If only you’d invested in: Hiscox

Hiscox (LSE: HSX) is a group of companies that operate in the insurance markets in the UK and Europe. In February it reported reduced profits for 2017 (down to £30.8m from £354.5m in 2016), which it blamed on the £160m it had reserved for insurance claims in a "historic year for catastrophes".

Earnings per share also dropped to 9.3p from 119.8p. During the same period, gross written premiums rose to £2.55bn, up from £2.4bn the year before, while net premiums earned hit £1.88bn, compared with £1.68bn in 2016. Hiscox also increased its dividend by 5.5%.

Be glad you didn't buy

Mears Group (LSE: MER) is a social-housing repairs and maintenance service provider. In March it reported a 7% decline in operating profits for 2017, down to £37m, while group revenue decreased 4% to £900m. It blamed this on the fatal fire at Grenfell Tower, which delayed planned work. This also sent housing revenues down 3% to £766m.

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Meanwhile, the order book fell to £2.6bn from £3.1bn as Mears had a slow period of securing new contracts. Despite this, and due to positive results at its home-care division, the firm raised its dividend by 3% to 12p per share.

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Alice grew up in Stockholm and studied at the University of the Arts London, where she gained a first-class BA in Journalism. She has written for several publications in Stockholm and London, and joined MoneyWeek in 2017.

Alice is now Consumer Editor at The Sun and covers everything from energy bills to Social Security.