker snap: Inmarsat shares could pay off
  Wed 10 March 2010 11:05
  Nomura has raised its 2011-2012 earnings forecasts for Inmarsat after the satellite operator's strong fourth quarter results, though the upgrade was largely to reflect the strengthening of the US dollar against the pound.

• Broker snap: RBS upgrades Petrofac
  Wed 10 March 2010 11:04
  Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has mulled over the record numbers announced by oil and gas plant provider Petrofac and determined that they warrant an upgrade in the broker's rating of the stock.

• Broker snap: Goldman upgrades Shanks
  Wed 10 March 2010 10:51
  Goldman Sachs raised its rating on Shanks to 'buy' from 'neutral' after the waste group's shares fell following its abandonment of talks with private equity group Carlyle about a possible offer.

• Broker tips: Antofagasta, Tullett Prebon, Mears
  Tue 09 March 2010 13:09
  Shares in Chilean copper miner Antofagasta dipped on Tuesday after the earnings came in a tad below consensus and the dividend disappointed, but the company remains the 'best copper pure play stock' on the London Stock Exchange, according to Ambrian.

• Broker snap: Brokers queue up to praise Mears
  Tue 09 March 2010 13:07
  Results from social housing maintenance specialist Mears held few surprises, according to KBC Peel Hunt, but 'the outlook statement remains positive across the key operations,' the broker said.

• Broker snap: Antofagasta 'best pure copper play'
  Tue 09 March 2010 12:49
  Shares in Chilean copper miner Antofagasta dipped after the earnings came in a tad below consensus and the dividend disappointed, but the company remains the 'best copper pure play stock' on the London Stock Exchange, according to Ambrian.

• Broker snap: Tullett undervalued vs. peers
  Tue 09 March 2010 12:38
  Japanese broking house Nomura Securities remains a buyer of Tullett Prebon shares after the inter-dealer broker announced a solid set of results for 2009 this week.

• Broker tips: Astra, Intertek, Petrofac
  Mon 08 March 2010 13:08
  'Buy on weakness' is the recommendation of Panmure Gordon which remains a fan of AstraZeneca even after the company announced a disappointing trial result for its lung cancer treatment Recentin.

• Broker snap: Failure priced in at Astra
  Mon 08 March 2010 13:05
  'Buy on weakness' is the recommendation of Panmure Gordon which remains a fan of AstraZeneca even after the company announced a disappointing trial result for its lung cancer treatment Recentin.

• Broker snap: Intertek price 'up with events'
  Mon 08 March 2010 12:52
  Results from Intertek were slightly ahead of expectations, according to Charles Stanley, which has a 'hold' recommendation on the product quality and safety tester.

• Broker snap: Petrofac demerger clouds picture
  Mon 08 March 2010 12:44
  Petrofac was the best performing blue-chip stock on Monday morning after the oil fabrications giant reported results that were ahead of expectations.

• Broker tips: Michael Page, Amec, Wood Group...
  Fri 05 March 2010 12:50
  Michael Page fell back Friday following a mixed response to an 85% slump in profits at the recruiter last year.

• Broker snap: Nomura still keen on Amec
  Fri 05 March 2010 12:07
  Nomura has cut its target price on engineer Amec but still prefers the stock over fellow engineering-focused company Wood Group.

• Broker snap: Results ahoy for shipping issues
  Fri 05 March 2010 12:00
  Last year was a difficult one for the shipping sector, hit by the recession, low freight rates and overcapacity, but Charles Stanley sees more optimism in 2010.

• Broker snap: Michael Page numbers split market
  Fri 05 March 2010 11:55
  Michael Page fell back Friday following a mixed response to an 85% slump in profits at the recruiter last year.

• Broker tips: Whitbread, Aviva, Rotork
  Thu 04 March 2010 12:38
  Andy Harrison, chief executive officer (CEO) of easyJet, should inherit a company in robust shape when he takes over as CEO of restaurants and hotels group Whitbread in late November.

