AIM-listed professional services provider Christie Group (CTG) has raised its 2025 earnings guidance again. Having lifted its forecast in December, the firm now sees profit ‘considerably’ ahead of previous expectations. Thanks to ‘uncharacteristically strong’ billing last month, full-year revenue is now seen above £70 million. Operating profit from continuing operations is now expected to be above £6.5 million against £3.5 million in 2024. Increased profitability The group once again advised on the sale or purchase of more than 1,100 businesses in 2025. However, the average fee on those deals was ‘significantly’ higher than in 2024. Also, the volume of deals…

Investment trust RTW Biotech Opportunities (RTW) has marked its second success this month with the takeover of Penumbra. The company is being acquired by Boston Scientific (BSX) at a 19% premium in one of the first deals of 2026. At the end of last week, portfolio company Aktis Oncology (AKTS) completed its IPO on New York’s Nasdaq exchange. Atkis issued 17.7 million shares at $18 to raise 318 million, with the shares closing up 24% at $22.40. Share Price: $2.16 (-2.9%)Latest NAV: $2.45Market Cap: $700mDIscount: 12% HIGH GROWTH POTENTIAL The takeover of Penumbra valued the business at $14.5 billion or…

Investment trust Impax Environmental Markets (IEM) will offer investors a 100% cash exit by way of a ‘Continuation Tender Offer’. The offer will be pitched close to NAV (net asset value) which as of 15 January was around 440p/share with debt at book cost. That compares with yesterday’s share price of 407p, which represented a discount of 7.5% to NAV. Following today’s announcement, the shares have added 17p or roughly 4% to 424p. Share Price: 424p (+4.2%)NAV/Share: 440pMarket cap: £807m-7.5%Discount: ‘NO CHOICE’ The board said it had ‘no choice’ but to propose the tender offer after pressure from US activist…

Animal genetics company Genus (GNS) has revealed 1H trading was ahead of expectations. It now expects pre-tax profit of £50 million for the six months to December 2025, above its previous forecast. That figure excludes a milestone payment from CHinese firm BCA to Genus of $7.5 million (£5.6 million) last month. The group also now sees underlying full-year earnings ‘moderately’ above the top end of market estimates. Another upgrade In November 2025, the company said it expected FY pre-tax profit to be modestly ahead of the mid-point of estimates. At the time the range of estimates was £78 million to…

Wall street firms Goldman Sachs (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS) smashed expectations with their Q4 results this week. Both banks were big beneficiaries of increased deal volumes rather than stock trading. Goldman Sachs: $958.5 (+3%)Morgan Stanley: $189 (+4.5%)Market cap: $300bnMarket cap: $300bn TOP ADVISOR Goldman Sachs posted Q4 net profit of $4.4 billion, a record not just for the firm but for Wall Street itself. Quarterly EPS (earnings per share) hit $14.01 against a consensus of $11.69 and EPS of $11.95 a year earlier. There were $5 trillion of deals globally last year, driven by the AI dash-for-cash and lower…

Shares in asset manager Schroders (SDR) hit a 2-year high after the firm raised its 2025 profit outlook. Net operating income for the year to December 2025 is now seen at £2.58 billion or more against £2.44 billion in 2024. The company cited strong net new business, a higher-margin mix of assets, positive returns and higher performance fees. Operating expenses, meanwhile, are seen broadly flat on 2024 as a result of good cost discipline. Therefore, the firm now expects adjusted operating income of at least £745 million against £603 million the previous year. Share price: 450p +8%P/E: 18.4xMarket Cap: £7bnYield:…

Homewares retailer Dunelm (DNLM) lowered its full-year profit guidance citing ‘softer’ Q2 trading. The ‘Home of Homes’ said first-half sales rose 3.6% to £926 million, but Q2 sales growth was just 1.6%. Gross margins improved modestly (+60 basis points), but that was largely down to favourable FX. After a strong Q1, trading in Q2 was ‘more challenging’, particularly around Black Friday and into December. While it stayed disciplined in terms of promotions, the firm said it saw especially high levels of competition through discounting. ‘Whilst the UK retail environment remains variable, we have acted on some clear lessons from the…

Taylor Wimpey (TW.) forecast a fall in this year’s operating margin, adding to the gloom around UK housebuilders. The admission came as the firm posted in-line results for the year to December 2025. Completions excluding JVs were in line with forecasts at 10,614 units, while average prices for private sales were 5% higher. As a result, revenue for 2025 rose around 12% to £3.8 billion and operating profit increased slightly to £420 million. Net private reservations were flat at 0.75 per week, and the cancellation rate stayed at 15% as in 2024. The order book excluding JVs was down 6%…

AIM-listed games developer and publisher Frontier Developments (FDEV) has raised its profit guidance after ‘excellent’ 1H trading. The firm posted £59.6 million of revenue for the six months to 30 November, a 26% increase on the previous year. Adjusted operating profit increased an even more impressive 76% to £9.7 million in the half. Also, the firm had net cash of over £40 million at the end of November, up 47% on the previous year. Share price: 596p +5.6%P/E: 21xMarket Cap: £175mYield: n/a CMS STRATEGY DELIVERING The firm’s focus on CMS or creative management simulation games is clearly paying off. Revenue…

Shares in staffing firm Hays (HAS) hit a 20-year low after the company posted weak second-quarter results. Since early 2022, Hays shares have lost roughly two thirds of their value as the global job market stays stuck in the doldrums. Share price: 49.9p -2%P/E: n/aMarket Cap: £800mYield: 2.4% PERM TO TEMP Although the UK market only represents 20% of Hays’ overall business, what it says is instructive. UK net fee income for the second quarter to December 2025 was down 9% on a like-for-like basis. That follows a 9% fall in the quarter to September 2025 and a 15% fall…