Mark Watson-Mitchell - 04.03.2026 A year ago, I commented that the investors in the shares of construction group Galliford Try (LON:GFRD) could gain confidence from this group’s continued strong performance, while analyst estimates underlined the overall attractions of the group and the prospects for its rising share price from the then 384p. At that time, 6th March 2025, I suggested that investors should hold tightly to the group’s shares as they progress higher in sales,

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 04.03.2026   This morning SRT Marine Systems (LON:SRT)  has announced the signing of a new maritime surveillance contract with a sovereign customer valued at $261m, an increase from the previously anticipated $200m. The commencement of this project is contingent on the completion of a UKEF-supported finance package. The company also noted ongoing progress with existing projects in Asia and the Middle East, highlighting the increasing demand for independ

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 03.03.2026 This morning's Interim results from the Kier Group (LON:KIE) reported a strong first half to end-December 2025, achieving an average net cash position of £16.8m, a significant improvement from the prior period's net debt of £(37.6) million. The group also announced a new £25m share buyback programme. Revenue grew by 2.6% to £2,029m, with adjusted operating profit increasing by 6.6% to £71.0m, and the adjusted operating margin improved by 10

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 03.02.2026 This coming Wednesday, 4th March, will see the £824m-capitalised Metro Bank (LON:MTRO) declare its Final Results for the year to end-December 2025. They should reveal an impressive leap from £14.0m of losses in 2024 to over £98.0m of pre-tax profits last year. And that is just the start of a major recovery. After some hassles three years ago, the group has undergone a significant period of change. 2024 proved to be a year of successful tr

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 02.03.2026     This morning the £489m-capitalised Costain Group (LON:COST) confirmed that it has today returned to the FTSE 250 index for the first time in more than 20 years. The re-entry comes after years of consistent strong financial performance, building strong positions in growing markets and delivering increasing shareholder returns. As I reported this Index entry on Thursday of last week, the news was followed by a staggering 14,934,642 shares w

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 02.03.2026 In just eight days, on Tuesday, 10th March, DotDigital Group (LON:DOTD) , the leading SaaS provider of an AI-powered customer experience and data platform for intelligent, personalised marketing engagement at scale, will present its Interim Results to the end-of December last year. The company has already given the market guidance that the current year has shown some strength in its operations. The last year, to end-June 2025, was declared

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 27.02.2026 This morning, ahead of its AGM later today, Gooch & Housego (LON:GHH) , the photonics technology business, has issued a strong Trading Update, with its order book growing to £168.3m as of today, up from £142.3m at end-September last year, driven by increased demand from Aerospace & Defence customers. The company also noted an improvement in Industrial markets, with signs of recovery in semiconductor manufacturing expected to continue into th

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 27.02.2026 This morning, SRT Marine Systems (LON:SRT) , the global provider of intelligent maritime surveillance systems for sovereigns and maritime navigation safety systems, has announced that it has signed a new contract worth $20.5m with an existing sovereign customer. The new contract is a follow-on contract to expand the scope of the system. The Business The group is a global provider of civil defence maritime intelligence and surveillance syste

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 26.02.2026 This morning, FTSE Russell has announced changes to the FTSE UK Index Series effective next Tuesday, 2nd March, following Ashtead Group's transfer of listing category. Ashtead Group will be removed from the FTSE 100 index. Tritax Big Box REIT will be added to the FTSE 100 and removed from the FTSE 250, while Costain Group (LON:COST) will be added to the FTSE 250 and removed from the FTSE SmallCap index. Inflection Point? The group's shares,

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 26.02.2026 This morning, Made Tech Group (LON:MTEC) , a leading provider of digital, data, and technology services to the UK public sector, announced its unaudited half-year results for the six months to end-November 2025. The results were strong and market-beating, making the group's shares look appealing at 35p. Made Tech at The Home Office The Business Made Tech is a provider of digital, data and technology services, which enable central government,

