Experian is seeing less mortgage approval work, but personal credit checking as well as overseas operations are going through the roof.
Even so, the stock is down from a year high of 631p, and with the general financial situation looking pretty bleak it is difficult to see how the shares can bounce back to those levels. Hold says the Independent.
Newspaper distributor Dawson operates in a sector that is feeling the pinch. The group is also losing £70m of business from News International from next year, although the frim insists an extension would have done nothing for margins. Investors should take confidence from the group's performance, but should remain wary. Hold says the Independent.
Photo-Me has been a basket case in the past 12 months. Thierry Barel, the new chief executive, insists he is the man to turn the group around but this is going to take some time to implement.Any new buyers need an awful lot more reassurance the group has been turned around. Sell says the Independent.
The key issue is whether Photo-Me is in slow, permanent decline. It does not look good, but sales did hold up and the company generated £23m in cash from operations in difficult circumstances. There could be a viable business there and Mr Barel deserves his opportunity but it will be a long road back. It may be one best travelled with the stock off the market adds the FT.
Recruitment group Hays’s expanded overseas business – up to 44% of fees from 16% five years ago – should provide a partial buffer to a slowing UK, especially given the steady shift in continental Europe towards using agencies to find staff. At less than seven times forward earnings, and yielding more than 7%, Hays looks cheap, but not cheap enough given the risk of downgrades. Sell says the Times.
A gloomy trading update from Marriott International, the US hotel operator, hit the shares of InterContinental Hotels Group. But there is also a positive read-through from Marriott’s strong growth outside the US. Hoteliers are in for a bumpy ride, but IHG has a more robust business model than most. Hold says the Times.
Hospital admin software group Craneware's allure is that it is one of two suppliers to a market driven by a legislative change that requires US states to ensure correct Medicare payments to healthcare providers by 2010. With most US hospitals still manually raising bills and settling invoices, that market is forecast to grow at around 30% a year for the foreseeable future. However, at 212½p, or 34 times forward earnings, prospective buyers should sit tight for now. Hold say the Times.
Yesterday's trading statement showed that while times are tough for the whole building sector, insulation materials supplier SIG has been unfairly lumped with peers for whom the position is far worse.n less than six times 2008 earnings, the shares trade well below historic valuations, and the yield of 7.5pc looks safe, given that the dividend is 2.5 times covered. It may be too early to call the bottom and cautious investors should refrain from buying in, but existing investors should hold on for the recovery, whenever it comes.Hold says the Telegraph.
Oil group Salamander Energy's production and profitability set to take off in 2009, and with strong support from the analyst community, the stock appears to be good value.Buy says the Telegraph.
Primark's flat like-for-like sales for the quarter, hardly a poor performance given what is happening elsewhere on the high street, should leave comparable sales up 2 or 3% for the full year, and expansion is rapid. Meanwhile, nearly every other part of AB Foods is performing strongly and the EU sugar business should be on an even keel again from October. Pre-tax profits are expected to reach £630m this year. The p/e is 13.6, which looks good value for a defensive stock in these markets says the FT.
Man's funds are not just avoiding losses, unlike the industry average, they are giving investors positive returns. Not surprisingly, this is attracting new cash from clients. For Man shareholders this looks great, with Dresdner Kleinwort estimating Man has already locked in $500m to $600m of performance fees. Investors delighted about the figures can also look to the group's war chest of $1.5bn or so as a protection against weakness - cash that could come in handy if AHL, Man's biggest fund, takes another of its occasional dives says the FT.
Please note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only as not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information.
-0.50p
