Financial Trading Blog

Stock of the day 18/08/2016 – Persimmon PLC




Despite suffering the same fate as the rest of the housing sector after the UK’s EU referendum, 2016 still hasn’t been too unkind to Persimmon. By the start of March it was trading at all-time highs of £22.55, and while it fell away from those levels between then and the end of June it was bouncing between £18.50 and £21.50, roughly the same bracket as it was in during the second half of 2015. Of course the Brexit vote did change all that, Persimmon plunging 40% across 2 sessions, at one point hitting a 2 and a half year nadir of £11.70. Since then, however, the stock has seen a relatively impressive recovery, climbing back to a current trading price of £17.80 (IT-Finance.com, 18/08/2016).

Persimmon PLC Chart August 2016 Spreadex Financial Spread Betting
(Source: IT-Finance.com 18/08/2016)

Persimmon has been backing up its market performance with a series of strong updates in 2016. Back in February it sent itself to that aforementioned all-time peak with its full year figures, the company reporting a 34% surge in pre-tax profit to £637.5 million off the back of a 13% rise in revenue to £2.9 billion. And though its first quarter update was received poorly in April, thanks to the perception of slowing sales, revenue still jumped 8% to £2.15 billion, with the average selling price increasing by nearly 6% to £220,000.

It’s most important statement came at the start of July, with Persimmon addressing the Brexit fears that had plagued its stock in the aftermath of the referendum. The company argued that it was ‘too soon to judge’ the impact of the Brexit on the housing sector, instead choosing to highlight its 12% rise in completed house sales for the 6 months ending June 30th.

Though it is still barely 2 months since the referendum investors will be expecting a fuller comment on the Brexit when Persimmon announces its half year figures next Tuesday, especially since it has already been revealed that, for the sector as a whole, housing prices rose at their slowest rate for 3 years across July.

Persimmon PLC has a consensus rating of ‘Hold’ with an average target price of £17.88.

DISCLAIMER


Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 64% of retail investors lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. For professional clients, spread betting and CFD trading can also result in losses larger than your initial stake or deposit.

Spreadex Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, provides an execution only service and does not provide advice in any way. Nothing within this update should be deemed to constitute the provision of investment advice, recommendations, any other professional advice in any way, or a record of our trading prices. This update does not constitute or form part of an offer of, or solicitation for a transaction in any financial instrument, nor shall it or the fact of its distribution form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefore. Any persons placing trades based on their interpretation of the comments or information within this update does so entirely at their own risk.

No representation, warranty, or undertaking, express or limited, is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained within this update by Spreadex Ltd or any of its employees and no liability is accepted by such persons for the accuracy or completeness of any such information or opinions. As such, no reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information and opinions contained within this update.

The information contained within this update is the intellectual property of Spreadex Ltd and is protected by UK and International copyright laws. All rights reserved. Users may however freely download, distribute and reproduce extracts of the contents, subject always to accrediting Spreadex Ltd as the source and providing a hyperlink to www.spreadex.com.