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National Express Group (NEX)

Sector:

Travel & Leisure

Index:

FTSE 250

Market Cap

£762.78m

Change Today

Price Down-47.50p ()

Share Price

499.00p

Broker snap: More bus use in downturn, JPM says

Date: Friday 19 Sep 2008

LONDON (ShareCast) - Expectations that the current economic turmoil will boost bus use prompted JP Morgan to raise its target prices on Arriva, National Express and Stagecoach.

Its target price on Arriva rises to 1,341p from 1,164p, on National Express to 1,341p from 1,164p and on Stagecoach to 295p from 261p.

JPM notes that Arriva, on which it keeps its ‘overweight’ rating, has the lowest rail exposure in the sector.

“We see the shares as the most defensive of the UK public transport operator group, with no London-orientated rail exposure,” the broker said.

It also keeps its ‘overweight’ recommendation on National Express, noting that it trades at a price/earnings ration below its peer group with above average earnings growth.

However, the broker is ‘underweight’ on Stagecoach, noting that it has higher rail exposure in the short term.

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.

 

NEX Market Data

Currency UK Pounds
Share Price 499.00p Price Down
Change Today -47.50p
52 Week High 1,259.00
52 Week Low 478.00
Volume 2,180,920
Shares Issued 152.86m
Market Cap £762.78m
Beta 0.69
RiskGrade 300

Performance Indicators

Compare performance with the sector and the market.
Find out more
Key: vs Market vs Sector
Value
24.64% below the market average24.64% below the market average24.64% below the market average24.64% below the market average24.64% below the market average
32.69% below the sector average32.69% below the sector average32.69% below the sector average32.69% below the sector average32.69% below the sector average
Price Trend
12.92% below the market average12.92% below the market average12.92% below the market average12.92% below the market average12.92% below the market average
7.14% below the sector average7.14% below the sector average7.14% below the sector average7.14% below the sector average7.14% below the sector average
Income
63.36% above the market average63.36% above the market average63.36% above the market average63.36% above the market average63.36% above the market average
56.86% above the sector average56.86% above the sector average56.86% above the sector average56.86% above the sector average56.86% above the sector average
Growth
39.65% below the market average39.65% below the market average39.65% below the market average39.65% below the market average39.65% below the market average
48% below the sector average48% below the sector average48% below the sector average48% below the sector average48% below the sector average
Price Chg 6m
6.53% below the market average6.53% below the market average6.53% below the market average6.53% below the market average6.53% below the market average
5.36% below the sector average5.36% below the sector average5.36% below the sector average5.36% below the sector average5.36% below the sector average
P/E
20.03% above the market average20.03% above the market average20.03% above the market average20.03% above the market average20.03% above the market average
11.43% above the sector average11.43% above the sector average11.43% above the sector average11.43% above the sector average11.43% above the sector average
PEG
39.08% below the market average39.08% below the market average39.08% below the market average39.08% below the market average39.08% below the market average
71.43% below the sector average71.43% below the sector average71.43% below the sector average71.43% below the sector average71.43% below the sector average
Dividend Yield
30.18% above the market average30.18% above the market average30.18% above the market average30.18% above the market average30.18% above the market average
53.85% above the sector average53.85% above the sector average53.85% above the sector average53.85% above the sector average53.85% above the sector average
EPS Growth
20.46% below the market average20.46% below the market average20.46% below the market average20.46% below the market average20.46% below the market average
34.43% below the sector average34.43% below the sector average34.43% below the sector average34.43% below the sector average34.43% below the sector average
Operating Margin
2.56% below the market average2.56% below the market average2.56% below the market average2.56% below the market average2.56% below the market average
3.85% below the sector average3.85% below the sector average3.85% below the sector average3.85% below the sector average3.85% below the sector average

What The Brokers Say

Strong Buy 5
Buy 0
Neutral 4
Sell 0
Strong Sell 0
Total 9
buy
Broker recommendations should not be taken as investment advice, and are provided by the authorised brokers listed on this page.

NEX Dividends

  Latest Previous
  Interim Final
Ex-Div 10-Sep-08 23-Apr-08
Paid 26-Sep-08 09-May-08
Amount 12.72p 26.40p

Trades for 03-Dec-2008

Time Volume / Share Price
16:35 117,591 @ 499.00p
16:29 313 @ 495.00p
16:29 730 @ 495.25p
16:29 491 @ 495.25p
16:29 730 @ 495.25p

NEX Key Personnel

COO Ray O'Toole
Chair David Ross
CEO Richard Bowker
Finance Director Jez K Maiden

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