Shares in animal genetics company Genus (GNS) have risen 75% this year after a succession of positive trading updates. In January, the firm said first-half trading to the end of December had been ahead of expectations meaning profit for the year to June would be at the top end of forecasts, sending its shares up 20% on the day. It followed this up in April with news the US FDA (Food & Drug...

Full year profit ahead of expectations Record free cash flow Accelerated Chinese JV Animal genetics company Genus (GNS) reported better than expected full year profit and announced an accelerated porcine joint venture in China, sending the shares up 10% to £27.45. If the gains hold the shares will have notched up an advance of almost 80% so far in 2025, comfortably ahead of the 4% return in...

Stocks in London were mostly higher on Thursday morning just before the release of UK construction purchasing managers' index data, however Jet2 shares fell as it expects annual earnings before interest and tax at the lower end of a consensus range. The FTSE 100 index opened up 17.91 points, 0.2%, at 9,195.90. The FTSE 250 was up 115.05 points, 0.5%, at 21,428.12, and the AIM All-Share was...

Ownership of intellectual property (IP) is a clear sign a business boasts the 'economic moat' popularised by the world's greater investor Warren Buffett, especially in industries that rely on innovation. A company's ability to continually develop and protect its IP assets helps to defend its market share and profits from competitors, and the presence of a moat is reflected in the high...

US FDA approves gene edited pigs Decision de-risks approval in other territories Potential to triple operating profit Shares in leading global animal genetics company Genus (GNS) surged as much as 395p or 24% to £19.80 on Wednesday (30 April) after the firm announced the landmark US approval of its innovative PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) Pig Resistant programme (PRP)....

Just over five years ago the stock market began to react in earnest to news of the Covid pandemic.The sell-off was short and sharp, with a modest recovery from the lows in the spring followed by sharper gains in November 2020 after AstraZeneca (AZN) made a vaccine breakthrough.However, a large number of UK stocks are still trading below the levels they were at by the close of trading on 21...

The number of companies on London's AIM market worth more than £1 billion has hit a nine-year low. A mere six stocks were worth more than £1 billion at the end of November 2024 compared with 30 at the end of 2021.From those 30 companies and excluding those still worth more than £1 billion, seven have disappeared through takeovers, three have moved to the Main Market, and the rest have...

Better than expected second-half tradingFull-year profit at top end of rangeShares jump 20%Global animal genetics company Genus (GNS) said first half performance has been stronger than expected and the board now expects group adjusted pre-tax profit to be at least £35 million.The shares were catapulted almost 20% higher to £16.96 which suggests investor sentiment had become too negative,...

In last week's magazine, Shares focused on the methods by which leading fund managers identify genuine long-term growth opportunities, covering everything from the need for a growth mindset to bottom-up stock picking and the need to factor in top-down considerations.Now we turn the spotlight on the regional markets, themes and stocks which have some of the market's most admired investors...

Strong trading in four months to OctoberFull year profit to meet expectationsEfficiency gains to drive profitabilityAnimal genetics specialist Genus (GNS) jumped 4% after reporting strong trading for the four months to 31 October and reiterating full year profit guidance.The shares are down around 20% over the last year following a profit warning in February 2024, reflecting weak pork prices...

First half profits fall 30%Full year guidance downgradedShares plunge to five-year lowTesting times continue for shareholders in Genus (GNS), the animal genetics specialist?s stock plunging 26% to a five-year low of £15.72 on a warning annual profits will disappoint due to low pork prices and weak bovine volumes in China denting demand for genetics services.Basingstoke-based Genus now expects...

Stock prices in London were higher on Thursday morning on news the UK has officially entered a mild recession, raising Bank of England interest rate cut hope.The economic figures could also carry political significance, as the UK prime minister faces a pair of by-election tests.On the corporate front, results from British Gas owner Centrica impressed. Among mid-caps Genus plunged on a China...

Mixed start to the year knocks sharesFull year profit expected to be metSecond half weightingAnimal genetics specialist Genus (GNS) reiterated full year profit guidance at its annual general meeting on Wednesday but conceded that phasing is expected to be second half weighted after mixed trading in the period.Increased uncertainty of meeting market expectations saw the shares fall 3% to...

Shareholders in leading global animal genetics specialist Genus (GNS) have been through a rough couple of years with the shares losing just under two-thirds of their value.The fall can be attributed to a big derating in the shares which has seen the forward PE (price to earnings) ratio fall from 53 times to 24 times today, and huge swings in Chinese pig prices which have dented near-term...

Full year revenue up 10%Pre-tax profit flat reflecting higher interest charges and investments2024 growth outlook tempered by higher finance costs and FX headwindsDespite delivering 10% annual revenue growth, animal genetics company Genus (GNS) reported flat adjusted pre-tax profit for the year to 30 June 2023 reflecting higher interest expenses and increased investments in gene...

Snap up medical products outfit ConvaTec (CTEC) as a multi-year turnaround gains traction. Recent evidence for this came as the company raised full year guidance for the second time this year (2 August), delivering accelerated revenue growth in the six-month period to 30 June.After a downward trend in the share price, the positive news has helped to turn the tide and we think this could be the...

Full year organic sales growth guidance raised to a new range of 6% to 7.5%Adjusted operating profit margin guidance increased to 20.5%Medium term operating margin target in mid-20% rangeThe multi-year turnaround at medical products company Convatec (CTEC) finally seems to be gaining traction after the company raised full year guidance for the second time this year and delivered accelerated...

- Record six-month adjusted operating profit- Recovery in China continues - Strong increase in royalty revenuesAnimal genetics specialist Genus (GNS) saw its shares jump 10% to £29.84 on Thursday after the firm notched-up record half-year adjusted profit amid a rebound in China.The share price remains around half the peak levels seen in September 2021.Chief executive Steve Wilson, who...

- Revenues up 2% despite challenging market conditions- Excluding China pig market, pre-tax profit up 25%- Early signs of recovery in Chinese pig pricingAnimal genetics company Genus (GNS) delivered a resilient full-year performance in the face of challenging market conditions in China, the world's largest pig market.Group revenues for the fiscal year ended 30 June were 2% higher to £593.4...

The transformation of medical technology company ConvaTec (CTEC) has reached an inflection point which should drive market-beating sales growth and improve profitability.The shares look attractive against good earnings potential while scope for the stock to trade on a higher multiple of earnings (known as a 're-rating') provides extra attractions. This could be driven by a modest improvement...