Top 20 UK SMID stocks
Report by Panmure Liberum SAM
Their Systematic Analysis Model (SAM) ranks 290 UK stocks by combining revisions momentum, shareholder value and valuation to identify the most attractive opportunities. Hikma Pharmaceuticals and SigmaRoc are the latest additions to their top 20 ideas. HIK screens as unusually cheap for its quality, ranking in the top quintile on capital-returns valuation and trading at just under 8.5x FY2 P/E. ROCE has been improving since 2022, revisions momentum has strengthened for 8 months and is back above median, while a new CFO and strategic reset provide meaningful recovery potential. SRC has seen ROCE grind higher with OPAT margins increasing materially following the successful integration of CRH assets. It is still very cheap with the market implying it can only do 6% ROCE with the FY2 forecast at 8%. Revisions Momentum is back above median and improved significantly over the past 3 months. There is also scope for further M&A. TPs are 1900p for HIK and 216p for SRC.