Retail Sales

Headlines say FTSE falls amid Hormuz standoff; retail sales in focus and all stock picks this week 82% BUY, 9% HOLD and 9% SELL.

1. AVOID Feedback

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

Feedback is a medical imaging and digital connectivity tools for the medical industry. Founded in 1958, it is listed in London under the ticker FDBK.

Feedback share price launched at 4,912p in 1998, rose to an all-time high of 31,140p in 1999 and is today at 10p.

On 20th April the company issued this RNS stating that the decision by NHS on a potential contract with Feedback was delayed, and that its’ existing NHS revenue has been extended.

In his article Steve Moore notes a loss of £1.7 million on revenue of just £0.4 million in its recent half yearly report issued in this RNS of 17th February. Moore notes a contract loss for another product with Royal Berkshire NHS.

In Stockomendation Steve Moore is the only analyst with AVOID and there are no active UK fund manager short positions.

2. BUY M&C Saatchi

Second top performing stock pick this week is BUY M&C Saatchi by Berenberg with a tip performance of 7%.

M+C Saatchi is a communications company, formed in May 1995 as an advertising agency.

M& Saatchi share price launched at 129p in 2004, rose to an all-time high of 410p in 2018 and is today at 123p.

On 20th April the company released its’ full yer results in this RNS stating a materially tougher year in which client spending slowed, volatility hit key markets, and profitability fell faster than revenue, especially in the second half. The business is still winning work, retaining clients and generating cash, but the work coming through was less valuable and less consistent, while costs that were built for a stronger environment could not fall quickly enough. High margin areas were hit hardest by disruption and delayed government and corporate spending, dragging overall margins down sharply. Management responded by closing weaker operations, absorbing restructuring costs, and tightening central overheads, which protected the balance sheet and cash position but caused reported profits to drop significantly. In practical terms, this is a company that remains operationally sound and cash generative, but which is clearly in a reset phase: simplifying the business, pulling back from lower return areas, and prioritising efficiency and buybacks because earnings power weakened faster than revenues and confidence in near term growth alone is not yet strong enough to justify returning cash via dividends.

Berenberg raised its target price to 170p from 150p as a result.

In Stockomendation four analysts, three with BUY they are Berenberg;Panmure Gordon and Deutsche Bank; Steve Moore has AVOID. There are no active short positions open.

3. BUY Crest Nicholson

Third top performing stock pick this week is BUY Crest Nicholson Holdings by Jefferies with a tip performance of 4%.

Crest Nicholson is a British housebuilding company based in Surrey. Founded in 1963, it is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker CRST.

Crest Nicholson share price listed in London at 265p in 2013, rose to an all-time high of 634p in 2017.

On 21st April the company issued a trading update in this RNS stating a weakened trading environment, forcing the business into defensive mode. Homes are still selling, but demand is not strengthening enough to support earlier expectations, and interest rates, build costs and buyer hesitation are squeezing both volumes and margins. More importantly, the land market has effectively stalled, removing a key source of cash and profit that the company had been relying on, which sharply reduces earnings for the year. As a result, profitability is now thin relative to financing costs, debt is higher than planned, and the balance sheet has become more stretched, prompting discussions with banks about temporarily easing lending conditions. In practical terms, this is a housebuilder focused on conserving cash, slowing activity, cutting risk, and protecting liquidity, rather than growing, while it waits for economic conditions and buyer confidence to stabilise, as the current trading conditions no longer support its previous operating assumptions.

Jefferies reiterated its’ BUY rating and reduced the target price from 230p to 164p as a result.

In Stockomendation five analysts: Deutsche Bank and Berenberg with HOLD; Barclays has EQUAL WEIGHT; RBC Capital says OUTPERFORM and Jefferies says BUY. Six open UK fund manager short positions: view those here.

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Disclaimer: The contents of this article should not be considered financial advice. Pricing data correct as at 24th April 2026.