Impax Asset Management Share News (IPX)

Johnson Matthey, originally in precious metals such as platinum and palladium, still refines and distributes these. But it also puts them into technologies that are used to reduce pollution, such as autocatalysts in cars and devices to cut emissions from power plants. Shares in Johnson Matthey, which through its exposure to car production, coal and gas use and power generation is heavily tied to further progress for the world economy, are on 15 times' this year's earnings and 13 times' next. This can only be justified by a rosy outlook for industrial production, while recent macro-economic indicators have not been that positive. Hold, says the Times.Impax Asset Management, which has a couple of investment trusts in quoted companies and a couple for private equity. The quoted companies include Rotork, a long-time favourite of retail investors, and Ceres Power, the fuel cell business also much debated on bulletin boards. One for those utterly convinced that the environmental sector will continue to grow; not for doubters on green issues, says the Times.The Independent says Impax's confidence that an increasing number of investors will look to alternative energy certainly appears to be well-placed in light of yesterday's interim results. Confirmation of further growth should send the shares higher. Buy, says the Independent. The B&Q-owner Kingfisher enjoyed a sharp rise in profits in its first quarter, boosted by warm weather in its major markets, a later Easter and a glut of bank holidays in the UK. However, the company, which has 860 stores in eight countries including France, Turkey and Poland, warned that it expects this year to be a "tough" one for retailers, especially in the UK, which accounts for nearly half of group profits. Kingfisher's shares trade on 12 times forward earnings, a slight premium to the sector. Its global scale will provide it with partial shelter from any UK economic storms. Buy, says the Independent.The headline figures in Redhall's half-yearly results were not exactly cheery. Revenues in the six months to March stood at £64.3m, down from £65.4m in the first half of last year. Adjusted pre-tax profits at the engineering support services group came in at £1m, down from £3.3m. The main driver of was the termination of a major contract with Vivergo Fuels. That was negative. From an investment point of view, however, the more pertinent point is uncertainty caused by Redhall's continuing process to recover the costs of £14.6m from before the termination. Sell, says the Independent.---RGPlease note: Digital Look provides a round-up of news, tips and information that is impacting share prices and the market. Digital Look cannot take any responsibility for information provided by third parties. This is for your general information only as not intended to be relied upon by users in making an investment decision or any other decision. Please obtain a copy of the relevant publication and carry out your own research before considering acting on any of this information.