You probably don’t need me to tell you that many FTSE stocks are performing rather well at the moment. Indeed, some have surged to 52-week highs.
Today, I’m homing in on two examples and asking if this great run of form can continue.
Beating expectations
Shares in Bloomsbury Publishing (LSE: BMY) are firmly in demand. They’re up nearly 40% in 2026 alone.
This isn’t a complete surprise. Full-year revenue of £325.9m might have been down compared to the previous year (due to “exceptional sales” of books by Sarah J. Maas in the latter), but it still beat analyst expectations. The firm’s Academic and Professional division has also been performing well, thanks in part to AI licensing.
Naturally, there is no guarantee this will continue. Literary trends come and go. Popular authors take time to write and earnings will fluctuate. This helps to explain why holders didn’t have such an easy ride in 2025.
But personally, I’m optimistic about the outlook.
I’m bullish on Bloomsbury
Changing hands at a forecast price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14, Bloomsbury isn’t the screaming bargain it was a few months ago. But it still doesn’t look overvalued when we consider what’s coming up later this year.
The forthcoming Harry Potter television series will likely bring new generations to read the books. Pre-orders of the next two titles from the aforementioned Sarah J. Maas have also been described as “exceptional” (that word again!). On top of this, the balance sheet looks robust, and the business has grown its dividend every year since 1994.
So, no, I wouldn’t be surprised if recent form continues. Interestingly, Deutsche Bank has a price target of 760p on the stock. That’s 16% above where it is as I type (29 May).
Regardless of whether it gets there in 2026 or not, I still think this stock is worth considering for the long term.
Another FTSE winner
Also hitting a 52-week high is FTSE 250 member Computacenter (LSE: CCC). The independent technology and services provider’s value has climbed more than 50% in 2026 alone.
Catalysts behind this firm’s purple patch include increased corporate spending on IT and strong growth in North America. April’s trading update contained all the magic words that investors look for:
The Group delivered a strong performance during the first quarter, which was significantly ahead of the prior year and well above our expectations.
But it wasn’t just this that got the market excited. Due to a strong order backlog, Computacenter stated that it expected “a much stronger performance in the first half of the year than previously anticipated“.
But is it overvalued?
Now, at least some of the above will be priced in. After all, the shares already trade at a forecast P/E of 21. That’s not ridiculously expensive, but it does increase the pressure on management to continue executing to a high standard. It’s also worth noting that margins in this line of work have been consistently very low, at least relative to other companies in the tech space.
Even so, momentum is a powerful beast. With the AI story showing no signs of slowing down just yet, I suspect we could see more buyers pile in before half-year results arrive in early September.
Should you invest £5,000 in Bloomsbury Publishing Plc right now?
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Paul Summers has no position in any of the shares mentioned.
