ARTICLES
& INSIGHT

All the latest articles & insight from our investment writers to inspire your own research and analysis.

Author Index

  • Alpesh Patel OBE
  • Ben Hobson
  • Bruce Packard
  • David Stevenson
  • Jamie Ward

Author Index

  • Jason Needham
  • Maynard Paton
  • Michael Taylor
  • Phil Oakley
  • Richard Beddard

How banks have turned gold into lead

A look at the bank sector, that has been disappointing for decades but has now begun to outperform the wider market. Companies covered BARC, CBG, LLOY, MTRO, HSBA, STAN Lloyds kicks off the H1 Jun reporting season for UK banks on the 25th of July, closely followed by NatWest, Standard Chartered, HSBC and Barclays. Most

Read More »

The Trader: AIM and share placings

In this article Michael looks at share placings and how to take advantage of them. Equity placements, also known as share placings, are a critical aspect of the financial markets. They are what you might call a necessary evil and are often used by companies to raise capital. That said, not all share placings are

Read More »

Elephants can gallop

The latest haul of 5 strikes shares includes Halma and RS, proof perhaps that big companies can gallop, or at least trot. Richard also doffs his cap to Bloomsbury Publishing and works out how profitable Next 15 really is. We’re in a low period for annual report publishing as the large number of companies that

Read More »

The World is a lot bigger than Omaha, Nebraska

This week, a podcast that Jamie listened to inspired a little research project, which reiterated an important lesson in investment. He asks what makes a good business and what impact buying back of company shares has or hasn’t had over the last ten years. I listened to a podcast, recently where the host interviewed a

Read More »

Monthly Fund Focus: Leftfield ideas for a strange market, Defence funds

With global stock markets in bullish form and the all-important US benchmark, the S&P 500, threatening to crash past the psychologically important 5500 level, our monthly fund’s report spins through some left-field ideas for bears and bulls from the world of ETFs and investment trusts. We look at everything from strategies that benefit from sudden

Read More »

The Trader: Stockbrokers, DMA, and the RSP

Michael looks at the various types of stockbrokers in this article and how they can be used effectively. Having the right stockbroker can have a huge impact on your P&L. It came as no surprise to me that Shares decided to close down its UK operations. You most likely haven’t heard of this broker –

Read More »

PETS hits a home run

The standout share from Richard’s latest 5 Strikes haul is Pets at Home, a dominant pet care business in the UK with a strong financial track record. Fifteen companies have passed the Minimum Quality Filter since my last update, but the finances of only three score less than three strikes, according to the 5 strikes

Read More »

How do YOU SharePad?

In the latest and first video version in the series, we have very experienced investor and Convener in Signet, Ray Williams sharing a bit about his investing history and how he uses SharePad. As we all know, there is a lot of functionality in SharePad and there are many different ways to use and customise

Read More »

How to choose the right stock picking service

Looking for an investment data & analysis service that will save you time and help you make better stock picking decisions? Not sure which service is best for you? This guide is for you. Few things in life are more important than managing your money effectively, and when it comes to investment management, there are

Read More »

Small-Cap Spotlight Report: Colefax

Obscure small-cap Colefax has repurchased 75% of its share count since 1999. Maynard Paton weighs up the fabric designer’s impressive buyback record and cash-rich financials versus its modest growth history and awkward corporate governance. The email I received was intriguing: “The numbers speak for themselves. The company has repurchased 75% of shares outstanding since 1999,

Read More »