Share tips of the week

published 26 August 2016

Three to buy

Air Partner

The Mail on Sunday

Air Partner charters jets for sports teams such as Manchester City, Real Madrid and Juventus. It also arranges transport for oil workers, evacuates expatriates from overseas and transports businesspeople who want to avoid busy airports. It has been operating in this market for 50 years. New acquisitions show it is serious about safety as airports become more crowded and concerns about terrorism grow. 377.5p

Dixons Carphone

Shares

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Investors should take advantage of post-Brexit share-price weakness at the electrical and telecommunications giant. The group is internationally diversified, including a major joint venture in the US with Sprint. Improving cash flow means it has the financial firepower to compete with the threat from Amazon. A first-quarter trading update, due next month, could spark upgrades by brokers, so buy now. 365.25p

Polypipe

Financial Times

Shares in the manufacturer of plastic piping systems have gone back up to pre-referendum levels on the back of strong sales figures for the first half of the year. It is generating more sales from repair and maintenance than new-builds, which should insulate it from any post-Brexit downturn. With the shares trading on less than 13 times 2016 earnings, they are "not bad value for a growing business". 281p

Three to sell

Bovis Homes

The Times

Management at the housebuilder is showing signs of caution in the wake of the referendum result. Bovis is focused on housing in the southeast, where skill shortages and rising costs have depressed returns in the past. It's "too soon to forecast the future direction of the market", but other stocks in the sector offer higher yields and a safer bet. Avoid. 813p

Evraz

Investors Chronicle

Evraz, one of Russia's largest steel producers, has reported a 38% fall in half-year cash profits. The global outlook for steel remains unfavourable as China refuses to reduce excess production capacity. There was a modest rally in steel prices in the second quarter and Evraz's unit costs continue to fall, but any benefit will be outweighed by its substantial debt. 166p

HSS Hire

The Sunday Times

Britain's second-biggest tool-hire business went public last year, and the flotation has been a "total disaster". After two profit warnings and the resignation of boss Chris Davies, the shares are now at a third of the level at which they originally floated. HSS blames erratic market conditions, but the company should probably never have gone public. 79p

And the rest

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Buys	Row 0 - Cell 1
Admiral	The group is among the best in the insurance sector and the yield is attractive (Times) 2,081p
Amino Technologies	The tech firm has struck a "landmark" deal with PCCW that will boost its profile (Shares) 147p
CLS Holdings	CLS is not exposed to the risky central London property market and looks cheap (Times) 1,350p
Dunelm	The retailer is a quality defensive stock with a good dividend outlook (Investors Chronicle) 890p
Genus	New bovine gender selection technology could improve margins (Shares) 1,827p
Gooch & Housego	The photonics specialist has big prospects and is worth its premium rating (IC) 1,025p
Inland Homes	The value of this housebuilder's land bank isn't reflected in its share price (IC) 63p
K3 Business Tech	The software and IT services firm is growing quickly and its shares are cheap (IC) 313p
Lookers	Lookers has the cash for an acquisition spree in the car dealership sector (Times) 129.25p
Marshall Motor	The automotive group has posted record interim results in a consolidating market (Shares) 160p
Mears Group	The firm's social-care division can only expand as demand grows (Times) 416p
Proactis	Shares in the automated buying platform could rise 50% within 18 months (Shares) 130.5p
Prudential	Stick with this insurer as it taps into Asian markets for growth (Shares) 1,421p
Stock Spirits	There are encouraging signs of a turnaround at this vodka maker (Shares) 163p

Directors' dealings

A German view

Organic sales growth is solid, while it has just acquired US laundry detergent maker Sun Products, allowing it to compete more effectively with rival Procter & Gamble in the world's biggest laundry detergent market. The takeover also means that consumer-orientated businesses will now comprise more than 50% of revenues, making the stock less cyclical and thus even more popular among investors seeking dependable blue-chips.