FTSE Gains

Headlines say FTSE gains as Vodafone, easyJet surge and all stock picks are 79% BUY, 11% HOLD and 10% SELL.

1. AVOID ITV

Top performing stock pick this week is AVOID ITV by Steve Moore in ShareProphets with a tip performance of 11%.

ITV is a British public broadcast television network. Launched in 1955 as Independent Television to provide competition to the BBC, it is the oldest commercial television network in the UK.

ITV share price launched at 61p in 1989, reached an all-time high of 281p in 2015 and is today at 74p.

On 6th July the company announced the sale of its Media & Entertainment business to Sky in this RNS, enabling ITV Studios to operate as a standalone global content production business. Shares fell following the announcement.

In his article Steve Moore highlights that although the guaranteed upfront consideration is £1.2 billion, proceeds will be reduced by transaction and separation costs estimated at around £155 million after tax. ITV intends to return approximately £950 million to shareholders and believes the transaction will unlock value by creating a focused standalone ITV Studios business. However, completion is not expected until the second half of 2027 and remains subject to regulatory approval and other conditions. Moore also notes that ITV Studios recently reported lower adjusted EBITA of £297 million, partly due to the timing of production deliveries and licensing revenues. Given the uncertainty surrounding completion of the transaction and the future performance of ITV Studios, he believes investors should remain cautious.

In Stockomendation five analysts each have a different rating: JP Morgan is NEUTRAL; Steve Moore says AVOID; Deutsche Bank has HOLD; Kepler Cheuvreux says BUY and Barclays has EQUAL WEIGHT. Four open UK fund manager short positions: view those here.

2. BUY Kosmos Energy

Second top performing stock pick this week is BUY Kosmos Energy by Jefferies with a tip performance of 7%.

Kosmos Energy is a deepwater oil and gas exploration and production company. Founded in 2003, it is headquartered in Dallas and has producing assets offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, the U.S. Gulf of America, Mauritania and Senegal.

Kosmos Energy share price launched at 544p in 2017, rose to an all-time high of 734p in 2018 and is today at 168p.

On 6th July the company released an operational update in this RNS reporting a strong first half of 2026, with higher production, lower debt and continued operational progress across its portfolio. In Ghana, the new Jubilee J76 well came online producing around 20,000 barrels of oil per day, while additional wells are expected to support further growth. The Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project continued to ramp up, delivering nine LNG cargoes during the quarter, and the company completed the sale of its Equatorial Guinea assets. Net debt fell by more than $400 million since the end of 2025 to approximately $2.56 billion, with liquidity exceeding $500 million, leaving management on track to reduce net debt by around 20% over the course of 2026.

In Stockomendation two analysts: Jefferies says BUY and Peel Hunt has HOLD. There are no active UK fund manager short positions open.

3. UNDERPERFORM Liontrust

Third top performing stock pick this week is UNDERPERFORM Liontrust Asset Management by RBC Capital with a tip performance of 7%.

Liontrust Asset Management is an active asset manager specialising in equity, fixed income and multi-asset investment portfolios.

Liontrust share price launched at 173p in 1999, rose to an all-time high of 2,455p in 2021 and is today at 334p.

RBC Capital reiterated its UNDERPERFORM rating on 6th July, reflecting continued concerns that Liontrust's recovery in assets under management and net fund inflows will continue to lag peers despite the sharp decline in the share price over recent years. Although RBC increased its target price from 235p to 270p, this still represented meaningful downside from the prevailing share price. The broker believes the key challenge remains rebuilding sustained client inflows and earnings momentum following an extended period of fund outflows and inconsistent investment performance. Until there is clearer evidence of a recovery in flows, RBC believes the valuation discount to peers remains justified.

In Stockomendation three analysts: RBC Capital has UNDERPERFORM; Berenberg says BUY and Deutsche Bank has SELL. There are no active UK fund manager short positions open.

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Disclaimer: The contents of this article should not be considered financial advice. Pricing data correct as at 9th July 2026.