More share tips for 2014

Investors Chronicle have published their share tips for 2014 this week, and if you wish to read their rationale then you're going to have to purchase the magazine or become a member I'm afraid:-

http://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/2014/01/03/shares/news-and-analysis/tips-of-the-year-6VAcXZE4OAY1MiLBMoWm5L/article.html

Nevertheless, here are the names of the companies they are tipping with their bull and bear points (IC opinion). I might add my own views at a later date, if time permits.

For reference their 2013 tips made an average gain of 31.4% (FTSE all-share 13.3%). Their top performer being Vodafone with a 53% gain, followed by Henry Boot 51.1% and Invensys 50.4%. The IC also includes a brief report on each of these companies.

Anyway here are their 2014 tips:-

Growth tip of the year - Utilitywise (UTW)

Bull points:-
Beneficiary of rising energy prices
Scaling up rapidly
Secured contracts give good visibility
Strong balance sheet with net cash
Bear points:-
Will need to successfully manage rapid expansion
Limited track record as listed company

Value tip of the year - Wincanton

Bull points:-
Highly geared to economic recovery
Restructuring programme ongoing
Low rating on several metrics
Chairman buying the shares

Bear points:-
No improvement in core business yet
Still lots of debt

Income tip of the year - HSBC

Bull points:-
Impressive dividend prospects (forecast 5.6%)
Improving credit quality
Emerging markets exposure
Partial UK arm float could release value

Bear points:-
Business misconduct issues have hit sentiment
Ongoing margin erosion

Old reliable tip of the year - Chesnara

Bull points:-
Large dividend (forecast 5.7%)
Strong balance sheet
Swedish operation now profitable
Trading below embedded value

Bear points:-
Vunerable to market volatility
Policy attrition still prevalent in Sweden

Overseas tip of the year - Novo Nordisk AS

Bull points:-
Dominant insulin market share
Productive pipeline
Favourable demographic trends
Cheap by historic standards

Bear points:-
Plenty of emerging competition
Tresiba set back

Recovery tip of the year - Hays

Bull points:-
Sizeable potential for UK profits to recover
Recruitment markets improving in many regions
Two consecutive quarters of better than expected net fee growth
Valuation discount versus other large recruiters

Bear points:-
Australian business hit by resource market weakness
Highly geared to economic recovery

Take over tip of the year - Anglo American

Bull points:-
Improved prospects at Minas Rio
Rationalisation benefits
Glencore listing facilities potential bid
Margins recovering

Bear points:-
Labour problems in South Africa
Existing capital commitments

Contrarian tip of the year - Zambeef

Bull points:-
Vertically integrated business model
Share price far below net asset value
Decent macroeconomic outlook for Zambia
Deal with Rainbow Chickens

Bear points:-
Damage to reputation may linger
Currency risk for UK investors

Whilst I would never recommend buying shares from tips in newspapers or magazines or anywhere else for that matter, sometimes they can provide a useful starting point for your own research or indeed to confirm or question your decision to hold, buy or sell if you're already an investor.

As ever, no advice is intended or given.