Sage still waiting for market recovery
26th Jan 2010 07:18
Business management software provider Sage Group said it has seen no sign of a market recovery yet as it posted an in-line trading update. ‘Our proven business model and the loyalty of our large, geographically diverse, customer base give us confidence that we are well positioned for these conditio
Read moreTuesday preview: Sage, PZ Cussons, UK GDP
25th Jan 2010 13:36
The share price of Newcastle-based accountancy software firm Sage is floating around its 52-week high ahead of tomorrow’s first quarter interim management statement. The company saw market conditions stabilise in the second half of its previous financial year and broker Panmure Gordon, a long time
Read moreLondon close: Footsie flatlines
7th Jan 2010 16:46
A late afternoon rally fizzled out to leave London's blue chip index little changed on the day. Banks emerged from a sticky start as the day's best performers led by Barclays and Lloyds Bank, which both received decent write-ups in an otherwise cautious broker note from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. It
Read moreLondon afternoon: Banks defy broker gloom
7th Jan 2010 14:27
Leading shares are mixed, with the Footsie barely changed now miners have recovered from a weak showing in the morning session to show gains in the afternoon. Kazakhmys and Fresnillo lead the mining sector but their gains are surpassed by two stocks from the banking sector where Barclays and Lloyds
Read moreSector movers: Software sector shrugs off Invu slump
7th Dec 2009 11:13
The software and computer services sector is higher despite heavy losses from document management group Invu which warned it now expects revenues for the second half of the year to be below expectations and announced a 'significant' reduction in employees. Sage, the accountancy software group, enjo
Read moreThursday tips round-up: Sage, Prudential, Babcock
3rd Dec 2009 06:17
The virtues of Sage ? a strong base of recurring revenues and tight management of costs ? remain intact. The pressure on sales is also likely to ease from here. However, at 221p, or 11 times current year forecasts, and yielding 3.5 per cent, their shares require something more than resilience if the
Read moreLondon close: Miners push Footsie higher
2nd Dec 2009 17:09
Despite being weighed down by a number of ex-dividend stocks, Footsie finished the day in positive territory, with gains on miners outweighing losses on banks. With metals prices hardening, miners were in demand. Lonmin was the best performer after being raised to 'buy' by Investec, which also upgr
Read moreTechMARK movers: Sage on the up
2nd Dec 2009 15:56
Accounting software supplier Sage received mixed responses from analysts after reporting its full year figures. Investors, though, were broadly positive and pushed up the share price. There was a small decline in revenues and profits. Revenue, adjusted for foreign exchange movements, fell 4% to £1
Read moreLondon afternoon: Footsie in the blue
2nd Dec 2009 14:52
Though banks are still looking sickly, Footsie has struggled into positive territory on the back of a strong mining sector. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) remains the biggest faller among blue-chips, with lingering concerns about its exposure to Dubai World's debt now overshadowed by with newspaper r
Read moreBroker tips: Barclays, Sage, Brewin Dolphin
2nd Dec 2009 13:21
UK banks have been under the cosh since news of the Dubai debt situation broke last week but their shares are still not cheap enough, according to Credit Suisse. 'UK bank share prices have fallen 10% in the last two weeks, but we calculate that they still imply long-term ROTE [return on tangible eq
Read moreBroker snap: No surprises at Sage
2nd Dec 2009 13:12
Panmure Gordon, a long time fan of Sage, has retained its 'buy' rating on the software firm after final results that were as boringly predictable as one might expect from a company that serves the accountancy trade. The broker notes that the debt situation and US growth were both 'a bit better' tha
Read moreLondon midday: Banks get battered
2nd Dec 2009 12:11
After yesterday's strong gains, equities come off the boil today with banks, in particular, getting hammered, on enduring fears over exposure to Dubai debt. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Lloyds Banking are the big fallers among blue-chips, while elsewhere in the banking sector Barclays is also o
Read moreSector movers: Sage lifts software sector
2nd Dec 2009 11:02
Sage, which makes accountancy computer packages, is helping lift the software and computer services sector higher after it upped its dividend and said conditions have stabilised in the second half. The total dividend has been increased by 3% to 7.43p per share (2008: 7.21p per share). The group sai
Read moreLondon open: Flat start for Footsie
2nd Dec 2009 08:41
London's blue chips have made a flat start despite gains for miners as gold hit a new record high. The metal rose above $1,200 per ounce again overnight in Asia as investors sought refuge from a weak dollar and Dubai's woes. Lonmin, Vedanta and Kazakhmys are all going well. Offsetting that are som
Read moreLondon pre-open: Flat start ahead
2nd Dec 2009 07:33
London's blue chips look set to open largely unchanged from yesterday's close, though commodities are likely to be in focus after gold hit a new record high. Gold rose back above $1,200 per ounce again overnight in Asia as investors sought refuge from a weak dollar and Dubai's woes. In corporate n
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