Shares in Greggs (LON:GRG) rallied after the food-to-go retailer served up stronger-than-expected interim results. In H1, the sausage roll seller delivered further share gains in a tough food-to-go market. Greggs faces stiff headwinds from subdued consumer confidence and cost pressures. So there was relief among investors as the FTSE 250 firm maintained its FY26 guidance. The bakery chain is among London’s most-shorted stocks. That suggests today’s share price spike partly reflected short-sellers buying back stock to cover their positions. Greggs is on a roll Under CEO Roisin Currie, Greggs outperformed a challenging food-to-go market in H1. The Newcastle-based bakery chain’s…

Quality investing is a strategy that focuses on buying the best companies the stock market has to offer. We are talking financially healthy companies with durable competitive advantages, strong balance sheets and reliable cash flows. Additional markers of quality include high margins and track records of reliably generating profitable growth. When it comes to investing in quality, the goal is to identify resilient businesses that can compound wealth over time and weather economic downturns. Quality investors avoid chasing short-term share price momentum or buying shares trading at bargain-basement valuations in the hope they’ll eventually re-rate. While quality-focused investors don’t ignore…

Investment trust Biotech Growth (LON:BIOG) received another boost after Forte Biosciences (NASDAQ:FBRX) agreed a $2.2 billion takeover by Argenx (EBR:ARGX), a Belgian-Dutch pharmaceutical company. The Forte holding represents 3.03% of Biotech Growth’s net asset value (NAV). And the acquisition is the second takeover of one of the trust’s portfolio companies in a month as biotech’s M&A bonanza continues. Earlier this month, Biotech Growth scored yet another win as US pharma giant Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) snapped up portfolio company AtaiBeckley (NASDAQ:ATAI). The Forte takeover is the ninth merger or acquisition (M&A) in a year to benefit Biotech Growth Trust. Shares in the OrbiMed-managed fund have…

Consumer goods giant Unilever (LON:ULVR) rallied after delivering forecast-beating sales for Q2. This marked the Anglo-Dutch conglomerate’s best volume quarter in over a decade. Drawing confidence from a robust H1 performance, the Sunsilk-to-Vaseline maker also raised its FY26 outlook. Unilever now expects annual underlying sales growth to be within its 4% to 6% multi-year guidance range with around 3% underlying volume growth. Previously, the Dove-to-Domestos brands owner anticipated growth at the lower end of this range. Investors can also expect a ‘modest improvement’ in underlying operating margin versus the 20% delivered in FY25. Q2 sales beat Underlying sales grew 5.8%…

Shares in Pinewood Technologies (LON:PINE) surged after the automotive software provider said it is minded to recommend a £545 million takeover offer from Ridgeview Partners. The US private equity firm has tabled an offer at £4.48 in cash for ‘Pinewood.AI’. However, one of Pinewood.AI’s largest shareholders, Harwood Capital, is preparing to vote against the deal. Harwood owns 5.7% of the automotive software business and objects to preferential liquidation rights included in Ridgeview’s proposal. What does Pinewood.AI do? For the uninitiated, Pinewood.AI was spun out from automotive retailer Pendragon in 2024. This separation followed the sale of Pendragon’s UK Motor and…

UK food producer Cranswick (LON:CWK) flagged a positive start to FY27 and reaffirmed annual profit guidance. The pork-to-poultry processor delivered broad-based growth in Q1. Recent investments are translating into tasty market share gains across its poultry, pet food and houmous businesses. So why did the shares fall in early dealings? Well, a deceleration in growth, lower exports and the absence of another earnings upgrade triggered profit-taking. Robust demand Over the last 51 years, Cranswick has grown from a single mill producing feed for pigs in the North East of England into a major UK food producer. The company services major…

In the latest episode of the podcast, the Sharesify team talk markets, tech and the retirement of a trusts sector titan. Our tech guru Steven explains why Q2 results from Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) delivered one of the clearest signals yet that its AI investment programme is translating into growth. He also talks about the turnaround at Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), whose quarterly profits comfortably beat forecasts. James discusses the impending retirement of investment trusts legend James Henderson from Law Debenture (LON:LWDB) and Lowland Investment Company (LON:LWI). Henderson will be sorely missed at Law Debenture. Since taking on lead manager responsibilities in 2003, he has…

UK equity income trust Law Debenture (LON:LWDB) outperformed its benchmark again in the half to June 2026. However, the impressive results were largely overshadowed by news co-manager James Henderson is to retire from Janus Henderson in June 2027. Henderson’s departure marks the end of more than 30 years managing the trust. Laura Foll will succeed Henderson as lead manager of both Law Debenture and Janus Henderson Investors’ stablemate Lowland Investment Company (LON:LWI). This ensures continuity across two of Janus Henderson’s flagship UK equity income mandates. Foll has worked alongside Henderson on Law Debenture since 2011. She became joint portfolio manager in 2019…

In our latest Podcast special, Ian Conway and James Crux welcome Guy Anderson of Mercantile Investment Trust (LON:MRC). Mercantile is one of the largest and most illustrious UK investment trusts dating back over 140 years. The trust focuses on UK companies outside the FTSE 100 which it believes can be ‘tomorrow’s market leaders’. And its successful track record means Mercantile is one of a select group of AIC Millionaire makers. If you had invested the full ISA allowance, including dividends from 1999 to 2025 you would have a pot of nearly £1.25 million. Guy outlines the qualities he looks for…

Shares in Naked Wines (LON:WINE) rose after the online wine retailer unboxed forecast-beating EBITDA for FY26. The result demonstrated that the direct-to-consumer wine purveyor’s turnaround strategy is working and the company is on track to rebuild profitability. The Norwich-based company reaffirmed FY27 guidance for continued EBITDA growth. And CEO Rodrigo Maza insisted ‘the best of Naked Wines is still ahead’. Naked in a nutshell AIM-listed Naked Wines is a direct-to-consumer wine retailer. The company funds production costs for winemakers upfront, allowing them to focus on creating exceptional wines without the financial burdens of traditional wine production. The resulting savings are passing…