• Broker snap: Whitbread builds momentum
  Thu 04 March 2010 12:24
  Andy Harrison, chief executive officer (CEO) of easyJet, should inherit a company in robust shape when he takes over as CEO of restaurants and hotels group Whitbread in late November.

• Broker snap: KBC Peel Hunt upgrades Rotork
  Thu 04 March 2010 12:22
  KBC Peel Hunt has taken Rotork off its sell list after the engineer's results earlier this week.

• Broker snap: Aviva preferred to Pru
  Thu 04 March 2010 11:45
  Panmure Gordon recommends that Prudential shareholders unnerved by the Pru's blockbuster deal to acquire AIG's Asian assets should switch into Aviva.

• Broker tips: Pru, Glaxo, Restaurant Group
  Wed 03 March 2010 13:05
  Prudential this week announced the "truly transformational" acquisition of American insurer AIG's Asian business (AIA) for $35.5bn, but Charles Stanley worries that the price tag "looks to be full".

• Broker snap: Restaurant Group on the menu
  Wed 03 March 2010 12:34
  Charles Stanley has added The Restaurant Group to its menu after the Frankie & Benny's restaurant chain's full year underlying profits came in 5% ahead of the broker's forecast.

• Broker snap: Glaxo backed ahead of asthma drug meet
  Wed 03 March 2010 12:23
  An independent clinical trial has identified GlaxoSmithKline's Advair as the best drug for kids with asthma when 'first-line' therapy fails, prompting Panmure Gordon to repeat its 'buy' stance.

• Broker snap: Rating cut for ambitious Pru
  Wed 03 March 2010 12:08
  Prudential this week announced the "truly transformational" acquisition of American insurer AIG's Asian business (AIA) for $35.5bn, but Charles Stanley worries that the price tag "looks to be full".

• Broker tips: Persimmon, Informa, Blacks Leisure
  Tue 02 March 2010 13:06
  The wheels have come off the Persimmon revival bandwagon this year with the stock coming down from its January peak of around 500p to dip below 400p at one point but they are back on the rise after Tuesday's results, with good cause, in Panmure Gordon's v

• Broker snap: Blacks no more than a 'hold'
  Tue 02 March 2010 13:02
  Charle Stanley is advising its clients to hold on to their Blacks Leisure Group shares while Sports Direct makes up its mind whether to make a cash offer for the camping and sportswear retailer.

• Broker snap: Persimmon's margins on the mend
  Tue 02 March 2010 11:57
  The wheels have come off the Persimmon revival bandwagon this year with the stock coming down from its January peak of around 500p to dip below 400p at one point but they are back on the rise after Tuesday's results, with good cause, in Panmure Gordon's v

• Broker snap: Stormer from Informa
  Tue 02 March 2010 11:22
  Full year results from business publisher Informa were well ahead of expectations, according to Panmure Gordon, raising the prospect of earnings upgrades for 2010.

• Broker tips: Lloyds Banking, Aviva, Michael Page
  Mon 01 March 2010 13:18
  Nomura Securities remains negative on Lloyds Banking despite regarding the recent results from the lender as 'incrementally positive'.

• Broker snap: Michael Page outlook statement eyed
  Mon 01 March 2010 12:05
  There'll be plenty of nerves ahead of final results from Michael Page on Friday as investors wait to see if the white collar recruiter did better than Hays in the last six months of 2009.

• Broker snap: Aviva is Panmure's top pick
  Mon 01 March 2010 12:04
  Aviva, the world's fifth largest insurer, isn't expected to reveal any surprises when 2009 results are published Thursday, says Panmure Gordon.

• Broker snap: Sell Lloyds into strength
  Mon 01 March 2010 12:04
  Nomura Securities remains negative on Lloyds Banking despite regarding the recent results from the lender as 'incrementally positive'.

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