Sunday Newspaper Share Tips
EACH weekend, This Is Money brings you a round-up of shares being recommended in the Sunday City pages.
Click here for the Financial Mail on Sunday's Midas column.
Sunday Telegraph
Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries was one of the few pub companies to report resilient sales over Christmas. The shares - currently 783p - have increased by about 40% in the past year, but should have further to go.
AIM-listed oil and gas company First Calgary Petroleums is due to move up to the main London market in the spring and there should be plenty of news over the coming weeks to maintain the momentum in shares. Bolder investors should buy at 298.5p.
Biotechnology group Protherics hopes to gain clearance for Voraxaze - a treatment for the side-effects of a specialist cancer drug - by the end of the year. Shares have risen sharply in the past six months. Buy at 60.25p.
Although Legal & General's 2% fall in new business for 2003 was broadly in line with expectations, annuity business in the fourth quarter dived and sales of unit trust and Isas disappointed. Switch from L&G shares, currently at 99p, and buy Prudential at 481p.
Sunday Times
Paving company Marshalls is well-exposed to the growing markets of new infrastructure, housebuilding, landscaping and general maintenance, and should be able to grow its earnings by 10% each year as it improves margins. Buy at 254.25p.
Mail on Sunday
Rail and infrastructure business Peterhouse Group operates three contracts for Network Rail that have helped boost operating profits. It still has a long way to go on the recovery trail, but shares are worth buying at 174.5p.
Sunday Express
Scottish & Newcastle hopes a joint venture with Carlsberg to supply services to pipe beer from the cellar to drinkers' glasses will bring annual savings of up to £5 million, part of planned annual cost savings of £50m. Buy at 395.75p.
Despite statements that overall trading is in line with expectations, like-for-like sales at Regent Inns have been disappointing and Walkabout bars have not delivered anticipated benefits from the Rugby World Cup. Sell at 76.5p.
Northern Rock has signalled it expects less growth next year as the UK mortgage market slows, but broker Teather & Greenwood is confident there is enough growth in the stock to make it a buy at 740p.
