Friday tips round-up: National Express, Croda, Ashmore...

25th Feb 2011 07:00

Finally, some good news for much-troubled National Express. From the doldrums of a scrapped rail franchise and sharp financial losses in 2009, the transport group posted annual results for 2010 yesterday showing a return to profit and a proposed final dividend of 6p per share. National Express has come far from the slump of 2009, and the shares have performed well. But there is still plenty of headroom and CEO Dean Finch should inspire confidence. Buy says the Independent.Fund manager Ashmore's assets under management hit $46.7bn at the end of the year, $11.4bn higher than six months earlier. Moreover, at 14.3 times forward earnings, the valuation leaves room for further gains. Buy says the Independent.Vet product's distributor Dechra's recent purchases of Dermapet and Genitrix look sound and teh Telegraph the rating is still not too high for a company that could offer double-digit earnings growth for the next few years. It also has a great opportunity in the US to increase penetration of its products. Buy says the Telegraph.Housebuilder and contractor Kier indicated yesterday that it could look for strategic acquisitions in the facilities management business, where it is under-represented from a market share point of view. Expect to see activity here. The strong performance has also been helped by a cost-cutting programme in the past two years. There is more than just a little to be optimistic about. Buy says the Times. Croda manufactures chemicals used in personal care products, such as ingredients for Nivea sun cream and hair treatments, plus chemicals for industrial applications, as well as the building blocks for crop-care products. Full-year numbers were superb - and it looks as if there is more upside to come. Buy says the Telegraph.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.