Analysts at Berenberg reckon the saga surrounding a possible Direct Line Insurance Group PLC (LSE:DLG) takeover has a few more chapters left.
The motor and home insurer confirmed last week that it had turned down a bid tabled by Aviva PLC (LSE:AV.), saying it was "highly opportunistic and substantially undervalued the company".
The UK government’s Remediation Acceleration Plan on unsafe cladding in English housing developments “should be helpful” for the housebuilding sectors, according to Citi analysts.
Announced on Monday, the Plan aims to address the slow pace of fixing residential buildings with unsafe cladding in England following the 207 Grenfell disaster that led to more than 70 deaths.
The UK retail sector is being buffeted by various headwinds and tailwinds - and the best companies to invest in are those that can ride the wave and offset the pressures, says Deutsche Bank, including Next PLC (LSE:NXT) and Watches of Switzerland Group PLC (LSE:WOSG).
Least preferred are JD Sports Fashion PLC (LSE:JD.), Associated British Foods PLC (LSE:ABF), Currys PLC (LSE:CURY) and Boohoo Group PLC (AIM:BOO).
Shares in discoverIE Group PLC (LSE:DSCV) surged 18% after the custom electronics specialist reported resilient first-half results, despite industry challenges.
Chief executive Nick Jefferies attributed the performance to the company’s flexible operating model, which helped offset lower sales caused by industry de-stocking.
JP Morgan has doubled down on its 'overweight' recommendation for Smith & Nephew PLC (LSE:SN) with analysts deeming the medical device company undervalued and trading near trough levels, with potential for significant re-rating.
Despite challenges in the broader European medtech sector, S&N stands out as a value pick with promising recovery prospects.
Success in 2025 for the pharma sector will hinge on the success of key drug pipeline developments, according to JPMorgan’s latest research.
With concerns over US drug pricing policies easing and significant patent expirations on the horizon, the focus shifts to pipeline progress to drive growth, the American investment bank reckons.
Shares of On the Beach Group (LSE:OTB) rose 14.5% in early trading after the travel company reported record-breaking customer volumes and strong financial results for the year ending September 30.
Summer 2024 passenger numbers were up 13% from the previous year, with winter bookings rising 25% year-on-year.