Skip Header
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.

JP Morgan backs Legal & General, Just Group

(Sharecast News) - JP Morgan has reiterated its ratings on Legal & General Group and Just Group in its latest review of the UK life insurance sector. In a note published on Friday, the bank reiterated its 'overweight' ratings on both insurers, and increased Just Group's price target to 135p from 125p.

It said: "Our deep dive of UK life shareholder asset portfolios suggest that credit risks are more benign than the market perceives.

"We also note JP Morgan credit strategists' view that the outlook for investment grade credit spreads in the UK looks quite benign in 2024."

It continued: "L&G would be a clear beneficiary of moderating concern on credit risk.

"With a new chief executive in place - Antonio Simoes - we expect L&G to assess it capital management policy and growth strategy, with potential for positive surprise on capital return and earnings growth.

"Just Group's management actions in recent years have led to a Solvency II ratio, debt leverage and quality of capital that now compares favourably with peers.

"We see very strong new business growth prospects, which should support double digit dividends per share growth, coupled with an attractive valuation."

As at 1045 GMT, shares in L&G were up 1% at 247p, while Just Group was largely flat at 83.37p.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

ECR Minerals mulls expansion into US helium market
(Sharecast News) - ECR Minerals, an exploration and development company traditionally focused on gold in Australia, announced on Friday that its board was exploring potential investments in producing helium assets in the United States.
Zenova reports solid momentum as interim loss narrows
(Sharecast News) - Fire safety and heat management technology specialist Zenova Group reported significant first-half strides in its interim results on Friday, despite a challenging financial backdrop.
Jefferies lowers target price on Life Science REIT
(Sharecast News) - Jefferies cut its price target on real estate investment trust Life Sciences REIT from 45.0p to 36.0p following a visit to the group's Cambourne Science & Technology Park.
Beowulf reports substantial first-half progress
(Sharecast News) - Mineral explorer and developer Beowulf Mining reported substantial progress across its portfolio in its interim results on Friday, particularly in advancing its key projects at Gállok in Sweden and the Graphite Anode Materials Plant (GAMP) in Finland.

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.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.