A pretty poor first trading week of September has got the press all flustered with talk of the FTSE 100 being at five-month lows.  Older stock market hands of course know that this is when it starts to become interesting, after all it is better to buy low and sell higher than the other way around. 

Hello, Share Markers. I admit it. The reason I bought into Whitebread (WTB) a year and half ago was to bag the shareholder perk of one night for the price of two at its Premier Inns. With it came money off at its various restaurants and a voucher for coffee at Costa.

It has been a busy last few weeks grappling with the global results season, so i had a couple of quieter days on Friday and Saturday and, at one point, found myself at a newish shopping centre half-an-hour or so from where I live.  I do not find the idea of retail therapy particularly exciting or refreshing but as I am in a minority of one on this...unto the breach and all that.  It was not long before i cheered up pointing out my perceptions on which retail outlet was doing well or badly based on footflow, the look of the store etc, etc.  I am not sure if my daughters were particularly interested in all this...

Hello, Share Saddlers. I’m ashamed to admit that one of the main reasons I bought Whitbread (WTB) shares is that it came with a deal for two hotel nights at Premier Inns for the price of one. We are testing the waters on this one with a romantic weekend break later this month.

I read in today's Sunday Times  that:  'An activist hedge fund has opened fire on the boss of Mr Kipling cakes maker Premier Foods (PFD), accusing him of leading the company into a "zombie-like state" through "five years of failure" '

Whitbread (WTB) has had an up-and-down year since my last update on the stock - HERE. The Costa and Premier Inn operator unsurprisingly has been impacted by the changes in perception towards the strength (or not) of the UK consumer and this has pushed the shares between a £36 and £42 range this year. Today's interim results have again pushed the shares towards the lower end of this range despite the company reiterating its hopes for the full year.

Hello Share Samplers. I’m quite excited about this. This family has now received its Whitbread (WTB) shareholder’s discount card. A good investment that, as I’ve only held the share a few weeks and am already up by 12%. And the added perk is really quite good, as shareholder discounts go.

Hello Share Thrashers. In the past I’ve commended you to look at JD Wetherspoon (JDW). My reasoning was that average families, like mine, cannot do without it.

First trading update of my (long) tip of the year for 2017 and the shares are down 4%. Worried? Of course not…the Whitbread (WTB) share price is still nicely above where I recommended it…and frankly we are not even a month into the year. The magnitude of the move today reflects the (to use a wonderful phrase poached from a fellow market observer) wildebeest financial market backdrop we have at the moment…

Hello Share Cravers. Whitbread (WTB) is a name which still conjures up old-fashioned pubs and breweries. Not necessarily a great business to be in that, as pubs seem to close down all over the shop.

Hello Share Noshers. Whenever I’m made to watch the Great British Bake-off (by my teenage daughter, who’s a great fan) I feel desperately hungry. Which is a bit of a worry for me because, as you’ve probably noticed, many of the competitive cakes on this show can sometimes be made from things which may put on unwelcome weight. 
The show demonstrates that British people are very keen on cakes.

Hello Share Trillers. When I think of that well-known British name Whitbread (WTB), I think of pubs and beer. As I am a red wine man, this does not always thrill me.