Plant hire group Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT) is likely to report downbeat results from its US arm on Tuesday, but Numis Securities is ready to give it the benefit of the doubt.
The company, which owns A-Plant in the UK, is expected to have kept up its double-digit growth rate between February and April.
Numis is forecasting 2016 pre-tax profit of £632mln, slightly ahead of consensus, and up from £490mln in 2015.
Rental yields from the company's US arm Sunbelt fell 1% year-on-year in the third quarter.
Numis predicts a similar performance in the fourth quarter as subdued oil & gas demand continues to weigh on prices.
Numis analysts said in a note: "Ashtead remains our preferred large-cap stock in the sector.
"The shares have re-rated from its February and March lows, but we believe continue to offer upside."
Meanwhile, housebuilder Crest Nicholson Holdings PLC (LON:CRST) is tipped to produce a strong set of first-half results.
Numis said it believed investors would focus on current trading – particularly in London – in light of the uncertainty created by the forthcoming
EU referendum.
The broker is forecasting full-year revenue of £987mln and thinks there is some upside potential to its estimates.
"We think the sector and Crest will have a strong second half, particularly if we vote to remain in the EU," Numis analyst Chris Millington said.
On the high street, upmarket fashion retailer Ted Baker PLC (LON:TED) is set to outperform a weak market when it updates on trading for the first 19 weeks of the first half, according to Peel Hunt.
The broker expects like-for-like sales to stay slightly positive, between 1%-2%, with high single-digit space growth to retain double-digit retail growth over the first half to date.
Peel Hunt said in a note: "We have two concerns, the slowdown in US department stores and menswear pricing.
"For the US, it is too soon for recent sales weakness to have impacted wholesale orders, but we flag the concern for in-season orders and the spring and summer 2017 order book.
"Menswear pricing feels on the high side to us, another area to probe."
Other companies expected to report include:
Finals: Ashtead; Findel; Firstgroup; Halma; Norcros; Park Group
Interims: Crest Nicholson.