Old UK Stocks Shares Investment Tips complied by Money sorter at 8 6 2007

UK Stocks and Shares and Investment tips

Top of the Tips: Share Recommendations to week ending 8 6 2007

Ones To Buy

Ennstone

Quarry operator and asphalt maker Ennstone is the last independent listed British firm in this sector. Valued at £190m, this value looks likely to rise as Ennstone concentrates on expanding its US operations with the aim of gaining more control over its raw materials – as it already has in the UK. Prospects look good for steady growth – buy, says the Mail on Sunday.

RPS

Environmental consultancy group RPS have seen their profit forecasts raised four times in five months – quite an achievement. The environment is increasingly big business, and RPS shares should have further to go – buy, says The Times.

Barclays

Barclays are currently locked in a battle to takeover Dutch bank ABN Amro and its share price is fluctuating as a result. Regardless of the eventual outcome of this deal, however, Barclays is a healthy business and one that is likely to continue to do well. Buy, says The Telegraph.

Coda

Coda is a specialist software company that produces software aimed specifically at Finance Directors and their teams. This means that as well as basic report generating tools, they also provide data-mining and other research-oriented software to help with strategic planning. With clients like Ikea and Next already on the books and strong leadership, the Mail on Sunday believes you should buy.

Icap

Icap’s services allow banks to trade a wide variety of different financial instruments with one another, quickly and easily. In essence it is a middleman, but a clever and highly profitable one. Currently trading at a slight discount to its sector, it looks good value, says The Independent.

Experian

One of Britain’s two credit reference agencies, Experian has a business model most others would envy – serving the credit trade when times are good and providing the same service to debt recovery businesses when times are bad. Group sales rose by 11 per cent overall last year, and investors should not be deterred by the low dividend, suggests The Telegraph.

Ones To Let Go

Cable & Wireless

C&W have just reported a 20 per cent increase in profits for the year to March and have enjoyed a rising share price since this time last year. Although the company’s recovery plan seems to be progressing well, it is early days and there are one or two challenges on the horizon. At 27 times forecast earnings, C&W shares seem a little dear – time to take profits, suggests The Independent.

Royal & Sun Alliance

This insurer’s shares have doubled in value over the last 18 months, netting a tidy profit for those investors who bought in 2005. Although it continues to look healthy, RSA’s shares now look fully-priced and some profit taking is probably in order, according to The Independent.