Meet the FTSE stock quietly thrashing Rolls-Royce shares in 2025!
However, this return pales in comparison to what holders of a certain under-the-radar company have earned.
Incredible performance
Stop a stranger and ask whether they've heard of Rank Group (LSE: RNK) and they'll probably give a blank expression. But they may be more familiar with some of its brands, such as Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos, even if they've never used them.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that this space doesn't get my pulse racing. Even so, I'm sure existing holders will be very happen at the recent price movement.
Shares in Rank Group currently stand 91% higher than where they started 2025. The gain's even greater when tracked over the last 12 months (127%). To make things even more interesting, most of this uplift has only come in the last couple of months.
Strong tailwinds
At least some of this magnificent momentum's down to improved trading.
In its most recent update, the firm said that like-for-like net gaming revenue had grown by 11% (to around £795m) in the 12 months to the end of June. This was in spite of 'significant cost and regulatory headwinds' seen since the start of the final quarter.
As a result, management expects underlying operating profit to come in ahead of expectations.
The outlook's encouraging too, thanks to land-based casino reforms coming into effect last week (22 July). In a nutshell, these are being introduced to help modernise physical sites, allowing them to complete with online-only platforms. Changes include allowing smaller casinos to operate more gaming machines per gaming table. Sports betting will also be permitted.
Long-term investors have suffered
Of course, there are still risks that come from being a mostly physical (rather than digital) business. Energy costs remain high and the company must also cope with rising wage bills.
Separately, it's worth noting that Rank shares have performed poorly over a longer timeline. Those who invested five years ago would have seen their capital grow just 12% in value. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce shares are up nearly…1000%!
To make matters worse, the £750m-cap company stopped distributing cash to holders in wake of the pandemic. These were only reinstated in FY24. Even today, the forecast dividend yield stands at just 1.4%. Granted, this is more than over at the FTSE 100 juggernaut.
And then there's the question of fair value. The shares now change hands at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 18. This is significantly lower than Rolls-Royce whose P/E of 41 has arguably got a little silly.
However, they're rather dear relative to other stocks in the Consumer Cyclicals space, suggesting a fair bit of good news is already priced in.
One for the watchlist
Taking all of the above into account, I'm tempted to add Rank Group to my portfolio today. But I would like to read its next set of results — due mid-August — before making a decision.
Regardless, this example shows that smaller-cap stocks have the potential to outperform our biggest and most popular businesses, especially if they're snapped up when out of favour.
The post Meet the FTSE stock quietly thrashing Rolls-Royce shares in 2025! appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.
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Paul Summers has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Rolls-Royce Plc. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.
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Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rise as Wall Street awaits Fed decision, Big Tech results
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In the first three months of the year, the US economy contracted at a rate of 0.5%. The BEA noted in its release the rebound in the second quarter was largely a result of decreased imports, which had weighed on growth in the first quarter as businesses increased orders ahead of expected tariffs. In response to the data, longer-term Treasury yields ticked slightly higher while futures remained little-changed ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy announcement set for 2:00 p.m. ET. In a post on Truth Social following the GDP data, President Trump again called on the Fed to cut rates. The central bank is widely expected to make no change to its interest rate policy later today. Data from ADP on private payroll growth and the first look at second quarter GDP growth out Wednesday morning both topped forecasts, a sign of continued resilience in the US economy. 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The BEA noted in its release the rebound in the second quarter was largely a result of decreased imports, which had weighed on growth in the first quarter as businesses increased orders ahead of expected tariffs. In response to the data, longer-term Treasury yields ticked slightly higher while futures remained little-changed ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy announcement set for 2:00 p.m. ET. In a post on Truth Social following the GDP data, President Trump again called on the Fed to cut rates. The central bank is widely expected to make no change to its interest rate policy later today. Premarket trending tickers: Novo Nordisk stock falls, Starbucks stock pops Here's a look at some of the top stocks trending in premarket trading: Novo Nordisk (NVO): The stock continued to sink on Wednesday, falling 4% premarket after a 21% wipeout on Tuesday. The drugmaker cut its full-year sales and operating profit guidance again, related to lower growth expectations for its diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic. Eli Lilly stock also fell Tuesday but was up 1% Wednesday morning. Starbucks (SBUX): Shares of the coffee giant popped 5% premarket after the company reported its sixth straight quarterly sales decline. But things weren't as bad as investors feared, and CEO Brian Niccol assured Wall Street that the company was "ahead of schedule" in its turnaround plan. V.F. Corp (VFC): The Vans parent's stock soared nearly 20% after the company beat first quarter revenue estimates on Wednesday, aided by an uptick in demand for its apparel and footwear products. