Julian Hofmann

England

Writer at Investors Chronicle Magazine

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Articles

‘Big Pharma’ goes big on US spending

1 week ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Pharma pours resources into the USMay crimp long-term returnsThe recent announcement that Swiss company Roche (CH:RO) would pump $50bn (£37.4bn) into US manufacturing sites over the next 10 years underlines how seriously the global pharmaceutical industry is taking the threat of tariffs. This goes beyond what competitors have pledged, with AstraZeneca (AZN) planning $3.5bn in investment in the US and AbbVie (US:ABBV) outlining a $10bn investment.
Avoid the tariff pain with this pharma major

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Investment Risk: MediumInvestment Style: GrowthInvestment Timescale: Long termThe pharmaceutical industry is as puzzled as anyone else by the threat of import tariffs, given it generates half its revenues in the US. Although they dodged the initial volley, it seems likely that pharma companies will face sector-specific rates in the very near future. How businesses deal with them could determine the course of the industry for the next 20 years.
Warpaint raises dividend as European sales surge

2 weeks ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

European sales boomingExposure to the US is limited Selling cosmetics is no easy business, with a host of big-name competition and a dependence on consumer spending making for a sometimes volatile market. However, it is one that Warpaint London (W7L) seems to have negotiated with some skill after delivering a strong finish to its full year and raising its dividend by more than a fifth.
This unloved mid-cap is poised for a turnaround

1 month ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Investment Risk: High Investment Style: ValueInvestment Timescale: Medium termElementis (ELM) has found itself stuck in a deep rut in recent years. Issues with its talc business, which has been bedevilled by weak demand, has resulted in a strategic review that could see this segment offloaded entirely. At the same time, cost inflation, activist pressure, strike action and a generally sluggish industrial backdrop have made life even more difficult for the specialist chemicals company.
UK stocks count the cost of American tariffs

1 month ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Michael Fahy |Julian Hofmann

Duties were not as steep as expected for the UK, but the impacts will reverberate beyond the hardest-hit countriesPublished on April 3, 2025by Michael Fahy and Julian HofmannGlobal markets fell after US President Donald Trump made a “declaration of economic independence” on Wednesday, imposing a sliding scale of tariffs on the country’s main trading partners. In Asia, the Nikkei 225 fell by 2.8 per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell by 1.5 per cent.
Niox enters bid talks

1 month ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Company enters bid talksSees strong revenue growthSome investors may remember Niox (NIOX) in its prior incarnation as Circassia, although the change of name has not shifted the company’s emphasis on point-of-care testing for asthma. In the intervening years since the name change it has quietly built up a substantial niche in asthma medical testing devices, to the extent that Niox is itself now subject to a potential bid, which somewhat overshadowed the numbers on results day.
Bioventix could reward patient investors

1 month ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Slower than expected troponin salesFull-year profits expected to be lowerBioventix (BVXP) is a specialist within a highly specialised area. In producing monoclonal antibodies in sheep that can then be used as the basis for disease markers and treatments for hard-to-detect conditions, it occupies an almost unique niche. But not even this was enough to overcome what looked like a disappointingly slow half, reflected in the share price nearing a 12-month low.
EKF triples profits as restructuring and cost cuts pay off

1 month ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Operating profits tripleNew CEO takes over EKF Diagnostics (EKF) has endured a prolonged period of restructuring and cost control as the company, which makes point-of-care testing systems and consumables for diabetes and haematology, tried to get its costs under control and its cash from operations flowing. Those goals seem to have been largely met in these results, which means the company will be able to focus on more than just firefighting.
Rising palm oil prices helped MP Evans outperform in 2024

1 month ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

Margins rise on buying mix and higher pricesCapacity upgrades completed The multiple applications for palm oil mean the commodity is a vital part of producing everything from high-end cosmetics to digestive biscuits – with the oil’s lack of flavour, but notably high calorie count, a vital substitute for more expensive ingredients.
Restore back on track after overcoming problems

2 months ago | investorschronicle.co.uk | Julian Hofmann

The documents storage specialist spends £22mn acquiring Synertec as it emerges from its own restructuring processPublished on March 13, 2025Synertec acquisition for £22mnRestructuring nears completionResults for document handling and storage business Restore (RST) reflected the legwork management had to put in after the company’s poor performance in 2023.