Woodford's dividend worries: Manager names core UK stocks at risk of cuts

Neil Woodford has said some core UK equity income stocks could be hit by dividend cuts in the near future due to "very stressed" business models.

The returning UK star, who is launching his own fund - Woodford Equity Income - after exiting Invesco Perpetual earlier this year, said he was avoiding BP and Royal Dutch Shell, among others, as their dividends remain at risk. Woodford's view comes after both companies having raised payouts in recent weeks following better-than-expected Q1 results. "We will see dividend cuts, as there are a lot of headwinds," he said. "The macro backdrop is challenging and many businesses have grown dividends without earnings growing, like BP and Shell. Their dividend payments are paid from disposa...