Shares in Playtech (PTEC) rallied 3% to 289p after the gaming industry technology provider upgraded FY25 guidance on a stronger-than-expected Americas performance. The FTSE 250 firm’s adjusted EBITDA is now expected to be ‘at least €195m’. That is significantly ahead of the mean consensus estimate of €177m. Share price: 289p (+3%)PE: 18.1xMarket cap: £949mYield: n/a Calling out its strong prospects in regulated markets, notably the Americas, Playtech remains confident in its FY26 outlook. The firm also reiterated its medium-term targets of €250m-to-€300m of adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow in the €70m-to-€100m range. Playing to win Playtech delivers software, services,…

Catering colossus Compass (CPG) delivered better-than-expected Q1 earnings after a ‘strong start’ to the year and reaffirmed FY26 guidance. Which begs the question, why were the shares down 2.5% to £21.69 in early dealings? Share price: £21.69 (-2.5%)PE: 21.5xMarket cap: £51.6bnYield: 2.4% Well, investors were disappointed by the absence of a guidance upgrade. News that Compass is finding it harder to push through price increases as inflation cools also weighed on sentiment toward the stock. Organic growth beats The self-styled ‘global food services leader’ delivered better-than-expected organic sales growth of 7.3% for the quarter to December. Unfortunately, that represented a…

In this article, Sharesify counts down the most-viewed trusts on the website of The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) in 2025, delving into the top 10 positions for the first time. IN THE ASCENDANT The funds occupying 10th, 9th and 8th position all offer compelling income propositions for yield-starved investors and their number includes one trust with a unique twist. Henderson Far East Income (HFEL) Share price: 246.5p Premium to NAV: 4.6% Yield: 10.1% Shifting up from 13th to 10th spot was Henderson Far East Income, the quarterly-dividend paying trust which looks to maximise opportunities for high-income investing in Asia-Pacific. Admittedly,…

US retailer Walmart (WMT:NASDAQ) burst through the $1trn market cap barrier on 3 February. In crossing this threshold, the groceries-to-general merchandise seller joined an elite club dominated by tech giants including Alphabet (GOOG:NASDAQ), Microsoft (MSFT:NASDAQ) and Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ). Share price: $127.7 (+3%)PE: 44.8Market cap: $1.02trnYield: 0.74% How did Arkansas-based Walmart became the first-ever retailer to reach a $1trn valuation? By taking market share in groceries and general merchandise, then spreading its tentacles into areas such as ecommerce and advertising. Walmart’s a winner Walmart’s elevation to the $1trn club was fuelled by the year-in, year-out acquisition of new customers. It won…

Luxury goods group Watches of Switzerland (WOSG) upgraded FY26 sales guidance on the back of ‘strong trading’ throughout Q3 including the Christmas period. The FTSE 250 firm also stressed that demand for its key luxury brands continues to outstrip supply in both the UK and US. So why then, did shares in the UK’s largest luxury watch retailer tick 2.5% lower to 501.5p in early dealings? Share price: 501.5p (-2.5%)PE: 12.6Market cap: £1.2bnYield: n/a The catalyst for profit-taking was a slight cut to FY26 margin guidance. The Rolex, OMEGA and Breitling watches seller pinned the downgrade on brand margin and…

Pepsico’s (PEP:NASDAQ) shares rose 4.3% to $162 on Wall Street after the sodas-to-snacks maker’s fourth quarter earnings topped analysts’ estimates. The food and drink giant reiterated FY26 guidance and said it plans to cut prices on snacking products to stimulate demand from cash-strapped consumers. Share price: $162 (+4.3%)PE: 19.7Market cap: $215bnYield: 3.8% While Pepsico’s drink sales are improving, demand for its snacks remains sluggish with inflation-weary consumers in North America pushing back against higher prices. The impact of weight-loss drugs on consumer behaviour is another concern for investors. Partly in response to pressure from feared activist Elliott, Pepsico plans to…

When it comes to fund selection, every investor will pursue his or her own distinct strategy. Nevertheless, it can be instructive to see which portfolios have piqued the interest of other investors, since this exercise can throw up ideas for further research. With this in mind, Sharesify notes The Association of Investment Companies’ (AIC) recent list of the 20 most viewed investment trusts on its website during 2025. Interest rate cuts by central banks are reducing the returns available from cash, so it is no surprise to see income was the dominant theme when it came to companies ranked by…

Shares in AG Barr (BAG) bubbled up 4.5% to 679p after the Irn-Bru maker served up a reassuring FY26 trading update guiding to a year of double-digit profit growth. Share price: 679p (+4.5%)PE: 15.1Market cap: £721mYield: 2.8% The FTSE 250 firm insisted it is entering 2026 with ‘good momentum’ and a series of product launches planned. Investors also applauded the acquisitions of soft drinks rivals Fentimans and Frobishers for a combined £51 million. Thirst for growth Cumbernauld-based AG Barr is the company behind iconic Scottish tipple Irn-Bru as well as Rubicon, Boost and Funkin. It has strengthened its brand portfolio…

Small and mid caps-focused trust Smithson (SSON) continued to underperform its benchmark in 2025 after experiencing a ‘year of two halves’. While the strategy of buying high quality small and mid-caps struggled last year, manager Simon Barnard believes being ‘so different’ from the market ‘could prove to be useful diversification for shareholders when this particular environment changes’. Share price: £15.02NAV/share: £15.40Market cap: £1.6bnDiscount to NAV: 2.5% The closed-ended fund will shortly roll into an open-ended structure to permanently close an ‘entrenched’ discount. The audacious move will allow shareholders to participate in the same investment strategy with the same management team.…

In this article, we highlight some of the most bought and sold equity income funds of 2025. In the process we reveal which strategies and managers proved popular with investors and which may be falling out of favour. Hopefully, this exercise throws up some ideas for readers. Credit goes to Trustnet for running the market movements data for OEICs and unit trusts from FE Analytics. Artemis in demand Falling interest rates, driven by central bank cuts, reduce returns on cash savings. During such periods, equity income funds come into favour they bring exposure to portfolios of cash-generative, dividend-paying stocks. Among…