Pensions and retirement savings group Standard Life (SDLF) has agreed to buy Aegon UK for £2 billion. The deal will create the UK’s second-biggest player in both workplace pensions and retail pensions and savings. Substantial synergies The enlarged group will have 16 million customers and total assets under administration of £480 billion. Total net synergies are projected at £800 million, including £340 million of one-off savings and £110 million of annual savings. Standard Life is funding the deal with £750 million of cash and the issuance of 18.1 million new shares to Dutch assurer Aegon. Shares will be issued using…

Housebuilder Barratt Redrow (BTRW) confirmed its targets for FY26 housing completions and pre-tax profit, lifting its shares 1.6% to 262p. The group also raised its target for year-end net cash to £550 million to £650 million from £400 million to £500 million previously. ‘Good demand’ For Q3, covering the 13 weeks to 29 March, the firm said it saw ‘a resilient reservation rate underpinned by good customer demand’. It also said it expected the Middle East siuation to have ‘limited impact’ on its FY26 performance. As a result, it should deliver between 17,200 and 17,800 new homes by the end…

In the latest special edition of the podcast, the team welcomes Nick Britton, Research and Content Director at the AIC (Association of Investment Companies). With his wealth of experience, Nick discusses investment trust trends, discounts, activists, dividend heroes and much more. First, we get an insight into the AIC’s vision and how it aims to help investors. Nick also runs through what sets investment trusts apart from open-ended funds and ETFs and their overall appeal. Next, our guest talks through some of the many interesting trends within the sector, including premiums and discounts and the notable rise in activism, not…

Shares in testing and certification firm Intertek (ITRK) jumped over 10% after the company said it was undertaking a strategic review. The outcome could involve the separation and sale or demerger of the Energy & Infrastructure business. Parting of the ways The strategic review will decide whether Intertek Testing & Assurance and Intertek Energy & Infrastructure would be better as separate businesses. Testing & Assurance includes Consumer Products, Corporate Assurance and Health & Safety, and generated £1.9 billion of revenue in FY25. The firm believes a dedicated Testing & Assurance business would be ‘a global market leader, providing risk-based Quality…

Energy giant BP (BP.) updated its Q1 guidance to include the effects of the Middle East conflict and hailed an ‘exceptional’ quarter for oil trading. Otherwise, the company made no major changes to its divisional forecasts although it raised its net debt estimate. Strong start to FY26 BP said it expected its trading business would post exceptional profits this quarter after a weak Q4. The company, like its rival Shell (SHEL), is highly active in trading crude oil and petroleum products. With the price of a barrel of Brent crude having more than doubled at one stage in Q1, BP…

Specialist IT supplier Concurrent Technologies (CNC) posted a 14% increase in revenue for FY25 on record order inflows. The majority of the AIM-listed firm’s sales are to defence primes such as BAE Systems (BA.) and Boeing (BA). Record orders and new customers For the year to December, Concurrent’s revenue rose 14% to £45.9 million and pre-tax profit rose 25% to £6.5 million. Product sales increased 6% to £40.5 million while systems sales showed strong momentum up 157% to £5.4 million. The firm’s order book swelled to a record £47 million, helped by demand from Europe and Asia as it grew…

Property group Sirius Real Estate (SRE) posted an upbeat FY26 trading statement and pointed to further growth in FY27. The company owns industrial parks in the UK and Germany and is increasing its exposure to the defence sector. Double-digit growth For the year to March 2026, Sirius grew its rent roll by 18.4% on a headline basis and 6.4% on an organic basis. This represents the twelfth consecutive year of LFL rent roll growth over 5%, demonstrating the strength of the portfolio. Performance in the UK was ‘solid’ despite a drop in activity following the delayed Autumn Statement. Business picked…

As the US Q1 reporting season kicks off, we flag crucial earnings incoming next week, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Netflix (NFLX). We also reveal the metrics to watch from the UK’s number one supermarket Tesco (TSCO), when it reports earnings on 16 April. Remember, if you value this content, or any of our analysis features and stories, let us know at editorial@sharesify.com. Also, like us on X, Bluesky, Facebook or LinkedIn and be sure to click that ‘follow’ button. And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, where you’ll find a wealth of investing podcast material. JPMorgan Chase (JPM) Traditionally the US…

More S&P 500 companies have issued positive Q1 earnings guidance than at any time in the last five years, according to FactSet. At the same time, the number of S&P companies issuing negative Q1 EPS guidance is close to a five-year low. So far, of the 110 index members who have issued quarterly guidance, 59 are positive while 51 are negative. This marks the highest number of positive outlooks since Q2 2021 and the lowest level of negative outlooks since Q4 2021. Guidance is classified as positive if the company’s EPS estimate is above the mean estimate the day before…

Student accomodation provider Unite Group (UTG) said it was stepping up asset sales to boost income this year. The group reiterated rental growth and occupancy levels would both be at the lower end of forecasts in FY26. Low end of guidance So far, the company has sold £130 million of property assets and another £500 million are earmarked for sale. The firm expects asset sales this year to be between £300 million and £400 million. Unite warned in February it had seen weaker student demand in a number of university towns and cities. The number of international and postgraduate students…