Ashtead Group Live Discussion

oldjoe1 13 Jul 2015

AHT Broker BUY. <b>Ashtead Group plc’s “Overweight” Rating Reaffirmed at Barclays (AHT)Posted by Shane Hupp on Jul 13th, 2015</b>Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT)‘s stock had its “overweight” rating restated by analysts at Barclays in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Marketbeat reports.Ashtead Group plc (LON:AHT) opened at 1061.0000 on Monday. Ashtead Group plc has a 52 week low of GBX 849.50 and a 52 week high of GBX 1,231.00. The stock’s 50-day moving average is GBX 1,125.76 and its 200-day moving average is GBX 1,122.48. The company’s market cap is £5.32 billion.The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Friday, September 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 13th will be given a dividend of GBX 12.25 ($0.19) per share. This represents a yield of 1.12%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 13th.A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on AHT. Analysts at Citigroup Inc. reiterated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 1,400 ($21.71) price target on shares of Ashtead Group plc in a research note on Thursday. Analysts at BNP Paribas reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a GBX 1,300 ($20.16) price target on shares of Ashtead Group plc in a research note on Thursday. Analysts at initiated coverage on shares of Ashtead Group plc in a research note on Friday, June 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a GBX 1,500 ($23.26) price target on the stock. Analysts at initiated coverage on shares of Ashtead Group plc in a research note on Friday, June 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a GBX 1,500 ($23.26) price target on the stock. Finally, analysts at Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on shares of Ashtead Group plc in a research note on Friday, June 19th. They set a “buy” rating and a GBX 1,500 ($23.26) price target on the stock. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of GBX 1,372.47 ($21.28).Ashtead Group plc is an investment holding and management company. The principal activity of the Company is the rental of equipment to industrial and commercial users mainly in the non-residential construction sectors of the United States and the United Kingdom. The Company has two business units: Sunbelt and A-Plant. The Company’s equipment can be used to lifts, powers, generates, moves, digs, supports, scrubs, pumps, directs and ventilates. Its fleet of industrial and construction equipment includes earthmoving equipment, aerial work platforms, high reach forklifts and other materials handling units. The Company’s principal subsidiaries include Ashtead Holdings PLC, Sunbelt Rentals, Inc., Empire Scaffold LLC, Ashtead Plant Hire Company Limited, Ashtead Capital, Inc. and Ashtead Financing Limited. In May 2013, Ashtead Group plc acquired Accession Group Limited, including its principal trading subsidiary Eve Trakway Limited.

white_van_man 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS......... Any sort of warning or indicated downturn and this will drop like a stone. This rate of growth cannot continue for ever, no signs on the horizon at the moment, and still room for share price appreciation.The call here will be when to get out before the carnage.

holland44 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS......... This is only the third time in the last three years that the SP has touched the 200-day moving average; the last time was during the mid-October slump last year, and the price quickly recovered.So now may be a good time to buy - unless of course it's different this time and Greece and an over-extended market is going to drag everything down now . . .

Hydrogen Economy 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS....... Not for the first time AHT has a strange reaction to great results, cuious what would happen if they ever issue a warning!.I have added today. The main concern seems to be oil exposure, apart from the relatively small recent acquisitions I don't think that energy is a big contributor, construction is the main event and all looks positive. I guess with the increased debt to fund fleet investment and acquisitions, there is a worry about rising interest rates but this looks to be under control. H2

II Editor 16 Jun 2015

NEW ARTICLE: Still boom time at Ashtead "Demand at LSE:AHT:Ashtead's US and UK businesses is booming and the equipment rental firm made a record profit last year. Forecasts are for further significant earnings growth over the next few years, and recent weakness makes the shares worth a ..."[link]

oldjoe1 16 Jun 2015

Re: NEW ARTICLE: Ashtead results spark upgra... <b>UPDATE 1 – Ashtead boosted by construction markets in U.S. and Britain16-06-2015 09:23Ashtead annual profit rises 35 percentSees strong demand in United States and BritainPlant hire industry has grown in recent years</B>(Adds CEO, analyst comments, details)Li-mei HoangLONDON, June 16 (Reuters) – Improving U.S. and British construction markets helped equipment hire group Ashtead to report a record high in pretax profit and should enable it to maintain momentum, the company said on Tuesday.Expressing confidence in the company's medium-term prospects, Chief Executive Geoff Drabble said it was benefiting from increased demand for commercial properties on both sides of the Atlantic."We still remain very early cycle in construction markets... We are seeing far more activity levels, we are seeing bigger scale projects, we are starting to see some of those signature projects," he told Reuters.The company rents out everything from small tools to large diggers and water pumps and has grown rapidly over the past few years as hard-up customers have turned to hiring equipment rather than buying and maintaining it.Pretax profit rose to 490 million pounds ($764 million) for the year ended April 30, up from 362 million pounds a year ago and just ahead of analyst expectations.It will pay a total dividend for the year of 15.25 pence per share, up by 33 percent.Drabble said the company had performed strongly in the United States, its largest market, despite the impact of bad weather and the dampening effect of lower oil prices in the fourth quarter.Rental revenue in the company's U.S. division Sunbelt, which accounts for around 85 percent of group revenue, grew 25 percent to 1.7 billion pounds. Its UK business A-Plant, which accounts for the remainder, grew by 19 percent to 323 million pounds.Drabble said he planned to invest around 1 billion pounds in capital expenditure in the coming year, to help broaden the company's operations and expand its fleet, which is worth 3.6 billion pounds.Shares in the company were 2.3 percent lower at 1,101 pence by 0822 GMT."Despite a difficult winter in the US and a slowing oil and gas market, Ashtead delivered another strong performance," said Barclays analysts in a note."We remain confident in the outlook for Ashtead in recovering non-residential construction markets in both the U.S. and the UK," they added. ($1 = 0.6411 pounds)(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang; Editing by Keith Weir) (([email protected]; 020 7542 6513; Reuters Messaging: [email protected])

oldjoe1 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS......... 16 Jun 2015 Ashtead Group PLC AHT Investec Buy 1,099.50 1,134.00 1,500.00 1,500.00 ReiteratesSP Target 1500p.

