Ricardo confident for full year
1st Mar 2011 07:27
Engine consultant Ricardo reported a 32% increase in half year pre-tax profit, upped its dividend and remains confident of further progress for the full year. Pre-tax profit rose to £5m for the six months ended 31 December 2010 compared to £3.8m a year earlier. Revenue for half year rose to £90.2m
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Millennium & Copthorne, Morgan Crucible, Game Group
17th Feb 2011 06:35
Richard Hartman, chief executive of Millennium & Copthorne, said last May that he wanted to retire by the end of the year, but he was still there yesterday fielding questions on the hotel group's 2010 results. M&C is unusual in the sector because it owns most of its assets. The big five managed chai
Read moreLondon close: Miners hold back FTSE 100
10th Jan 2011 17:01
The top share index was firmly in negative territory at the close of trading, despite M&A excitement concerning Smith & Nephew The joint replacement specialist jumped more than 10% following reports it turned down a bid approach from US rival Johnson & Johnson just before Christmas. Sticking with
Read moreLondon afternoon: Miners a drag
10th Jan 2011 14:20
Footsie moved sideways over the lunch time trading session. Mining stocks continue to weigh the blue-chip index down, but oil stocks provide some cheer. A decline in copper imports into commodity-hungry China sent prices for the red metal lower. Kazakhmys, which transports copper from its Kazakhsta
Read moreRicardo H1 order intake up 25%
10th Jan 2011 07:43
Engine consultant Ricardo sees positive signs of recovery in the passenger car market with first half order intake up 25% from the same period a year earlier. "The order book has seen strong growth and is expected to close at around £115m, compared to £99m this time last year, and with a balanced p
Read moreWednesday tips round-up: Unilever, Centrica, Thomas Cook...
29th Sep 2010 06:45
Unilever shares have underperformed of late, although they have started to bounce from recent lows. However, they are still more than £2 below their recent high of £20.15 seen in December. They hit a low of £16.88 at the end of August. The long-term growth will come from emerging markets, where mor
Read moreRicardo sees signs of recovery
28th Sep 2010 08:34
Engine consultant Ricardo revealed a drop in annual earnings but remains confident about future trading as markets continue to show signs of recovery. For the full year ended 30 June 2010 pre-tax profit fell to £10.8m from £15.7m in 2009. Revenue slipped to £162.8m from £178.8m the same period a y
Read moreRicardo Trading To End June In Line, Order Book +15% At GBP101M
28th Jul 2010 09:17
LONDON (Dow Jones)--Ricardo PLC (RCDO.L), an engineering and automotive consultancy firm, said Wednesday trading performance for continued operations to the end of June was in line with management expectations and its order book at the end of June was up 15% to GBP101 million. MAIN FACTS: -R
Read moreLondon close: Eurozone worries batter Footsie
19th May 2010 16:36
European concerns were behind sharp falls in shares today as plans by Germany to slap a ban on short-selling of European bonds, credit default swaps and ten of Germany's biggest financial groups spooked investors. German chancellor Angela Merkel's warning that Europe is facing its greatest crisis i
Read moreLondon afternoon: Experian provides isolated cheer
19th May 2010 14:13
Leading shares trimmed their losses over the lunchtime session but the predominant colour on the Footsie leaderboard remains red. Mining companies lead the retreat on fears that Germany's decision to impose an immediate ban on "naked short selling" of euro-denominated government bonds and also cred
Read moreSmall caps round-up: Chaucer, Ricardo, Trafficmaster...
19th May 2010 11:20
Underwriter Chaucer has reported a 3% dip in first quarter total gross written premium income to £250.1m, which KBC Peel Hunt said shows discipline. "Despite a high level of losses to the Chilean and Deepwater catastrophes in Q1, the tone of Chaucer's IMS is positive," said the broker. "The group i
Read moreSmall caps round-up: Impax, Liberty, Petards
19th May 2010 10:29
Impax, the investment manager focused on environmental sector, saw its assets under management rise by 40% in the six months to March 31 as markets improved. 'Evidence of improving macroeconomic conditions, particularly in the United States and in the Asia-Pacific region, has resulted in continued
Read morePersimmon's Jonathan Davie lays foundations
5th Mar 2010 16:23
Persimmon non-executive Jonathan Davie started building a stake in the housebuilder with the purchase of £42,000 in shares. Davie, who was appointed to the board on January 1, bought 10,000 shares at 419.9p a time. His purchase comes soon after the company said it completed 8,976 house sales last
Read moreSmall caps: Invista Real, Ricardo, Worthington...
26th Feb 2010 11:52
Invista Real Estate generated profit before taxation, for the year ending 31 December 2009, was £10m (2008: loss £3.7m). Total revenue fell by 25% to £34.4m from £45.6m in 2008, the fall being heavily influenced by lower management fees as a result of lower average assets under management during
Read moreBroker tips: Utilities, Mitchells & Butlers, Ricardo
26th Nov 2009 12:42
On the day when Ofwat, the water regulator, released its final ruling on pricing restrictions for the water companies, Morgan Stanley has issued a timely review of the utilities sector. Two of Thursday morning's best performing stocks, Severn Trent and United Utilities, are named as Morgan Stanley'
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