Investors in US-focused plant and equipment hire group Ashtead (AHT) are in line for a double update next week as it celebrates its AGM (annual general meeting) on 2 September and reports its first-quarter figures a day later. In June, the firm published its results for the year to April, which showed a small drop in revenue for the year but a 4% drop for the final quarter due to a soft US...

There's a quiet re-rating going on in the UK stock market which suggests investors are slowly waking up to the bounty of value opportunities. The non-stop takeover action was the biggest clue as to prizes up for grabs, given bids are still coming thick and fast. Trade buyers and private equity companies have been taking advantage of cheap valuations for multiple years, and now retail and...

Stocks in London ended lower on Tuesday as fading hopes for a ceasefire in the Middle East and weak US retail sales data dented investor confidence. 'Middle East tensions are showing no signs of easing back, putting investors on high alert,' commented Russ Mould at AJ Bell. The FTSE 100 index closed down 41.19 points, 0.5%, at 8,834.03. The FTSE 250 ended 46.97 points lower, 0.2%, at...

Second year of falling profits Record rental revenue Strong free cash flow Equipment hire group Ashtead (AHT) reported a 7% drop in operating profit for the year to April, despite clocking up record rental revenue of $9.98 billion, due to lower utilisation rates and second-hand equipment sales. Shares in the FTSE 100 company fell in morning trading, before edging higher at lunchtime, although...

London's FTSE 100 remained in the green for its twelfth consecutive day on Tuesday, boosted by HSBC's first-quarter earnings and in spite of softened US economic data. The FTSE 100 index rose 46.12 points, 0.6%, at 8,463.46. The FTSE 250 advanced 76.41 points, 0.4%, at 19,809.72, and the AIM All-Share gained 5.56 points, 0.8%, at 681.31. The Cboe UK 100 rose 0.6% to 843.73, the Cboe UK 250...

The outlook is far from rosy for Travis Perkins (TPK) with shares hitting a 15-year low (1 April) as the builders' merchant warned profit this year would miss forecasts due to 'challenging conditions'. The Northampton-based firm blamed deflation as it slipped to a pre-tax loss of £38.4 million for 2024 from a profit of £121 million the previous year. The company's plan to revive its fortunes...

Weak prices and volumes hit salesFTSE 250 firm swings to pre-tax loss for 20242025 guidance below expectationsLuckless shareholders in builders' merchant Travis Perkins (TPK) saw their shares hit a 15-year low after the firm posted a loss for 2024 and warned profit this year would miss forecasts due 'challenging' trading conditions.The stock price fell 55p or 10% to 495p, taking out the...

European indexes sank on Tuesday as fears of a full-blown trade war grew after increased tariffs were imposed against Canada, Mexico and China by the US.The FTSE 100 index ended down 112.31 points, 1.3%, at 8,759.00. The FTSE 250 slumped 431.79 points, 2.1%, at 19,950.50, and the AIM All-Share fell 14.93 points, 2.1%, at 686.87.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 1.6% at 875.00, the Cboe UK 250...

Stock prices in Europe were in the red at Tuesday midday, with airline stocks hit badly in particular, as European countries intend to boost their militaries amid a US freeze on aid for Ukraine.'Investors were desperately hoping that Trump would delay tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China at the eleventh hour, yet the US president has stuck to his guns and brought them into power,' commented AJ...

Quarterly rental revenue up just 1%High interest rates impacting US market2025 guidance kept but no 2026 outlookFrom being a market darling and almost the poster child for the long-term benefits of compounding, the last couple of years have seen equipment hire firm Ashtead (AHT) struggle to make much headway.The shares, which have more or less traded sideways for the last three years, dropped...

Trian confirms interest in RentokilAshtead chief executive flies the flagChapel Down director buys sharesUS activist investor Trian Fund Management, a vehicle controlled by billionaire Nelson Peltz, significantly raised its stake in UK pest control and hygiene business Rentokil Initial (RTO) earlier this month shortly after securing a board spot for its head of research.According to company...

Ashtead CEO buys 4,000 sharesTen Lifestyle chief operating officer sells £270,000 worth of stockDSW Capital CEO snaps up 508,700 sharesThe CEO of equipment rental firm Ashtead (AHT), Brendan Horgan, has bought 4,000 shares at £53.20 for a total value of £212,800 on 12 December.Horgan's move comes after the company announced it was planning to move its primary listing to the US over the next...

UK indices slipped into the red on Tuesday as the London exodus continues, with Ashtead unveiling plans to shift its primary listing to the US.The FTSE 100 index closed down 71.72 points, 0.9%, at 8,280.36. The FTSE 250 ended down 75.33 points, 0.4%, at 20,973.94, and the AIM All-Share shed 3.28 points, 0.4%, at 737.57.The Cboe UK 100 ended down 0.8% at 831.35, the Cboe UK 250 closed down 0.5%...

Blue-chips in London, Paris and Frankfurt were in the red midday Tuesday, as investors fretted over the outlook for China's economy after some less-than-stellar data.'Chinese exports grew at a slower pace in November versus October, and imports shrank. That doesn't install much confidence about Beijing's efforts to get the country back on top. The prospect of higher tariffs on Chinese goods...

Group's move will happen over the next 12-18 monthsGroup rental revenue up 6% to $5.26 billion for first halfFull-year guidance revised downwardsShares in Ashtead (AHT) fell as much as 10% in morning trading as the equipment rental firm issued a profit warning and said it will be moving its primary listing to the US.The equipment rental firm joins a growing list of UK companies moving their...

Stock prices in Europe opened in the red on Tuesday as the FTSE 100 faded amid a softer start for miners.Mining firms climbed on Monday amid hopes of a China economic bounce back next year, but returned some progress on Tuesday. Anglo American was 2.2% lower, Glencore fell 2.1% and Antofagasta lost 2.0%.The FTSE 100 index traded down 38.21 points, 0.5%, at 8,313.87. The FTSE 250 was up 87.63...

Anniversaries are often an opportunity to take stock so the Shares team has had a look at the best performing shares, funds and investment trusts since the magazine's first issue in September 1999.Read on to discover the identity of the top performers and find out names we think will continue to impress in the years to come and those where we think the good times might be over. But first, Ian...

Stock prices in Europe opened in the green on Tuesday morning, with investors awaiting a manufacturing PMI print from the US later in the day.The FTSE 100 index opened 6.38 points, or 0.1%, at 8,370.22. The FTSE 250 was up 34.51 points, or 0.2%, at 21,015.02, and the AIM All-Share was up 1.94 points, or 0.3%, at 768.84.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.1% at 837.86, the Cboe UK 250 was up 0.1% at...

Stock prices in London closed higher on Tuesday, as markets wait for the latest Bank of England interest rate decision and UK inflation data.The FTSE 100 index closed up 49.14 points, 0.6%, at 8,191.29. The FTSE 250 ended up 250.21 points, 1.2%, at 20,409.93, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.39 points, 0.4%, at 778.32.The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.6% at 815.73, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 1.1% at...

Stock prices in Europe were higher on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of a US retail sales reading, while stocks in the UK were up after data showed grocery price inflation eased in June.The FTSE 100 index was up 32.94 points, or 0.4%, at 8,175.52. The FTSE 250 was 132.88 points, or 0.7%, at 20,292.77, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.01 points, or 0.3%, at 776.94.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.4% at 814.27,...