Author: James Crux
James Crux
James Crux writes extensively about funds and investment trusts and also specialises in retail, food and beverage sector stocks. He has spent 25 years working in the industry and was named Best Financial Consumer Journalist at the AIC Media Awards 2024 and 2025 for his work at Shares magazine (owned by AJ Bell). Before that, he was the editor of Growth Company Investor and a writer for investment and business titles What Investment and Business XL. James is a long-suffering West Ham supporter and a big fan of The Sopranos.
Shares in JM Smucker (SJM) jumped 7.5% to $115 on Wall Street after the US consumer staple delivered forecast-beating Q3 results. The company, which makes food for people and pets alike, also issued a confident outlook statement. Share price: $115 (+7.5%)PE: n/aMarket cap: $11.4bnYield: 4.1% This provided investors in the challenged packaged food category with a glimmer of hope. Best known for its fruit jams and spreads, JM Smucker’s product range spans everything from peanut butter and coffee to cat food and dog snacks. Its brands include Uncrustables sandwiches, Café Bustelo coffee and the Hostess sweet baked snacks portfolio. Caffeine boost…
Ingredients innovator Tate & Lyle (TATE) has reiterated that year-to-March 2026 sales and underlying earnings are still expected to decline. Share price: 383p (-4%)PE: 14.5xMarket cap: £1.8bnYield: 5.1% Struggling to deliver top-line revenue growth, the food producer said its Q3 sales performance was crimped by the persistence of ‘muted market demand’. Shares in the FTSE 250 food producer tumbled 4% to 383p on the downbeat news. Organic growth challenged Tate & Lyle develops ingredients and solutions which reduce sugar, calories and fat, add fibre and protein, and provide texture to food and drink. Its products are found in beverages, bakery…
Kitchen designer Howden Joinery (HWDN) delivered forecast-beating FY25 profits after continuing to take share in a UK kitchen market that has experienced several years of decline. Share price: 918p (+7.5%)PE: 17.3xMarket cap: £4.6bnYield: 2.7% The FTSE 100 firm also launched a new £100 million share buyback for FY26. This helped to drive the stock up 7.5% to a six-month high of 918p. Designs on growth London-headquartered ‘Howdens’ sells kitchens and joinery products to trade customers, primarily local builders, through 891 UK depots. The domestic market is large with significant future growth potential, yet Howdens also has designs on international growth.…
The UK smaller companies sector has suffered from significant challenges in recent years. Greater investment outflows have led to significant under-valuation of the stock market’s smaller fry. However, UK small-caps continue to exhibit robust fundamentals. Many of these corporate ‘acorns’ have the potential to grow into the ‘mighty oaks’ of the future. In this article, we outline why now could be an opportune moment to invest in UK small-caps. We also highlight some top-performing investment trusts and funds which offer exposure to the theme. Finally, we look at some of the companies which provide finance to UK small and mid-cap…
Shares in Diageo (DGE) sank 5.5% to £17.70 after the world’s biggest spirits company cut the first half-dividend and lowered its full-year sales and profit outlook. Share price: £17.70 (-5.5%)PE: 16xMarket cap: £41.7bnYield: 4% Grappling with a $21.7 billion net debt pile, the Guinness-to-Johnnie Walker maker’s H1 sales disappointed the market amid weaker demand in China and North America. Mixed performance Net sales declined by 4% to $10.5 billion and organic sales slipped 2.8% lower in what new CEO Dave Lewis dubbed a ‘mixed’ performance. Diageo said ‘strong’ organic sales growth in Europe, Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) and Africa…
Shares in Convatec (CTEC) rallied 8% to 244.5p after the medical devices maker upgraded its medium-term organic growth target to a range of 6% to 8% from 2027. This represented a healthy upgrade from previous guidance of 5% to 7%. Share price: 244.5p (+8%)PE: 21.5xMarket cap: £6bnYield: 2.5% Convatec believes growth is ‘set to accelerate’, driven by the successful implementation of its strategy, recent product launches and a ‘rich product pipeline’. Faster growth will also be supported by higher growth capital expenditure (capex) from the FTSE 100 firm. In rude health For the uninitiated, the company’s products and technologies help…
Over half of Smithson’s (SSON) shareholders have opted to take cash rather than roll their investment into Smithson Equity Fund. In November, the company announced plans to convert from an investment trust to an open-ended fund. The board hoped this bold move would eliminate a stubborn discount to net asset value (NAV). Activist Saba Capital and Fundsmith founder Terry Smith both backed the plan. Share price: £14.38Discount to NAV: 7.3%Market cap: £1.5bnTotal assets: £1.7bn Smithson stock was unchanged at £14.38 today. The shares were suspended on 11 February after 99% of shareholder votes approved the liquidation, but the open-ending process…
Shares in JD Sports Fashion (JD.) rallied 5.5% to 82.5p after the struggling sportswear retailer launched a fresh £200 million buyback for FY27. This latest buyback from the FTSE 100 retailer demonstrates the board’s confidence in the company’s cash flows and scope for ongoing market share gains. It also suggests management believes JD Sports is undervalued on a single-digit multiple of forward earnings. The stock is down 50% on a five-year view amid trading and tariff-related headwinds. Share price: 82.5p (+5.5%)PE: 7.1Market cap: £3.9bnYield: 1.4% The sports, fashion and outdoor brands seller said the first tranche of the new £200…
Consolidation continues apace in the investment trusts sector with BlackRock Throgmorton (THRG) to combine with BlackRock Smaller Companies (BRSC). Shareholders will be offered cash exits of up to 38% and 28% in both UK smaller companies trusts respectively. Saba Capital holds 17.8% and 10.4% of the voting rights in BlackRock Throgmorton and BlackRock Smaller Companies respectively. The US activist has committed to vote in favour of the deal. Significant overlap The latest trusts merger brings together two stablemates with portfolio overlap of about 75%. Bulked-up BlackRock Smaller Companies will boast net assets of roughly £780 million. For shareholders, this will deliver…
Shares in Walmart (WMT) cheapened 3% to $123.1 in pre-market Wall Street trading after the world’s biggest retailer forecast weaker-than-expected FY27 earnings. The groceries-to-general merchandise seller’s conservative guidance overshadowed a Q4 earnings beat. Share price: $123.1 (-3%)PE: 44.3Market cap: $1.01trnYield: 0.7% Alongside other consumer staples, the Bentonville-based behemoth has offered a safe haven for investors during recent bouts of market volatility. The shares have tested fresh highs this year, taking Walmart’s market cap above $1trillion for the first time. In its first results presented by new CEO John Furner, Walmart reported Q4 FY26 adjusted earnings per share of $0.74. That…