Small to mid cap broker N+1 Singer has published its top picks for the second half of 2015, highlighting 15 stocks that it believes should outperform in the run up to Christmas.
While investors should treat the list as ideas to research further, and definitely not investment advice, there is certainly merit in studying N+1 Singer's list given that its first-half portfolio of 'best ideas' beat the market by 15%.
It is big on picking stocks that play into solid 'themes', for example: 'The ongoing secular drivers in our specialist sectors of Life Sciences & Healthcare and Technology, growth in the institutional Private Rented Sector which seems now poised to accelerate, a broadly positive consumer backdrop, self-help by management teams we trust, beneficiaries from strong corporate balance sheets (whether in the sense of M&A or simply solid order books, as in much of Media), some robust regulatory drivers plus a still robust housing market,' says head of research, Mark Gibbon. 'This is where most of our conviction calls lie.'
It says new themes to consider in the second-half period include growth in the litigation finance market, cyber security and the threat of overcapacity on the high street.
Some of the choices are stocks which N+1 Singer is the house broker, so we will not go into detail on: Augean (AUG:AIM), OMG (OMG:AIM), Scapa (SCPA:AIM), SDL (SDL) and WYG (WYG:AIM).
As for the rest, they span lots of different industries and include a mixture of household names and lesser-known stocks. Here's a selection of the broker's best ideas:
Cineworld (CINE). Current price: 477.6p. 12-month target price: 550p. It says the retreat from c520p following the departure of the finance director creates 'an excellent buying opportunity'.
Creston (CRE). Current price: 142p. 12-month target price: 171p. Investment thesis is centred on new management team delivering organic growth.
Grainger (GRI). Current price: 223.2p. 12-month target price: 295p. The broker calls this a 'unique listed play on the UK residential property market' where the company generates predictable cash flow.
Restore (RST:AIM). Current price: 271.95p. 12-month target price: 330p. N+1 Singer says the second-half of 2015 could be interesting with a potential return to the acquisition trail. It has a good track record of buying companies that enhance earnings.
Safestyle UK (SFE:AIM). Current price: 210p. 12-month target price: 230p. Market leader for uPVC window and door replacement. 'It has a compelling, cash generative business model and is expanding.'
Other companies on the 'best ideas' list are Burford Capital (BUR:AIM), Ergomed (ERGO:AIM), Servelec (SERV), Vernalis (VER:AIM) and Wilmington (WIL).
