UK takeovers moved up a gear in 2024 as predators targeted bigger companies. The average value of deals was £1.07 billion, nearly three times higher than the £390 million average in 2023. In total, there were £49 billion worth of recommended bids versus £17.2 billion last year.A bounty of unloved or underappreciated companies were swept off their feet, signalling the UK market as being 'on sal

At the start of 2024, I speculated that interest rate cuts could lead to takeovers involving bigger companies than the type of deals seen in 2023. While the rate-cut journey still remains in its infancy for the UK and other key geographies, the predicted wave of large-cap takeovers is firmly in motion. It's a reminder there is value on the UK market in droves.There have been bids or expressions of

Stock markets across the globe have just emerged from a short, sharp shock, with the sell-off on 5 August one of the worst days in years as investors mull the frightening thought that the US economy is slowing and could be sent spinning into recession.Combined with the impact of the unwinding in the yen 'carry trade' discussed in this explainer and some stretched valuations and you had the recipe

UK soft drinks maker Britvic (BVIC) looks set to become the latest FTSE 250 mid-cap company to exit the London stock market after agreeing to an improved £3.3 billion offer tabled by Danish brewer Carlsberg (CARL-B:CPH) on 8 July.!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in

Brewing joint venture sold for £206 millionAccelerates timeframe to reduce net debtCompany to layout capital allocation plansIt was drinks all round for Marston's (MARS) after the pub and hotel group announced the sale of its remaining 40% stake in the Carlsberg Marston's Brewing joint venture back to Danish brewer Carlsberg (CARL-B:CPH) for £206 million in cash.The shares jumped as much as 18%

£13.15 per share bid recommendedPepsiCo waiver key to dealBritvic sales up 6.3% in Q3Another one bites the dust. Soft drinks maker Britvic (BVIC) will become the latest company to leave the London stock market after agreeing to Carlsberg's (CARL-B:CPH) improved £3.3 billion takeover offer.Shares in the Robinsons, Fruit Shoot and J2O maker fizzed up 5% to £12.70 after the FTSE 250 firm said it h

Now the ballots have been cast at the general election, the UK could become the 'reassuringly boring' market, both politically and fiscally, when compared to the more extreme politics on the other side of the English Channel and Atlantic Ocean.So suggests Jean Roche, manager of the Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP), who notes capital allocators know more or less what to expect, which could explain th

Defence and banks stocks top tableM&A wave creates big winnersConsumer stocks on the skidsIt hasn't been a vintage year for the UK stock market, but there are signs investors are coming back attracted by the cheap valuations on offer compared with the US as well as decent earnings prospects for UK companies.The FTSE 350 index is up 5.5% year-to-date, with the FTSE 100 large-cap benchmark up 5.6% j

Offers at £12 and £12.50 rejectedRobinsons maker's shares surge on bid excitementCarlsberg 'considering its position'Soft drinks business Britvic (BVIC) was the FTSE 250's biggest gainer on Friday, with shares in the Fruit Shoot-to-J2O maker fizzing 11% higher to £11.29 on news it has rebuffed two takeover approaches from Carlsberg (CARL-B:CPH).The Danish brewer sweetened its original £12 per

After a strong post-lockdown rebound, soft drink and mixer maker Britvic (BVIC) seems to have well and truly lost its fizz over the last year with the shares slumping to 12-month lows last week.Quite why the market has soured on the £2 billion market-cap firm isn?t obvious, given it has an enviable portfolio of brands including Fruit Shoot, J2O, Robinsons and Tango as well as making Pepsi and 7UP

AG Barr (BAG) 550pGain to date: 13.5%We flagged Scottish soft drinks maker AG Barr (BAG) in August 2023 arguing the company was not being given sufficient credit by the market for its sales momentum. We highlighted the strength of its portfolio of brands including Irn-Bru and Rubicon.WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO SINCE WE SAID TO BUY?We were on the money when we flagged ?the scope for further upgrades? as

Profit guidance upgraded againBrands have positive momentumEuan Sutherland to succeed Roger WhiteOne of Shares running Great Ideas selections, Irn-Bru-to-Rubicon drinks maker AG Barr (BAG) served up another full-year profit upgrade which sent the shares up 1.5% to a 52-week high of 576p.The beverages business behind iconic Scottish tipple Irn-Bru as well as take home cocktail offering FUNKIN and c

Trust returns to long-run outperformance trendBenchmark-beating 17.6% returnUK mid-caps cheaper than large-capsJean Roche-run investment trust Schroder UK Mid Cap Fund (SCP) returned to form in style over the year ended 30 September 2023, delivering a net asset value total return of 17.6% versus the disappointing 30% decline in the previous year.This beat the 13.6% total return from the benchmark

Soft drinks business Britvic (BVIC) serves up full-year results on 22 November, when investors will be thirsty to learn how volumes are holding up at the Fruit Shoot, Robinsons and Tango maker which also produces and sells brands including Pepsi and 7UP in Great Britain and Ireland under exclusive agreements with PepsiCo (PEP:NASDAQ).Price hikes and volume growth helped Britvic's revenues to bubbl

Avid Premier League football fans can't fail to have noticed the promotion of popular Monster Energy drinks on stadium advertising hoardings.The Monster Energy logo, a vibrant green 'M' composed of three lines on a field of black which suggests it was created by the claws of a monster ripping through the can, continually pops up pitch-side. The campaign is likely to add extra sales fizz in a perio

The soft drinks sector has long been a fruitful place to make money. Some of the best-known brands are available to investors via shares in UK and overseas-listed companies.Once again, the soft drinks market is proving its resilience in volatile times, though the companies face headwinds in the form of regulation, an uncertain consumer spending outlook and the threat from private-label products, w

The FTSE 100 finished the day on an up note as investors shrugged-off worries about rising interest rates, despite the more hawkish comments coming from the US Federal Reserve on Wednesday.The benchmark FTSE 100 closed roughly 1.1% higher, or about 85 point, to end the day at 7,554.31, boosted by bank stocks and a weaker pound, recovering all of the losses ran up at the start of the week.The move

Leading UK shares are defying downbeat expectations while US markets also look set to rebound a little after the Fed signalled a faster pace of rate rises on Wednesday saw US markets fall sharply. The benchmark FTSE 100 is around 0.5% in positive territory at 12.30pm on Thursday at 7506.15, but mid-caps are having a tougher time of it.The FTSE 250 is 0.6% lower at 21,745.19, dragged down by an 11%

European stock markets slumped in early dealings on Thursday as markets digested the US Federal Reserve's statement last night.Investors were unnerved after Fed chair Jay Powell signalled the US central bank could be open to more rate hikes this year than it has previously guided.US stocks fell further after the announcement and the sell-off extended to most of Asia and Europe, although the FTSE 1

UK shares closed higher on Wednesday, spurred on by US economic data which showed personal spending rose more than expected and weekly US jobless claims were the lowest since 1969, signaling continued strength in the economy.The latest minutes from the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee meeting, are due after the market close.At the close the FTSE 100 index of leading shares was up 0.3% at 7,