Shares in Applied Nutrition (APN) rose 6% to 255p after the sports nutrition, health and wellness brand raised guidance for the year to July 2026 yet again. Following a strong first half performance, the FTSE 250 firm expects FY26 results will be ahead of the previously-upgraded consensus calling for revenue of £133.5 million and adjusted EBITDA of £37.7 million. Share price: 255p (+6%)PE: 22xMarket cap: £604mYield: n/a Cavendish hiked its FY26 revenue and adjusted EBITDA estimates by 4.3% to £140.3 million and £39.6 million respectively on the news. The broker views Applied Nutrition as a ‘high-quality, highly scalable operator in…

Seraphim Space (SSIT) has reported a ‘substantial’ 24% increase in net asset value (NAV) on the back of valuation and contract wins by the trust’s four biggest holdings: ICEYE, ALL.SPACE, D-Orbit and Hawkeye 360. Shares in the world’s first listed SpaceTech fund firmed 4.5% to 147.7p on the news and have now rocketed 185% higher over the past year. Share price: 147.7pAIC sector: Growth CapitalMarket cap: £335mYield: n/a James Carthew, head of investment company research at QuotedData, calculates the valuation uplift is ‘about 29.1p, which would make the NAV 148.6p, all else being equal’, putting Serpahim Space back on a small…

Shares in automotive software provider Pinewood Technologies (PINE) plunged 30% to 305.5p after Apax Partners withdrew its £575.5m takeover offer. In a statement on 13 February, the private equity giant blamed ‘prevailing challenging market conditions’ for its decision to walk away. Share price: 305.5p (-30%)PE: 54.6xMarket cap: £502mYield: n/a In response, Pinewood expressed confidence in its long-term prospects. The FTSE 250 firm highlighted its scope for growth in the North American automotive dealer software market. Trading as Pinewood.AI, the company offers a cloud-based automotive intelligence platform to car dealerships. Last month, it emerged Pinewood was in talks with Apax over…

Shares in L’Oreal (OR) plunged 6.5% to €366.7 in Paris after the French beauty giant’s FY25 and Q4 sales growth undershot market expectations. Investors were especially disappointed by misses in the group’s luxury and North Asia businesses, where the market was expecting better sales growth. Share price: €366.7 (-6.5%)PE: 29.5xMarket cap: €209bnYield: 2% L’Oreal is emerging from a tough past 18 months. Growth in the global beauty market, which boomed in 2021, slowed in 2025, although green shoots are now emerging. Like-for-likes accelerate L’Oreal is the owner of L’Oréal Paris, the number one beauty brand in the world, as well as…

The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has written to the FCA and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) calling for action to protect retail shareholders’ interests. This follows Saba Capital’s relentless attacks on Baillie Gifford-managed Edinburgh Worldwide (EWI). The US activist holds just over 30% of the global smaller companies trust. Defend shareholders’ rights The AIC’s letters suggest measures to defend shareholders’ rights and ensure a fair and democratic process. It argues there should be a limit to the number of times a meeting can be requisitioned by the same shareholder making similar proposals. Share price: 236pTotal assets: £848mMarket cap: £816.3mPremium…

Consumer goods company Unilever (ULVR) delivered better-than-expected organic sales growth for Q4. This was driven by strong demand for its Dove, Domestos and Vaseline brands. The FTSE 100 constituent also announced a new €1.5bn share buyback to start in the second quarter. Share price: £52.53 (-1.5%)PE: 24xMarket cap: £114.6bnYield: 3.3% So why were the shares marked down 1.5% to £52.53 in early dealings? Well, Unilever provided underwhelming guidance, warning that slowing markets could impact growth. Cautious outlook Unilever said FY26 growth would be ‘at the bottom end of the underlying sales growth range’ reflecting slower market conditions. This cautious outlook…

Warren Buffett-backed food behemoth Kraft Heinz (KHC) has pressed pause on its work to split into two separate businesses. This unexpected turn of events, twinned with a Q4 revenue miss, sent shares in the Chicago-headquartered firm 6% lower to $23.5 in pre-market trading. Share price: $23.5 (-6%)PE: 9.8xMarket cap: $29.5bnYield: 6.5% The company behind Heinz ketchup and Philadelphia cream cheese announced plans to break up back in September. The restructuring would have seen the company separate its ketchup, condiments and international sauces operations from the core North American packaged foods portfolio and unwound much of a blockbuster $46 billion merger…

Shares in PZ Cussons (PZC) rallied 11% to a 52-week high of 90p after the consumer goods group upgraded FY26 profit guidance and said its cost savings programme is on track. Share price: 90p (+11%)PE: 11.4Market cap: £338mYield: 4.4% CEO Jonathan Myers also outlined a renewed group strategy, highlighting a sharper focus on building portfolios of locally-loved brands across four lead markets spanning developed and emerging economies. Broad-based growth The Morning Fresh, Carex and Imperial Leather maker raised its FY26 outlook after delivering double-digit profit growth for the half to November, with strong like-for-like growth persisting into H2-to-date. Adjusted pre-tax…

Shares in Coca-Cola (KO) softened 1.2% to $77 on Wall Street after Q4 revenues missed estimates and the drinks leviathan’s FY26 growth forecast lacked fizz. Georgia-headquartered Coca-Cola is projecting organic revenue growth of 4% to 5% for the current year, below the 5% growth expected by analysts based on Bloomberg data. Q4 sales from the colossus behind brands including Coke, Fanta, Schweppes and Powerade disappointed investors amid subdued demand for its fizzy drinks in North America and the Asia Pacific region. Share price: $77 (-1.2%)PE: 24.1xMarket cap: $335bnYield: 2.7% Volumes fall flat Coca-Cola delivered a 5% rise in Q4 organic…

Shares in Ramsdens (RFX) jumped 9% to 441p after the pawnbroker once again upgraded FY26 guidance off the back of the booming gold price. The firm now expects pre-tax profits to top £21m. That’s up from FY25’s £16.2m and comfortably above the £18.6m called for by consensus. Share price: 441p (+9%)PE: 9.9xMarket cap: £131mYield: 4.4% Led by canny CEO Peter Kenyon, Ramsdens continues to benefit from the high gold price. Profits from the purchase of precious metals segment are tracking ‘significantly ahead of expectations’. The volume of gold purchased has been particularly strong since the start of 2026, said Ramsdens,…