The 887 is a newer gun. It has a plastic coating over everything, including the barrel to help make it more weather resistant. You end up with a barrel about the same diameter as a 2" water pipe. I cannot see any advantage over the 870. I wouldn't have one as a gift.
I'm not crazy about the Mossberg's features, but for the money they generally work well enough. The 870 is the gold standard that all modern pumps are judged against. It is a solid, proven design. There have been some quality issues with some guns, but frankly I've never seen anything that wasn't easliy corrected by the owner.
The Browning is another good gun that is often overlooked. They are heavier than I care for, but a solid gun.
The Nova is the new kid on the block with a lot of modern features. I actually think it may prove to be the best of the pumps in the long run. They come with sling studs and 3 choke tubes that the Remington Express does not. You get a lot for the money with the Nova. I really want to like the Nova, think a lot of them from a mechanical perspective, but they don't point and balance right for me. Not a problem turkey hunting, but I can't hit well with them on clays or flying feathered targets.
The 887 is Remingtons answer to the Nova's plastic receiver. I don't think they did a good job of copying it.