Tuesday tips round-up: Cranswick, BHP BIlliton

Sausage maker Cranswick has managed to roll-out double digit sales and profits growth each year for the past decade. Sporting better returns on capital than US rival Tyson, yesterday the firm reported a 10% increase in fiscal-year pre-tax profits despite a poor UK retail market and falling prices for pork. Key to its success is its farm-to-store model and focus on the high-end. But the company is dependent on the UK. Furthermore, limits to growth on the Continent and Stateside means it must rely on its speciality divisions. Unfortunately, the company does not disclose profits by segment, the Financial Times´s Lex column points out.