Sunday newspaper share tips

Here are the tips from the Sunday Telegraph,The Business and The Mail on Sunday.

The Sunday Telegraph

Accounting software company Sage last week announced a 20% rise in full-year pre-tax profits and hiked its dividend by 41%. This was driven largely by three acquisitions but also organic growth of 6%. The figures have led some brokers to upgrade their share price target to around 225p. Buy at 198p.

Industrial gases group BOC last month beat analysts' expectations with profits up 133% in the fourth quarter to £141.5m. Short-term investors may want to take some profits but the shares are a long-term buy at 938p.

1st Dental Laboratories, which provides crowns and bridges to dentists, last week completed the acquisition of its main rival, Benchmark, adding a further five laboratories to its existing 10. Demand for dental services is growing and the company is considering a maiden dividend in 2006. Buy at 31.5p.

Attentiv Systems provides software solutions to the banking sector and has performed solidly since its flotation in May. It is well-placed to grow as banks face greater regulatory burden and intense competition. At 66p, the shares are worth a long-term bet.

The Business

Logistics group Wincanton has an impressive list of clients and has mainly grown organically, apart from the acquisition of P&O Trans European in 2002. Since floating, turnover has risen from £722m to £1.68bn and underlying pre-tax profits have moved up to £30.6m from £21.9m. The shares look good value at 279.25p even if there is no bid activity.

Entertainment group Chorion (254p) is to benefit from the launch of Noddy in the US and the screening of Agatha Christie's new Miss Marple dramas late this year and in early 2005. Broker Evolution is expecting pre-tax profits of £7.7m for 2005, against a predicted £5.3m this year.

The Mail on Sunday

European Nickel has just won two licences to explore for nickel in Serbia, but the real focus for investors at the moment is western Turkey, where the company is developing the Caldag nickel and cobalt mine. The group's fortunes are linked to the nickel price which should remain firm, with supply tight and demand growing. Shares are a speculative buy at 24.5p.