…and some to sell

A.G. Barr Investors Chronicle

The soft drinks maker faces the potential “punitive” sugar tax, consumer demand for low or no-sugar drinks, and deflationary pressures. Reformulation of its recipes continues, but its heavy UK focus is a worry. Sell. 520p.

DFS Furniture The Sunday Times

The cut-price sofa outfit has bounced back after the 40% plunge it took following the referendum. But the firm is still exposed to the “vagaries of Brexit” and is almost at broker Jeffries’ 255p price target: take profits. Sell. 253p.

N. Brown Group Investors Chronicle

The mail order fashion retailer has admitted a financial services error: the FCA is undertaking a thorough review which will incur costs of up to £8m. The new UK website rollout is delayed. Sell. 190p.

Royal Bank of Scotland Group Shares

RBS, which has lost money in each of the past eight years, faces a steady stream of compensation demands and is under investigation by the US justice department. It looks vulnerable to a downgrade. Sell. 174.6p.

Smiths Group The Times

Boosted by sterling’s postreferendum weakness (60% of revenues are in dollars), the engineer performed well as management “got to grips” with the “multi-industry, multi-product” business. Take profits. Sell. £14.43.

W.S. Atkins The Times

Shares in the consultant engineer are up 15% since the spring. It’s nearing the end of two big US transport projects, where it faces pre-election jitters, and contracts are slow to materialise in the Middle East. Take profits. Sell. £15.89.