Today I’m considering the share price potential of three London giants.
Bin the bank
Banking giant Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN) streaked ahead last week, the stock’s value adding 13% between last Monday and Friday.
But I can’t see this bubbly sentiment continuing for much longer. Just today Moody’s cut its rating on Standard Chartered’s long-term debt, explaining that it “expects profitability to remain weak for at least two years.” The agency added that “the operating environment in some of the markets in which [the bank] operates has become more challenging.”
StanChart announced last month that it swung to $1.5bn loss in 2015, the first negative result since the 1980s. And with its key Asian operations fighting the impact of Chinese economic rebalancing, and commodity values in danger of prolonged weakness, I don’t expect the bottom line to flip higher any time soon.
Standard Chartered is currently dealing on an elevated P/E rating of 19 times as brokers predict flatlining earnings. I believe this is far too high given the bank’s dangerous risk profile, and reckon bottom-line forecasts could be set for hefty downgrades.
A fashion star
Fashion giant Burberry (LSE: BRBY) also benefitted from returning investors during the past seven days, the stock rising 9% during the period.
But unlike StanChart, I reckon the brand is a great selection for those seeking roaring long-term returns. Sure, Burberry may be experiencing ongoing weakness in its Hong Kong market, but a return to growth on the Chinese mainland raises hopes of a possible bounceback across Asia.
And the company continues to enjoy sales growth across all of its other major territories — group underlying sales rose 1% between October and December, to £603m.
Burberry is predicted to see earnings suffering a rare dip in the year to March 2016, an anticipated 9% fall resulting in a P/E rating of 19.2 times. But this is expected to prove nothing more than a blip, and with the business investing heavily in its physical and online presence, I expect Burberry’s much-loved togs to keep flying off the shelves.
Oversupply looms large
Oil colossus BP (LSE: BP) enjoyed a 5% bump higher last week thanks to extra advances in the oil price. Brent values advanced 10% during the period and are currently knocking on the door of $40 per barrel.
I’m afraid this bubbly market optimism escapes me, however. Sure, latest Baker Hughes data may have showed US oil rigs hit their lowest level since late 2009, at 392 units. But the industry needs to do much more to get to grips with bloated inventories — US stockpiles have surged to a fresh record of 518m barrels, according to the EIA.
And hopes of an essential output cut from OPEC and Russia could still flounder thanks to the colossal political and economic considerations of such an accord.
Like Standard Chartered, BP is expected to see earnings flatline in 2016, leaving the business dealing on a ridiculously-high P/E rating of 30.3 times. With abundant supply looking set to outpace demand well into the future, I don’t believe the oil price — and consequently BP’s share value — is in a fit state to keep trekking skywards.
