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Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Berenberg downgrades DFS, prefers Dunelm

(Sharecast News) - Analysts at Berenberg downgraded their recommendation for shares of DFS Furniture from 'buy' to 'hold' on anticipation that management's guidance for improved demand in mid-2024 would prove premature. The furniture retailer's latest guidance implied a pick up in demand between the third and fourth quarters of the company's 2024 fiscal year ending in June.

Berenberg's own forecasts were calling for an improvement towards the end of calendar 2024.

Furthermore, the shares' valuation already accounted sufficiently for volume growth in financial year 2025.

However, DFS was said to be meeting its cost efficiency targets "with merit".

"Given the near-term uncertainty, we view the current valuation of c11x 12-month forward EV/EBIT as challenging.

"Dunelm continues to be our preferred exposure to an improvement in UK retail demand given its materially lower average product value and our perception of conservatism in near and medium term company and consensus targets."

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Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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