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): The software company is in final talks to acquire Israeli cybersecurity provider CyberArk, the Wall Street Journal reported, and the deal could be finalized as early as this week. The deal could place a value north of $20 billion on CyberArk, potentially making it one of the largest tech takeovers this year. Shares of Palo Alto Networks rose 0.4% in premarket trading. Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) stocks rose modestly ahead of their quarterly results, which are set to be released after the closing bell on Wednesday. Investors will be looking to the two Big Tech companies for signs of AI sales growth and monetization. Read live coverage of corporate earnings here. Here's a look at some of the top stocks trending in premarket trading: Novo Nordisk (NVO): The stock continued to sink on Wednesday, falling 4% premarket after a 21% wipeout on Tuesday. The drugmaker cut its full-year sales and operating profit guidance again, related to lower growth expectations for its diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic. Eli Lilly stock also fell Tuesday but was up 1% Wednesday morning. Starbucks (SBUX): Shares of the coffee giant popped 5% premarket after the company reported its sixth straight quarterly sales decline. But things weren't as bad as investors feared, and CEO Brian Niccol assured Wall Street that the company was "ahead of schedule" in its turnaround plan. V.F. Corp (VFC): The Vans parent's stock soared nearly 20% after the company beat first quarter revenue estimates on Wednesday, aided by an uptick in demand for its apparel and footwear products. Palo Alto Networks (PANW): The software company is in final talks to acquire Israeli cybersecurity provider CyberArk, the Wall Street Journal reported, and the deal could be finalized as early as this week. The deal could place a value north of $20 billion on CyberArk, potentially making it one of the largest tech takeovers this year. Shares of Palo Alto Networks rose 0.4% in premarket trading. Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) stocks rose modestly ahead of their quarterly results, which are set to be released after the closing bell on Wednesday. Investors will be looking to the two Big Tech companies for signs of AI sales growth and monetization. Read live coverage of corporate earnings here. A divided Fed is expected to hold rates steady, defying Trump's calls for a cut The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, though the central bank remains internally divided over the path of monetary policy amid the Trump administration's pressure on the Fed. Yahoo Finance's Jennifer Schonberger reports: Read more here. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, though the central bank remains internally divided over the path of monetary policy amid the Trump administration's pressure on the Fed. Yahoo Finance's Jennifer Schonberger reports: Read more here. 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For Meta, it's all about the AI hiring and spree: And Microsoft remains chugging along, its stock up more than 20% this year. Dan says Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) well-received results last week could bode well for Microsoft, as investors focus on AI-driven sales gains: Read more on Meta and Microsoft. Yahoo Finance's Dan Howley has previews of both Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT), whose reports come Wednesday. For Meta, it's all about the AI hiring and spree: And Microsoft remains chugging along, its stock up more than 20% this year. Dan says Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) well-received results last week could bode well for Microsoft, as investors focus on AI-driven sales gains: Read more on Meta and Microsoft. 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Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) stock rose 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday following the news that it will now start shipping its top-selling muscular dystrophy therapy, Elevidys, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its request for a voluntary pause late Monday. Here are some top stocks trending on Yahoo Finance in premarket trading: Seagate Technology (STX) shares fell more than 6% on Wednesday before the bell after the company's first-quarter revenue forecast fell below Wall Street estimates on Tuesday. Seagate earnings were hurt by weak demand for its storage devices amid ongoing uncertainty in the personal computer market. Avis (CAR) stock fell 5% premarket following the car rental company's earnings results on Tuesday. It was also announced that Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)-owned company Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service next year in Dallas and will partner with Avis Budget Group to manage its fleet of all-electric autonomous Jaguar I-Pace vehicles. Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) stock rose 10% in premarket trading on Wednesday following the news that it will now start shipping its top-selling muscular dystrophy therapy, Elevidys, after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reversed its request for a voluntary pause late Monday. Starbucks stock pops after US sales fall less than feared Shares of Starbucks (SBUX) rose in premarket despite a quarterly profit miss after sales in the coffee chain's US outlets proved healthier than expected. