In a triple bill of columns, Simon Thompson has initiated coverage on a supplier of software to the retail, manufacturing and logistics sectors and one whose shares look primed for a multi-month rerating. For a company set to deliver 20 per cent plus profit growth, and one where the sales momentum is well supported by a strong pipeline of orders, the shares look attractively priced on only 11 times historic earnings and rated on 1.3 times book value of £52.6m in Simon’s view.
In his second column, Simon notes the directors have been buying shares in a small-cap online gaming company. It’s hardly a surprise either as a burgeoning cash pile means that half the share price is now backed by cash. So with the board raising the dividend sharply, the shares not only offer a tantalising prospective yield of 5.5 per cent, but there are prospects of a potential hefty cash return at the full-year stage too.
In his final column, Simon has been taking a close look at a small cap emerging markets asset manager. Although earnings this year will be impacted by the ongoing geopolitical situation in Russia, analysts expect a significant earnings rebound next year and one that is supportive of the company's attractive dividend policy.
For this week’s News Spotlight, Theron Mohamed examines the recent uptick in activity among the micro chip sector. Boosted by the hype around the latest suite of Apple products and longer term themes such as the Internet of Things, consolidation is in the air.
Our resident economist Chris Dillow has taken a closer look at the ramifications of the recent reversal in the oil price, which has sent it below the $100 level and how this effectively adds up to a tax cut for UK plc as well as consumers.
Our retail correspondent Julia Bradshaw recently paid a visit to car dealership Vertu Motors, click here to view her video report.
