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Costain Group (COST)

Sector:

Construction & Materials

Index:

FTSE Small Cap

Market Cap

£125.09m

Change Today

Price Up0.50p ()

Share Price

19.75p

Thursday's tips round-up: G4S, Communisis, Hargreaves Lansdown

Date: Thursday 28 Aug 2008

LONDON (ShareCast) - A cataclysmic recession would ruin an investment in G4S, but so it would also ruin punts elsewhere. In these tough economic times, it is much better to play safe and back a winner. Buy, says the Independent.

Communisis has been stripping out costs, so that even its declining businesses are building profits, and rebuilding the balance sheet, with debt reduced by two thirds over the first half of the year. So far, it's a story that the market has yet to fully appreciate. Buy, says the Telegraph.

Perhaps Hargreaves Lansdown would be a great candidate for investment once the economy is showing green shoots of revival – but not now. Yesterday, Mr Hargreaves suggested that the current Government's time in office would go down as the longest period of economic mismanagement in history. Buying shares in his company now would do the same for an individual's portfolio. Sell, recommends the Independent.

Costain’s battle-hardened investors have recently started to receive dividends for the first time in 15 years. The company may be about to repay their loyalty. New investors should tread cautiously until the future becomes more clear, says the Times.

Independent News & Media has long defied the problems in the newspaper sector because of its exposure to fast-growing economies such as Ireland, South Africa and Australia. With no obvious catalyst, a high valuation and weakening underlying economies, there is little reason to buy. Avoid, recommends the Times.

Last time the Telegraph’s Questor looked at James Fisher, it tipped them as a buy at 448p. With most brokers now holding price targets of at least 700p, it is a recommendation the column is happy to repeat.

Asos is in a prime position to benefit from the changing market dynamics and, as it heads into Christmas with a range of more than 10,000 products, overseas expansion is likely. Hold, says the Times.

At current levels, Petrofac shares trade on a forward multiple of around 15 times this year's earnings, which is similar to Wood Group. Questor would argue that that is about right and recommends holding at this price, says the Telegraph.

The Independent says Antofagasta is a hold.

Note 1: Prices and trades are provided by Digital Look Corporate Solutions and are delayed by at least 15 minutes.

Note 2: RiskGrade figures are provided by RiskMetrics.

 

Costain Group Market Data

Currency UK Pounds
Share Price 19.75p Price Up
Change Today +0.50p
52 Week High 28.50p
52 Week Low 18.75p
Volume 69,794
Shares Issued 633.37m
Market Cap £125.09m
Beta 0.63
RiskGrade 292

Performance Indicators

Compare performance with the sector and the market.
Find out more
Key: vs Market vs Sector
Value
64.08% below the market average64.08% below the market average64.08% below the market average64.08% below the market average64.08% below the market average
85.71% below the sector average85.71% below the sector average85.71% below the sector average85.71% below the sector average85.71% below the sector average
Price Trend
27.20% above the market average27.20% above the market average27.20% above the market average27.20% above the market average27.20% above the market average
50.00% above the sector average50.00% above the sector average50.00% above the sector average50.00% above the sector average50.00% above the sector average
Income
14.72% below the market average14.72% below the market average14.72% below the market average14.72% below the market average14.72% below the market average
55% below the sector average55% below the sector average55% below the sector average55% below the sector average55% below the sector average
Growth
15.16% below the market average15.16% below the market average15.16% below the market average15.16% below the market average15.16% below the market average
7.41% below the sector average7.41% below the sector average7.41% below the sector average7.41% below the sector average7.41% below the sector average
Price Chg 6m
43.57% above the market average43.57% above the market average43.57% above the market average43.57% above the market average43.57% above the market average
63.33% above the sector average63.33% above the sector average63.33% above the sector average63.33% above the sector average63.33% above the sector average
P/E
24.07% above the market average24.07% above the market average24.07% above the market average24.07% above the market average24.07% above the market average
20.83% below the sector average20.83% below the sector average20.83% below the sector average20.83% below the sector average20.83% below the sector average
PEG Not Available
Dividend Yield
63.68% below the market average63.68% below the market average63.68% below the market average63.68% below the market average63.68% below the market average
94.59% below the sector average94.59% below the sector average94.59% below the sector average94.59% below the sector average94.59% below the sector average
EPS Growth Not Available
Operating Margin
31.29% below the market average31.29% below the market average31.29% below the market average31.29% below the market average31.29% below the market average
60% below the sector average60% below the sector average60% below the sector average60% below the sector average60% below the sector average

What The Brokers Say

Strong Buy 2
Buy 1
Neutral 0
Sell 0
Strong Sell 1
Total 4
buy
Broker recommendations should not be taken as investment advice, and are provided by the authorised brokers listed on this page.

Costain Group Dividends

  Latest Previous
  Interim Final
Ex-Div 24-Sep-08 23-Apr-08
Paid 31-Oct-08 23-May-08
Amount 0.25p 0.50p

Trades for 01-Dec-2008

Time Volume / Share Price
16:35 9,386 @ 19.75p
15:44 15,000 @ 19.50p
15:44 15,000 @ 19.50p
15:34 864 @ 19.50p
15:34 9,971 @ 19.50p

Costain Group Key Personnel

CEO Andrew Wyllie
Finance Director Anthony Bickerstaff
Chair David Allvey

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