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It's Christmas time, and we are all eagerly wondering what Father Christmas is going to bring us this year. Maybe, just maybe, the best Christmas present is actually staring at you from the pages of The Motley Fool?
Each day of the year Fools are discussing their current and future investments here at Fool UK, and we thought we would bring together a Christmas wish list of potential investments for you to consider asking old Santa to bring you. Remember, this is a springboard to research, and these are not recommendations. They're just companies that seem particularly interesting at the moment, and on which there has been some Foolish comment and discussion. As with all Foolish investments, you must do your own research and make your own decisions!
There are probably some companies on the list that will perform very well over the next few years, while others may be in for some tougher times. Note also that Fool writers may have different opinions on the merits of various companies. Some might be very bullish, while others might be true bears!
If you decide to pursue your research further, remember you can get free annual reports delivered to your door for many of these companies through the Fool's Free Annual Reports Service.
Remember, this is not a list of recommendations, simply a list of companies that you might like to consider investing in. Do your own research, and make your own decisions. The selections below are in random order: place no relevance on the position that they appear in the list!
Favourite of the Qualiport, and purveyor of fine pizza and pasta to the masses. Can it continue its home and international expansion?
• Maynard Paton interviews David Page, Chairman of PizzaExpress.
• Revaluing PizzaExpress -- Maynard Paton calculates what could, on a conservative basis, happen at PizzaExpress. He arrives at a total group market value for 2005 of £905.3m (1306p per share). Is this realistic? Check it out and see!
• Pizza Express results for the year to the end of June 2000
• Foolish thoughts on the annual results -- Maynard Paton concludes that "a 10% like-for-like sales growth performance, the emergence of the Café Pasta formula, improving margins and plenty of scope for expansion all firmly keep PizzaExpress as the most attractive operator within the restaurant sector."
• Pizza battle -- Maynard compares ASK Central (LSE: ASC) and PizzaExpress.
• PizzaExpress news and share price
• PizzaExpress discussion board
• PizzaExpress website
• Order a free copy of the PizzaExpress annual report.
Does this company brew up Christmas cheer? Stephen Bland thinks it might. A pyad share in most respects, but it is a small company, and therefore high-risk.
• Hardys & Hansons -- a value share? Stephen Bland -- he say yes! Well, maybe...
• AFX news of the company's final results
• Can you judge a company by its beer mats?
• A history of Hardys & Hansons.
• Hardys & Hansons news and share price.
Is Independent Insurance dreary and unexciting? Maynard Paton says not and visits the company to talk to the chief executive. Do the shares make a Foolish investment?
• Maynard Paton has a warm and optimistic feeling towards Independent.
• Independent Insurance Group news and share price
• Independent Insurance discussion board.
• Independent Insurance Group website
• Order a free copy of the Independent Insurance Group annual report
The biggest company in the UK by market capitalisation, whose name is bound to feature on many Fools' Christmas present lists.
• Stuart Watson looks at the latest half-year results, and finds a company that shows BT how to run an international phone business.
• Alan Oscroft asks if Vodafone are on the up, and discusses its debt and the effect of government regulation.
• Vodafone news and share price.
• Vodafone discussion board.
• Vodafone's website
Stuart Watson looks up and sees a bright Sky. The company expects to hit its target of 5m Direct to Home (DTH) customers two months early. At the start of November it had 4.95m. If you add Sky's other viewers via cable and in Eire the grand total is over 9.2m. BSkyB also expects to hit 7m DTH customers by the end of 2003. Can they turn these customers in to profits?
• Fools Duel over BSkyB
• Vivendi sells its stake to keep the regulators happy
• BSkyB news and share price
• BSkyB discussion board
• BSkyB's website
The world's biggest mobile phone manufacturer has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Can it keep it up? James Carlisle reports on Chairman Jorma Ollila statement that "in the mobile world, the best is yet to come."
• The Rule Shaker buys Nokia
• Nokia news and share price
• Nokia discussion board
• Nokia press releases
• Nokia website
• On 5 December 2000, Nokia's top management presented to investors their view of the future. You can download the presentations and watch videoclips from the event here.
Chris Spink looks at Cable and Wireless' interim results and finds a company focused on high margins with its global Internet Protocol solutions providing future revenue growth.
• Cable and Wireless news and share price.
• Cable and Wireless discussion board.
• Cable and Wireless website
• RogertheDodger asks: when will the market wake up to Cable and Wireless?
With spending on radio advertising growing at a higher rate than any other traditional medium, such as newspapers or television, is Capital Radio now a Foolish investment?
• Capital performance -- Chris Spink reviews the company's latest set of results.
• Tuning into Capital -- "If you're the leading mainstream radio broadcaster of the largest city in the country, you should be laughing all the way to the bank," argues Maynard Paton.
• Thumbs up for digital radio -- Rob Davies looks at digital audio broadcasting.
• UK Digital Radio Forum.
• Capital Radio news and share price.
• Capital Radio discussion board.
The Fool's Rule Shaker portfolio buys into Yahoo! Many Fools may take this as a sure-fire signal that they should now be dumping their entire Yahoo! stock like it is going out of fashion, but with the Fool putting its money where its mouth is should you be too?
• Yahoo! Yikes! Chris Spink cannot believe that the share price has fallen more than 80%. Is this the Rule Shaking opportunity of the decade?
• Fool buys Yahoo! Alan Oscroft explains that it is one of the world's best companies with one of the best-known brands. Yahoo! has a large cash pile, rapidly growing revenues and operating profits, and a very good gross margin.
• Yahoo! discussion board over at Fool.com.
• Yahoo! financial snapshot.
• Yahoo! Investor Relations website.
Sage is the leading UK supplier of financial software. Can it maintain this position and expand into the USA?
• Two Fools battle it out in a Duel on Sage -- Chris Spink puts the bull case and Alan Oscroft is the bear.
• Maynard Paton looks at Sage and concludes that "investment disappointment is on the cards".
• Sage Group news and share price.
• Sage discussion board.
• Sage investor relations website.
The Motley Fool's Industry Focus 2001 -- our annual quest to hunt down great companies for the Foolish Investor -- has arrived, bringing you:
• Comprehensive guides to 14 industries setting the pace in the UK market.
• 21 investment ideas are analysed and laid bare by our expert writing team.
• Clear, jargon-free explanations of the technologies and innovations that are driving the UK economy.
Buy it now from the FoolShop!