If only...
Persimmon (LSE: PSN) is the UK's second-largest housebuilder. In November, it said the total sales rate per site for the third quarter was in line with the same period last year, although it reported £909m of forward sales reserved beyond 2017, an increase of 10% on the same period last year.
The government's help-to-buy equity loan scheme, which allows people to buy newly built homes with deposits of only 5%, has been used in more than half of the firm's sales.
Be glad you didn't
Centrica (LSE: CNA) provides energy for homes and businesses. Its shares have fallen by 57% over the past four years. In October, it announced a restructuring the management plans to reallocate £1.5bn of resources from asset businesses to customer-facing businesses by 2020. In November, it also acquired REstore, a firm that manages electricity demand for heavy energy users, for £62m.
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Persimmon yields 13.8%, but can you trust it to deliver?Tips With a dividend yield of 13.8%, Persimmon looks like a highly attractive prospect for income investors. But that sort of yield can also indicate a company in distress. Rupert Hargreaves looks at the numbers to find out if it's sustainable.
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Despite surging profits investors should avoid Centrica sharesTips Profits in the energy sector are booming but Centrica shares are struggling. Rupert Hargreaves explains why he’d avoid the stock.
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Centrica: the only way is upNews Centrica's share price has fallen by nearly 90% over the past few years. New finance director Chris O’Shea will hope to reverse that.
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Will Centrica slash dividends?Features Finances are tight and payouts are under threat. The gas supplier’s new boss faces some tricky decisions, says Alice Gråhns.
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Is it time to buy Centrica for its huge dividend?Features Shares in Centrica, owner of British Gas, come with a dividend yield of 8% after the share price fell dramatically last week. So should you buy in?
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Should you buy housebuilders?Features House builders have seen their shares hammered since the Brexit vote. Is there further to fall – or is this a buying opportunity? Sarah Moore investigates.
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FTSE 100 ahead as eurozone succumbs to deflationMarket Reports Falling prices in the eurozone have heaped yet more pressure on central bank boss Mario Draghi to turn on the money taps.
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Shares in focus: Centrica’s comeback trailFeatures Utility company Centrica has had a rough ride. But with the shares offering a decent dividend yield, should you still buy in? Phil Oakley investigates.
