Old UK Stocks Shares Investment Tips complied by Money sorter at 16 3 2007

UK Stocks and Shares and Investment tips

Top of the Tips: Share Recommendations during week ending 16/3/2007

This is a summary of share buying and selling tips in the UK national press and media. These comments were published during the week ending 16/03/2007.

Ones To Buy

Umbro

Umbro's fortunes are looking promising, with a forecast profit of £31.5 million. There only dependency is on England's football team making it to the 2008 European Championships in Austria. At 9 times forecast earnings, Umbro's shares are cheap. Buy, says The Independent. (See also "Ones To Let Go")

HBOS

Halifax Bank of Scotland were perhaps unfairly penalized by the markets following their comments on bad debt prospects. They are delivering steady growth in the mortgage market and Chief Executive Andy Hornby has a deserved reputation for delivering results. Buy and hold, says Midas in The Daily Mail.

Royal & Sun Alliance

Royal & Sun Alliance now look to be putting a difficult period behind them, and have just announced a new strategy to reward investors by growing dividends above the rate of inflation. They have started by raising the current dividend 35 per cent, resulting in a 4.2 per cent dividend yield. Buy now, says The Times.

Aggreko

This Scottish company supply power generators to government and private customers all over the world. Aggreko have had a very successful few years, and is currently the largest company of its kind, controlling 25 per cent of the global market.

The Telegraph's Questor advises readers to resist the temptation of taking profits and to increase their holdings if possible, believing that despite currently trading at 21 times this year's earnings, Aggreko shares have further to go.

Axis-Shield

Axis-Shield are a leading player in a market without much competition. They make medical diagnostic kits for doctor's surgeries that can be used to test for conditions such as diabetes. This global market is forecast to grow rapidly, and Axis-Shield now appear to have put some teething problems with their products behind them, delivering sales growth of 5 per cent in the last year. Buy, says The Independent.

A & J Mucklow

A&J Mucklow are a company you may not have heard of – but should pay attention to. The Midlands-based commercial and industrial property specialist is a strong performer and recently announced interim results showing a strong increase in net asset value per share. Don't let this one slip under the radar, advises Questor in The Telegraph.

Ones To Let Go

Umbro

While The Independent are singing Umbro's praises this week, The Telegraph's Questor believes that the sports kit maker's dependency on England's sporting success is unwise, and also has concerns about Umbro's dwindling number of premiership customers. Sell, says The Telegraph.

First Choice

The travel operator's performance is already lacklustre, and looks likely to worsen in the wake of the merger between Thomas Cook and My Travel. Avoid, says The Independent.