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Shares of Starbucks (SBUX) rose in premarket despite a quarterly profit miss after sales in the coffee chain's US outlets proved healthier than expected. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Major Asian gauges see slight boost from US-China trade talks Markets across Asia saw tentative gains despite uncertainty in the aftermath of US-China trade talks. The two-day talks between the two economic powerhouses to discuss tariffs did not yield hard results, but representatives from both nations expressed positivity about the dialogue. Reuters reports: Read more here. Markets across Asia saw tentative gains despite uncertainty in the aftermath of US-China trade talks. The two-day talks between the two economic powerhouses to discuss tariffs did not yield hard results, but representatives from both nations expressed positivity about the dialogue. Reuters reports: Read more here. Samsung stock pops on Tesla deal Samsung Electronics ( has seen the benefits of a wave of market optimism following the unexpected announcement of a chipmaking deal with Tesla (TSLA) worth $16.5 billion. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Samsung Electronics ( has seen the benefits of a wave of market optimism following the unexpected announcement of a chipmaking deal with Tesla (TSLA) worth $16.5 billion. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Oil prices hold after Trump-Russia row Oil prices held gains overnight Tuesday after jumping 3% Monday, with supply issues in focus. Trump's continued pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war has raised concerns over how economic sanctions will impact the Slavic state's ability to produce oil at the current rate. Reuters reports: Read more here. Oil prices held gains overnight Tuesday after jumping 3% Monday, with supply issues in focus. Trump's continued pressure on Russia over the Ukraine war has raised concerns over how economic sanctions will impact the Slavic state's ability to produce oil at the current rate. Reuters reports: Read more here.
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KKR raises $6.5 billion for asset-backed financing
(Reuters) -Investment giant KKR said on Wednesday it had raised $6.5 billion to provide asset-backed financing, as companies and investors seek out credit alternatives beyond traditional loans. Asset-backed financing refers to loans backed by assets such as mortgages or royalties that have predictable cash flows. Such loans do not rely solely on a borrower's creditworthiness. KKR said it had hauled in $5.6 billion for a fund, named KKR Asset-Based Finance Partners II, and about $1 billion from separate accounts focused on the same type of investments. These funds give borrowers access to loans they might not get from banks, as traditional lenders have been pulling back from riskier loans due to strict regulations. The funds also offer firms such as KKR exposure to investments with consistent returns. "The $6 trillion ABF market, expected to top $9 trillion by 2029, remains undercapitalized despite its rapid growth," KKR's Global Head of Private Credit, Daniel Pietrzak, said. The latest fund attracted commitments from a wide base of investors, including pensions, sovereign wealth funds, insurers, asset managers and family offices, the company said. KKR launched its ABF in 2016. It manages more than $74 billion in ABF assets under management.
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English cricket chiefs confirm sale of six Hundred franchises
Six teams in English cricket's controversial Hundred competition have now been sold to private investors, with deals for the Oval Invincibles and Trent Rockets still to be formally completed, officials announced Wednesday. The England and Wales Cricket Board expect a windfall of nearly £1 billion ($1.32 billion) from an auction of Hundred franchises, with the fifth edition of the 100 balls per side tournament due to start next week. Global investors, including four groups with links to the cash-rich Indian Premier League, have sunk vast sums of money into the competition's eight city-based teams. The 100-balls-a-side format, which features men's and women's sides, was launched to great fanfare in 2021. It has proved controversial, with many county cricket fans angry at the way the tournament deprives their clubs of key players at the height of the season. The Hundred has also squeezed a marquee five-match Test series such as England's ongoing clash with India into a congested seven-week schedule so it can have much of August to itself. But the ECB is confident that £520 million of new investment will eventually work its way into the game following a franchise auction earlier this year. The ECB confirmed Wednesday the sale of stakes in six teams has now been completed, but the 49 percent share of Oval Invincibles to Reliance Group, the creation of the wealthy Mumbai-based Ambani family, the owners of the IPL's Mumbai Indians -- has still to be finalised. And the joint takeover of the Trent Rockets by Cain International and Ares Management has yet to be completed as well, although the ECB said Wednesday that both deals "remain on track". But purchases for London Spirit, Birmingham Phoenix, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Southern Brave and Welsh Fire have now been completed. "The Hundred has already played a vital role in growing cricket in England and Wales —- attracting new audiences, elevating the women's game and delivering high-quality entertainment," ECB chairman Richard Thompson said Wednesday. He added: "Crucially, this investment will not only fuel the competition's growth, but also channel transformative levels of funding into our professional counties and grassroots game." Three IPL ownership groups, out of a proposed four, have completed their takeovers, with the Sun Group taking full acquisition of Northern Superchargers. jdg/ea
