Broker tips: Resolution, WPP, Carillion,

22nd Aug 2011 12:25

UBS thinks that things could take a while to improve for insurance buyout firm Resolution and slashes its target price for the stock by 14%.Resolution's life business made a 4.5% return on embedded value in the first half of 2011, less than the year before and significantly under the 10% target, the broker notes. UBS sees the target as challenging and forecasts 6.7% in 2013.The broker keeps its neutral rating on the stock and cuts its target price from 301p to 260p, "as we see a re-rating as unlikely until operational performance improves."Nomura expects advertising giant WPP to cut its forecasts when it publishes its first half results on 24 August, but says that the markets have already anticipated this.The broker expects full-year organic growth to be 4.7%, and predicts that the company will give up on its 6% growth guidance."Looking at Sir Martin Sorrell's [chief executive] previous views at past results meetings and an interview given to the Sunday Telegraph (August 21st 2011), we are expecting the company's message to be that growth will be low in the US and Europe for the next couple of years, but the company is not planning yet for a double-dip recession."Nomura keeps its buy rating a 1,000p target price.Panmure Gordon said that it remains a buyer of UK support services giant Carillion ahead of the firm's first half results on 24 August.The pre-close trading update on 7 July showed that the firm was trading in line, with the synergy benefits from the Eaga acquisition being realised ahead of earlier guidance.A target price of 400p is kept.BC