Inflation Station

Headlines say Stocks to dip ahead of US inflation reading and all stock picks this week are 77% BUY, 8% HOLD and 15% SELL.

1. BUY Vistry

Top performing stock pick this week is BUY Vistry Group by Stephen Wright in The Motley Fool with a tip performance of 8%.

Vistry Group is a housebuilding and construction company. Bovis Homes acquired Galliford Try's housing division in January 2020, renaming the combined business Vistry. Listed in London under the ticker VTY, it is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

Vistry share price launched at 181p in 1997 (when it was still Bovis Homes), rose to an all-time high of 1,457p in 2020 and is today at 261p.

In his article Stephen Wright highlights the low valuation of the shares, arguing that the current price does not reflect the company's long-term prospects. He also believes that a change of Government would not materially disadvantage Vistry and points to the company's strategic relationship with Homes England, alongside the potential benefits from the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme running until 2036.

In Stockomendation five analysts: Stephen Wright and Goldman Sachs say BUY; Jefferies has HOLD; JP Morgan says UNDERWEIGHT and RBC Capital has UNDERPERFORM. Sixteen open UK fund manager short positions: view those here.

2. SELL Poolbeg Pharma

Second top performing stock pick this week is SELL Poolbeg Pharma by Hot Stock Rockets in ShareProphets with a tip performance of 8%.

Poolbeg Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines for oncology and metabolic conditions such as obesity.

Poolbeg Pharma share price launched at 11p in 2021, rose to an all-time high of 14p in 2024 and is today at 7p.

In his article Tom Winnifrith notes that Poolbeg shares rose after the company reported a positive meeting with the US FDA on its lead drug candidate, with regulatory feedback broadly in line with management's development plans and supportive of ongoing partnership discussions. However, he argues the update does not materially change the investment case and that the subsequent share price rally has already priced in the expected progress. Having reached his target price in a short period of time, he recommends taking profits by selling the shares.

In Stockomendation three analysts: Hot Stock Rockets says SELL; Edward Sheldon has WATCH and Joanne Hart says BUY. There are no active UK fund manager short positions.

3. ADD British American Tobacco

Third top performing stock pick this week is ADD British American Tobacco by Simon Watkins in The Motley Fool with a tip performance of 8%.

British American Tobacco is a British-American multinational company that manufactures and sells cigarettes, tobacco and nicotine products, including electronic cigarettes. Founded in 1902, it is the world's second-largest tobacco company by sales and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

British American Tobacco share price launched at 273p in 1989, rose to an all-time high of 5,482p in 2017 and is today at 4,651p.

On 19th June the shares continued to rise as investors responded positively to the company's ongoing share buyback programme and attractive dividend yield. British American Tobacco remains a popular income stock, with its strong cash generation supporting both shareholder returns and continued investment in next-generation nicotine products.

In Stockomendation three analysts: Jefferies and UBS say BUY, while Simon Watkins has ADD. There are no active UK fund manager short positions open.

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Disclaimer: The contents of this article should not be considered financial advice. Pricing data correct as at 25th June 2025.