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 25.02.2026 This morning's Interim Results announcement from Avingtrans (LON:AVG) should be well received by the market. In reaction, the group's broker has increased its Buy note Target Price to 681p from 575p previously. Operating on a global basis, the £187m-capitalised group designs, manufactures and supplies original equipment, systems and associated aftermarket services to the energy, medical and industrial markets.   Interim Results The reported

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 24.02.2026 Last Friday, following the publication of its AGM Trading Update, the shares of the Chemring Group (LON:CHG) were driven down by traders taking them from the 536p level achieved on Thursday, to a low of 493p the next day. I could not see the reason why the market had taken them down, so I shouted that at 496p they offered a cheap buying opportunity and that investors should take advantage of the bargain on offer. There was a massive 2.6m sha

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 24.02.2026 I cannot find any reasons for the recent drift-off in the shares of Northern Bear (LON:NTBR). Is it just the general lack of interest in the construction sector? They fell to as low as 107p last Friday, after having been treading water in the 125p to 140p price range for some months. I like the make-up of this little Gateshead-based building services group. This morning, the shares have picked back up to trade around 123p, at which point, a

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 24.02.2026 In the first couple of hours of trading this morning, some 1,600,734 shares have changed hands in the UK's favourite electrical retail group Currys (LON:CURY) against the daily average of 3,843,619 dealing volume. They have touched 159.90p and continue to hold massive investor appeal, especially as the £1. 67bn-capitalised group holds a Capital Market Event tomorrow, taking investors for a tour of its Supply Chain and Service Operations i

James Fisher - submarine rescue In just under three weeks, we will see James Fisher & Sons (LON:FSJ) announce its Final results for the year to end-December 2025. I have followed this group for over thirty years, it has had its ups and downs in share price terms, but now I do feel that it is definitely on the up again. Less than a month ago, on Thursday 29th January, I featured the group once more, noting that the group's Latest Trading Update was bullish enough to help to p

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 23.02.2026   This coming Wednesday morning, 25 th  February, will see Avingtrans (LON:AVG) , the specialist precision engineering group of companies, announce its Interim Results for the half-year to end-November 2025 – they should be good and help investors to realise its potential going forward. It has built up over the last three decades through making acquisitions of companies that need tighter management, that can be built up and able to be sold of

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 20.02.2026   Two and half months ago, on Tuesday 2 nd  December 2025, I featured the shares of Gooch & Housego (LON:GHH) , the photonics technology group. It was then capitalised at £134m, with its shares standing at 512p. Two months later, they peaked at 818p, a near 60% gain, since when they have eased back to 708p on the back of profit-taking. However, by the middle of this week, they were back up to 780p, before closing at 740p yesterday. Not only d

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 20.02.2026 This morning's AGM Trading Update from the Chemring Group (LON:CHG) saw traders knock the share price down to 496p - which is the wrong price. Wrong price in AGM Trading Update reaction In its update ahead of its AGM later today, the group confirmed that its FY26 outlook remains in line with expectations, with revenue 85% covered by current revenues and an Order Book of £1,364m as of 30th January, 2026, an increase from £1,351m in the prio

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 19.02.2026    Yesterday almost 1.3m shares in the Costain Group (LON:COST)  changed hands in the market, closing 3p higher at 190.60p. Those trades were far busier than the recent average daily volumes. The infrastructure group’s shares are just 9p lower than my late January set Target Price of 199.50p, they are just 2.40p lower than their recent High. At the current price they are trading over 73% higher over the last year, and over 225% higher over th

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 19.02.2026   I was interested to see that JP Morgan Asset Management has built up a 5.05% holding in the equity of electricals retailer Currys (LON:CURY) . Yesterday, the £1.6bn-capitalised group’s shares closed at 155.90p hitting a new five-year High. The group’s Management is next week hosting an Investor Event at its Newark-based Supply Chain and Service Operation, that is on Wednesday 25 th  February. Then two weeks later another event will be a S