oldjoe1 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS......... Ashtead : Barclays price target 1375p: rating overweight

oldjoe1 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS......... Ashtead : Jefferies raises price target to 1385p from 1365p; rating buy

oldjoe1 16 Jun 2015

Re: AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS....... <b>Ashtead posts 33% rise in full-year pre-tax profit; confident on outlook</b>Tue, 16 June 2015Industrial equipment hire company Ashtead posted a 33% rise in full-year pre-tax profit to £473.8m from £356.5m on the back of strong US and UK markets, and said it was confident in the medium-term outlook.Pre-tax profit beat analysts' expectations, while revenue grew 24% to £2.04bn from £1.63bn.Ashtead proposed a final dividend of 12.25p, which brings the dividend for the full year to 15.25p. up 33% from 11.5p in 2015.Chief executive Geoff Drabble said: "2014/15 was another very successful year for Ashtead. The consistent execution of our well-established strategy focused on organic growth supplemented by bolt-on acquisitions has delivered both excellent financial results and significantly enhanced our geographic footprint and the breadth of the markets we serve."He added: "Our markets continue to provide both structural and cyclical opportunity. The business model established over recent years has a track record of exploiting these opportunities and we are supported by a strong balance sheet. Therefore the board looks forward to the medium term with confidence."

oldjoe1 16 Jun 2015

AHT BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS....... AHT ASHTEAD....BEATS ANALYST EXPECTATIONS.................Ashtead confident on outlook after record profit16-06-2015 07:17LONDON, June 16 (Reuters) – British industrial equipment hire group Ashtead said it was confident for its medium term outlook after it posted a record high in underlying pretax profit on Tuesday, on strong demand in the United States and Britain.The company, which rents everything from small tools to large diggers and water pumps, said pretax profit rose to 490 million pounds ($764.35 million) for the year ended April 30, up from 362.1 million a year ago and ahead of analyst expectations.It was expected to report full year profit of 485.94 million pounds according to a Thomson Reuters poll of 13 analysts.($1 = 0.6411 pounds)(Reporting by Li-mei Hoang; Editing by Neil Maidment) (([email protected]; 020 7542 6513; Reuters Messaging: [email protected])Keywords: ASHTEAD GROUP RESULTS/© Thomson Reuters Limited. Click for restrictions

oldjoe1 14 Jun 2015

Re: NEW ARTICLE: Chart of the week: Alwa... <b>Ashtead's shares are still ascendingThe company will announce its full-year numbers on Tuesday 16 June, and the stock is going from strength to strength.</b>David MaddenMarket Analyst, LondonTuesday 09 June 2015 11:14Ashtead Group’s share price hit a record high last month and traders hold hopes for the results. There is no stopping the share price growth which has gone up twelvefold in five years, and with record profits expected to be announced dealers are still bullish. In the first six months of the year, the firm revealed a 33% jump in profits and dividend, and the full-year guidance was raised by the same.The company hires out machinery that is used in the construction industry, and the robust property market in the US and the UK has seen demand ramp up for Ashtead’s business. The group earns over 80% of its revenue from its operation in the US, and the strong dollar is providing a bonus to the London-listed company. The construction sectors in both the UK and the US are secure, with the outlook in both nations positive and Ashtead’s prospects are only getting better.The market is expecting full-year revenues of £2.01 billion and adjusted net income of £311 million when Ashtead reveals its numbers. These forecasts equate to a 23% increase in revenue a 33% rise in adjusted net income. The company will also announce its second-half numbers on the same date; dealers are expecting revenue of £1 billion, and adjusted net income of £136 million. This compares with the first-half revenue and adjusted net profit of £987 million and £169 million respectively.Equity analyst are very bullish on Ashtead. Out of the 17 recommendations, 14 are buys, and three are holds. The average target price is £13.12, and this is 14% above the current price.The share price has been in an aggressive upward trend since 2012, and an all-time high of £12.31 is the initial target — a move through it will bring £13 into play. The stock has been trading lower recently but £11 will provide support, and if that mark is punctured £10 will be the next level of support.[link]

oldjoe1 12 Jun 2015

Re: NEW ARTICLE: Chart of the week: Always a... AHT Ashtead GroupThe group earns over 80% of its revenue from its operation in the US, and the strong dollar is providing a bonus to the London-listed company. The construction sectors in both the UK and the US are secure, with the outlook in both nations positive and Ashtead’s prospects are only getting better.[link]

The Earl of Acol 29 May 2015

Re: Competitor comment hits AHT - again H2 - I equally am not worried by this dip although I did sell some recently at £11.80. I doubt that this will fall back to the £10 level though unless the results disappoint. The PE is rather racy so it is necessary for the results ideally to exceed expectations. We should know within the next month or so. The only area that slightly concerns me is any drop in income arising from a fall off in oil field activity. Unfortunately I am unaware of the proportion of income from that source. If anyone has an idea it would be useful.

Hydrogen Economy 29 May 2015

Competitor comment hits AHT - again See below. We've seen this before, a couple of months back. Last time I bought into the dip and AHT results drove SP to new highs allowing me to milk some profit. Now I 'll be looking to buy some back at a discount. Can't complain and have no worries about AHT position.H2Equipment rental company Ashtead dropped on negative readacross from US peer United Rentals Inc which talked down activity in May. - See more at: [link]