Should You Buy Beazley PLC, WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC & Beowulf Mining plc Today?

Royston Wild runs the rule over FTSE contenders Beazley PLC (LON: BEZ), WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC (LON: MRW) and Beowulf Mining plc (LON: BEM).

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

When investing, your capital is at risk. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you put in.

Read More

The content of this article is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to be, nor does it constitute, any form of personal advice. Investments in a currency other than sterling are exposed to currency exchange risk. Currency exchange rates are constantly changing, which may affect the value of the investment in sterling terms. You could lose money in sterling even if the stock price rises in the currency of origin. Stocks listed on overseas exchanges may be subject to additional dealing and exchange rate charges, and may have other tax implications, and may not provide the same, or any, regulatory protection as in the UK.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

Today I am taking a look at three London stocks currently on the ropes.

Moving lower

The market reacted badly to insurance play Beazley’s (LSE: BEZ) announcement on Thursday that it plans to relocate its headquarters from Dublin to London. Shares in the business were last dealing 5% lower from Wednesday’s close.

Beazley — which moved to the ‘Emerald Isle’ six years ago — advised that the plan “will simplify the management and decision making of the group and allow new Beazley shareholders access to a UK dividend stream.” The firm added that there should be no changes to its tax rate following legislative changes in the Finance Act 2012.

A vote will be held on the issue on 24 March. But regardless of the outcome of next month’s meeting, I believe a backcloth of rising competition and falling rates in its markets makes Beazley a risk too far at the present time.

Indeed, the City expects the insurer to endure a 23% earnings slip in 2016 alone, and further dips are predicted further out. I do not believe a consequent P/E rating of 13.8 times sufficiently reflects Beazley’s high risk profile.

Supermarket struggles

The newsflow surrounding embattled grocer Morrisons (LSE: MRW) just keeps getting worse and worse.

Discounter Aldi pulled its tanks directly onto the Bradford firm’s lawn this month with its new ad campaign, which claimed it undercuts the so-called ‘Big Four’ supermarkets on price by as much as 40%. The German giant also announced plans to open a further 80 stores by the end of the year as part of its aggressive expansion scheme.

Morrisons has persistently failed to stem the march of both Aldi and Lidl, with price reductions of its own failing to dent the rising popularity of its discount rivals. Indeed, the supermarket has introduced little more than token initiatives — like the rollout of wi-fi ‘hotspots’ and discounted coffee in its stores this month — to draw back customers.

Unsurprisingly the City expects Morrisons to have suffered yet another earnings fall in the year to January 2016, and while a 21% bounceback is predicted for the current period, I believe such predictions are fanciful at best amid rising competitive pressures. Besides, a consequent P/E rating of 17.9 times is far too expensive for a stock with such a poor long-term earnings outlook, in my opinion.

Stuck in a hole

Iron ore digger Beowulf Mining (LSE: BEM) also fell foul of the market in Thursday’s session following news of a capital raising, and the stock was last dealing 30% lower from yesterday’s close.

Beowulf advised that it was planning to generate £1.25m through the issuance of shares at 3.25p each. The company commented that “low metal prices and a broad lack of confidence has led to an unfavourable environment for exploration and development companies to raise capital and advance with project development”.

And worryingly Beowulf added that “we expect market conditions to remain difficult for the mining sector,” a view that I cannot disagree with.

 Sure, iron ore prices may have ticked up more recently, but I believe cooling Chinese steelmaking activity — combined with rampant production activity from industry giants like Vale and BHP Billiton — should prompt a severe reversal and keep Beowulf running at a loss in 2016 and beyond.

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Royston Wild has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Beazley. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Investing Articles

After it crashed 25%, should I buy this former stock market darling in my Stocks and Shares ISA?

Harvey Jones has a big hole in his Stocks and Shares ISA that he is keen to fill. Should he…

Read more »

happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Investing Articles

How’s the dividend forecast looking for Legal & General shares in 2025 and beyond?

As a shareholder, I like to keep track of the potential dividend returns I could make from my Legal &…

Read more »

artificial intelligence investing algorithms
Investing Articles

Could buying this stock with a $7bn market cap be like investing in Nvidia in 2010?

Where might the next Nvidia-type stock be lurking in today's market? Our writer takes a look at one candidate with…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Is GSK a bargain now the share price is near 1,333p?

Biopharma company GSK looks like a decent stock to consider for the long term, so is today's lower share price…

Read more »

Snowing on Jubilee Gardens in London at dusk
Investing Articles

Could December be a great month to buy UK shares?

Christopher Ruane sees some possible reasons to look for shares to buy in December -- but he'll be using the…

Read more »

Young mixed-race couple sat on the beach looking out over the sea
Investing Articles

Sticking to FTSE shares, I’d still aim for a £1,000 monthly passive income like this!

By investing in blue-chip FTSE shares with proven business models, our writer hopes he can build sizeable passive income streams…

Read more »

Growth Shares

BT shares? I think there are much better UK stocks for the long term

Over the long term, many UK stocks have performed much better than BT. Here’s a look at two companies that…

Read more »

British Pennies on a Pound Note
Investing Articles

After a 540% rise, could this penny share keep going?

This penny share has seen mixed fortunes in recent years. Our writer looks ahead to some potentially exciting developments in…

Read more »