Companies' smashing broker forecasts are almost certain to enjoy strong share price rises. Keeping an eye on upgrades and downgrades in consensus forecasts can help provide ideas for your next investment.
Register here to download our exclusive table of broker upgrades and downgrades
Our upgrade and downgrade tables are based on changes made by brokers over the last month to their consensus forecast earnings for the year ahead. Comparisons are made between forecasts for the same 12 month period, which run from the date given on the table. The tables are ordered by largest to smallest one month revisions.
Find out more about companies beating broker forecasts in the links below
As their recovery prospects improve, UK banks could beat their full year forecasts.
Self-storage specialist Safestore (SAFE) anticipates earnings this year will hit the top-end of analysts' expectations.
Pharma giant AbbVie (US:ABBV) exceeded brokers’ forecasts in the fourth quarter.
Why do broker upgrades matter?
Share prices reflect investor expectation for company performance. That expectation is partly based on company expectations or forecasts from brokers. Thus, if a company can beat those expectations, the share price is likely to enjoy a leap.
Some companies make a habit of beating expectations. Click on the links below to find out more about Britain's best.
Not many retailers managed to deliver on their guidance amid the challenges of lockdown, but JD Sports continued on its impressive outperformance streak. You can find out how JD Sports has prepared for the challenges of the high street in this analysis.
Management at the manufacturer of gaming miniature wargames are masters at managing expectations. Having listed in 1994, the shares plodded along for over two decades before taking off in 2016. Find out how the company has engineered its success in this analysis.
Top 25 Biggest Upgrades - 24 February
| UPGRADES | ||||
| 24 February 2021 | FWD EPS CHG | |||
| Name (price) | EPS NTM | 1mth ago | 3mth ago | 1 yr ago |
| Indivior (128p) | 8.1ȼ | 719% | - | 340% |
| Character Group (455p) | 143p | 269% | 790% | 290% |
| Hochschild Mining (220p) | 20.8ȼ | 212% | 163% | 100% |
| Savannah Energy (18p) | 0.7ȼ | 212% | - | - |
| REACT Group (2p) | 0.1p | 150% | 150% | - |
| Lloyds Banking Group (39p) | 3.3p | 141% | 159% | -51% |
| Gaming Realms (33p) | 0.2p | 139% | - | - |
| IP Group (115p) | 8.2p | 133% | 143% | -13% |
| Royal Dutch Shell (1,434p) | 105ȼ | 120% | 106% | -45% |
| Royal Dutch Shell (1,377p) | 106ȼ | 119% | 104% | -44% |
| Glencore (304p) | 25.5ȼ | 108% | 194% | 62% |
| Barclays (159p) | 16.0p | 94% | 98% | -32% |
| ECO Animal Health Group (330p) | 12.1p | 88% | 88% | 95% |
| Royal Mail (456p) | 39.0p | 73% | 164% | 84% |
| Crest Nicholson (318p) | 23.3p | 67% | 70% | -36% |
| St Modwen Properties (391p) | 17.0p | 58% | 67% | -30% |
| HSBC Holdings (428p) | 31.8ȼ | 56% | 50% | -39% |
| Sylvania Platinum (111p) | 28.4ȼ | 55% | 52% | 75% |
| LPA Group (83p) | 7.0p | 46% | 46% | -12% |
| Chrysalis Investments (200p) | 50.3p | 44% | 44% | - |
| TBC Bank Group (1,112p) | 217 | 38% | 37% | -21% |
| Water Intelligence (555p) | 17.3ȼ | 37% | 26% | 37% |
| Smith & Nephew (1,410p) | 65.2ȼ | 35% | 28% | -22% |
| SThree (331p) | 18.7p | 34% | 34% | -43% |
| DX Group (31p) | 1.4p | 32% | 65% | 100% |
Top 25 Biggest Downgrades - 24 February
| DOWNGRADES | ||||
| 24 February 2021 | FWD EPS CHG | |||
| Name (price) | EPS NTM | 1mth ago | 3mth ago | 1 yr ago |
| Town Centre Securities (110p) | 0.1p | -97% | -96% | -99% |
| Jarvis Securities (223p) | 12.4p | -75% | - | - |
| Hotel Chocolat Group (375p) | 2.3p | -59% | -47% | -77% |
| Good Energy Group (191p) | 4.7p | -55% | -48% | - |
| Plus500 (1,385p) | 155ȼ | -55% | -56% | 63% |
| United Oil & Gas (4p) | 0.2ȼ | -55% | -57% | - |
| Manolete Partners (245p) | 11.9p | -52% | -52% | -37% |
| Just Eat Takeaway.com (7,032p) | 33.5€ȼ | -47% | -44% | -37% |
| Harworth Group (116p) | 1.5p | -44% | -44% | -75% |
| eEnergy Group (18p) | 0.1p | -42% | -25% | - |
| Orchard Funding Group (56p) | 3.5p | -37% | -37% | - |
| AA (35p) | 6.9p | -27% | -47% | -53% |
| Somero Enterprises (365p) | 18.8ȼ | -23% | - | -34% |
| IG Design Group (498p) | 18.2p | -22% | -15% | -42% |
| Greencore Group (148p) | 4.8p | -20% | 7% | -74% |
| Burford Capital (650p) | 68.3ȼ | -18% | -6% | -37% |
| Hummingbird Resources (23p) | 4.2ȼ | -18% | -47% | - |
| Shanta Gold (15p) | 0.7ȼ | -18% | -36% | 62% |
| GCP Student Living (149p) | 2.4p | -16% | -31% | -58% |
| Nichols (1,168p) | 26.6p | -15% | -26% | -63% |
| Balfour Beatty (272p) | 5.4p | -14% | -16% | -77% |
| RDI REIT (92p) | 4.2p | -14% | -14% | -62% |
| Micro Focus International (423p) | 101ȼ | -13% | -15% | -22% |
| Marks & Spencer Group (144p) | 3.5p | -13% | -40% | -81% |
| Target Healthcare REIT (113p) | 6.1p | -13% | -13% | -12% |
