Investment outlook and tips for the week ahead

The week commencing May 9th sees some important financial results announced for some major companies.

Nick Raynor, investment adviser at The Share Centre, gives his view on what to expect to hear in the results announcements and passes on The Share Centre’s view on the best investment choices to make for each.

Monday

HSBC (Q1 results)
This is the last of the large banks to report and by all expectations it should be the most interesting. It is still one of the better funded banks and it is paying a reasonable dividend.

We currently list HSBC as a HOLD

Centrica (interim management statement)
Its operations in Morcambe Bay were recently shut down and the company now has to assess if it is worth re-starting them. This update should show good signs of stability. Centrica is one of our preferred plays in the utility sector.

We currently list Centrica as a BUY

Tuesday

BG Group (Q1 results)
BG Group has had a strong start to the year with additional finds made in its Brazilian operations. The share price is close to an all-time high and we believe there is much more to come.

We currently list BG Group as a BUY
 

Imperial Tobacco Group (interim results)
This is far from our preferred player within the tobacco sector. British American Tobacco's (BAT) figures released last week suggest that mature markets are struggling. We expect weaker figures to be released but the question is how weak?

We currently list Imperial Tobacco Group as a SELL

Wednesday

Sainsburys (preliminary results)
On 27 April sources noted that Sainsburys' market share had been falling while Waitrose, CO-OP, Aldi and Lidl were all gaining ground. We feel there are more exciting plays in the market than Sainsburys.

We currently list Sainsburys as a HOLD

ITV (interim management statement)
ITV has not been off to the best start since regaining its position within the FSTE 100, although the price does look to be consolidating at current levels. Several brokers are now a little more positive after the recent dip and going forward we are confident ITV will perform - now may be a good time to invest.

We currently list ITV as a BUY

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