Our portfolio picks for 2025 haven't fared too well in the first half of the year, returning 0.6% compared to a gain of 6.1% from the FTSE All-Share index as of 9 June. It wasn't all bad news, however, as stocks like defence technology group Cohort (CHRT:AIM), premium mixer-maker Fevertree Drinks (FEVR:AIM), airline and package holiday provider Jet2 (JET2:AIM) and infrastructure and...

Continuing reverberations from President Tump's redrawing of the global world order saw the UK government announce its SDR (Strategic Defence Review), aimed at moving the UK to a position of 'war fighting readiness.' Having already committed to increase military spending to 2.5% of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2028, on 1 June Prime Minister Starmer revealed plans to increase spending to 3%...

Revenue and profit up 'strongly' Order backlog hits new record Shares up 40% already this year Defence technology group Cohort (CHRT:AIM) showed yet again why it is a favourite with investors large and small by revealing a strong trading performance for the year to 30 April and a record book of new orders. The shares, which have gained more than 40% this year, initially traded up 30p at...

Company warns of delays2025/2026 sales growth cutBuyback upped to £200mShares in QinetiQ (QQ.) were on course to suffer their biggest single-day loss since listing in 2004, with the shares slumping as much as 20% after the defence group warned delays in UK and US contracts would impact 2025 revenue.The shares are now trading down 1% year-to-date, although over the last 12-months they are up...

Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East and calls from incoming US president Donald Trump for NATO members to increase defence spending as a percentage of national income will continue to provide a tailwind for the defence sector.AIM-quoted Cohort (CHRT:AIM) is well positioned to benefit from an increase in defence spending and at the first-half results on 11 December, the group...

Berkshire-based Cohort (CHRT:AIM), which provides advanced military systems and software to clients including the UK's Ministry of Defence, posted record revenue and profit for the year to the end of April as rising geopolitical tensions drive more customers to its door.Sales for the year hit £202 million, up 11%, while adjusted operating earnings also rose 11% to £21 million and the firm...

UK government customer pays £21.4 millionRecord revenue of £202.5 million up 11%Cohort shares are up 54% year-to-dateShares in Cohort (CHRT:AIM) were up 4% to 859p in morning trading as the defence specialist said its subsidiary MCL (Marlborough Communications) has been awarded two orders with a total value of £21.4 million by a government customer.In addition, last month the firm's EID...

Over the longer term, UK small caps have historically outperformed their larger cap brethren, but prevailing investor sentiment towards smaller companies remains poor due to stubborn inflation, higher interest rates and recessionary fears. It won't be like this all the time.One smart way to gain exposure to the asset class ahead of an eventual rally, with a turn in inflation among the likely...

For now, the escalating conflict in Ukraine shows no signs of easing. After the initial shock, markets were hopeful the economic impact of the war might be contained as the West's opening salvo of sanctions in response to Russia's invasion (24 Feb) were weaker than some had anticipated.However, any relief soon dissipated as Ukraine put up stiff resistance against the Russian invaders and...

The past week has been a relatively quiet one when it comes to directors buying and selling shares in their companies with little of the volume usually seen, but there have been some notable deals.The biggest involves Vanessa Perrins, the wife Berkeley (BKG) chief executive Rob Perrins, who sold over 228,000 shares in the FTSE 100 housebuilder on Friday at £47.43 each, in a transaction worth...

The devastating slide in Imagination Technologies (IMG) shares on 3 April after being ditched by its largest customer Apple is just the latest and most high profile in a string of setbacks for firms with heavily-concentrated client bases.Shares in the microchip designer fell by more than 60%, with more than £500m wiped off its market value, as Apple said it would stop using the group's...

Defence business Cohort (CHRT:AIM) will need to generate 76% of its earnings per share in the second half of its April 2017 financial year if it is to hit consensus forecasts.Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) in the six months to 31 October fell 16% year-on-year to 5.99p against the 24.5p pencilled in for the full year. The company says the weak EPS number was due in part to a significant...

The FTSE 100 kicks off the new trading week with a smile, up 0.2% to 6,970, supported by gains in oil, gas and mining stocks. The large cap corporate reporting calendar starts to get very quiet from now on in December, but takeover activity is likely to remain the hot theme given many deals over the past month including Sky (SKY) last Friday.Today's bid action is concentrated at the lower end...

A contract win (31 Mar) for defence technology specialist Cohort (CHRT:AIM) bolsters the group's long-term outlook as well as providing cash for further earnings-accretive acquisitions.Cohort subsidiary SEA has been awarded a further contract by BAE Systems (BA.) for the supply of its External Communications System (ECS) for the second stage of the common External Communications System (cECS)...

Cohort (CHRT:AIM) 411pGain to date: 74.1%Original entry price: Buy at 236p, 29 Jan 2015Since we added the aerospace and defence business to the Plays portfolio at the end of January, the shares have advanced by 74%. Recent interim results (14 Dec) point to strong second-half visibility in its order book which should continue to underpin momentum at the £169.3 million cap over the coming...

Our best ideas portfolio has significantly outperformed the stock market in 2015. This shows the power of good stock picking. Our actively-managed Plays of the Week tips have delivered an average 7.1% return on a 12-month basis, excluding dividends.In comparison, the FTSE All-Share is down by a miserable 1.4% over the same period. When we adjust the FTSE All-Share performance so the comparison...

A wave of profit warnings is shaking the foundations of the aerospace and defence sector. Picking through the wreckage we remain positive on running Play of the Week Senior (SNR) at 234.7p but lose our previous faith in turnarounds at Meggitt (MGGT) and Chemring (CHG) and are also negative on Cobham (COB). All three have warned about trading issues since the middle of October.(Click on chart...

The UK defence industry is in rude health, judging by the number of people who visited and exhibited at the DSEI arms fair in London during September. With 30,000-plus visitors; more than 1,500 exhibitors from 120 countries, including 40 international pavilions; the show was also attended by at least 100 international delegations.This bodes well for a sector that has come off peaks generated...

Despite a 65% advance year-to-date we think there is more to come from defence specialist Cohort (CHRT:AIM) at 382.1p.Shares visited the business at a key site in Beckington, Somerset to take its temperature. Recent acquisitions, sound fundamentals (as exemplified by a steady newsflow of contract wins) and a highly competent management team suggest the momentum should continue well into...

The £13.3 million acquisition of Portugeuse defence specialist EID on 5 August by Cohort (CHRT:AIM) looks like another good bolt-on deal for the £150 million cap.EID, a supplier of advanced electronics and control systems for the global defence market, will join MASS, MCL, SEA and SCS as the fifth member of the Cohort stable. Like its counterparts it is a cash-generative business with a...