Wednesday tips round-up: Meggit, JLT, RBS

With every one cent decline in the pound against the US dollar adding £400,000 to defence group Meggitt's prospective pre-tax profits, currency moves alone have been enough to send current-year forecasts higher.

Even so, profit progress in 2010 driven more by Meggitt's target of £50m of annualised cost savings rather than a rebound in sales. Meggitt entered recession with too much debt - now £808m, which will be slow to work off - and sales growth is uninspiring. At 295p, or 11 times earnings, the shares are up with events. Pass says the Times.

Insurance broker JLT continues to grow faster than Aon, Marsh and Willis, its larger rivals, with a 5% rise in like-for-like sales implying rising market share. With profits set to receive a further fillip from a £14m cost-saving programme, at 500p, or 12 times 2010 earnings, and yielding 4.2%, buy on weakness says the Times.

This year is likely to prove the low point for profits at ground preparation group Keller. It has built a strong presence in emerging markets, with revenues from Asia set to double this year after the purchase of Singapore's Resource Holdings, a piling contractor, in October. Equally, Keller continues to trade strongly in Australia and Eastern Europe. At 651p, off 24p, or ten times 2010 earnings, hold on says the Times.

Royal Bank of Scotland, with a sizeable investment bank keeping the show on the road, faces similar regulatory issues to Barclays, while lacking the latter's talent and profits. RBS's results were better than some expected, and the gaffe-prone management are at least steadying the ship. But RBS is one to avoid says the independent. The paper also advises investors to hold Barclays and HSBC, while Lloyds is a speculative buy up to 75p.


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