A year ago, I concluded an article by observing that “Hull is not about Lib Dem success, Philip Larkin poetry or being the ‘City of Culture 2017’...it is clearly all about Cranswick (CWK) share potential!”. Before we get onto today’s rather good update from the company which is “passionate about producing only the best quality food, efficiently and sustainably in well invested facilities across the UK”, I am very grateful for the reader who pointed out that in my analysis of Hull I had missed out that “Siemens has its blade factory there” and “Peter Levy from Look North of course should not be overlooked as lead ambassador”. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to add those extra insights and now back onto Cranswick.

Another busy global corporate earnings season week awaits. I am looking forward to the thoughts of Greggs (GRG), Taylor Wimpey (TW.), Rolls-Royce (RR.) and Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) among many others later this week, but today a few thoughts on Cranswick (CWK) and James Halstead (JHD).

Nowadays Cranswick (CWK) is more than just “one of the UK’s leading producers of fresh pork”. I got all excited about sausages and more back in November last year, but I never got around to picking up any shares. Maybe that was wise or lucky given the 35 quid shares back then are now about 32 quid. What do I think after today’s full year numbers?

I will leave others to talk about the joke that is AO World (AO.) which – after today’s return of losses, more debt and a messy outlook – should change its advert to ‘A..O…let’s not go’. I thought this one was overvalued at the time of the IPO,more than 5 years ago but, after it regained that level during the early COVID-19 days, shares in the electrical retailer have correctly fallen over 75% year-to-date. It is a very clear avoid to me so I move onto something far more sensible…

Eleven months ago I described Cranswick (CWK) as a ‘high quality, predominantly fresh food, including fresh pork, poultry, convenience and gourmet products’ producer with a 40 quid share price HERE. The FTSE 250 name has been a huge success for anyone who bought it five or ten years ago, but the shares today are pretty much unchanged versus last August. So whilst technically it would have been smart to buy the shares last November (a comment that can be made for about 90 per cent of stocks), how do I feel today?

Get out the popcorn then for the Amigo (AMGO) show on Friday 28th August when it releases its delayed first quarter results. A Friday in late August just before the Bank Holiday weekend, what could it be looking to hide? Don’t worry Amigo Holdings, the fine folk at ShareProphets will be all over the update. As a starter for ten, it announced a further extension of facilities although noted ‘adequate liquidity to continue to fund operations’. So many cultural and financial issues with this one still. You certainly cannot say that about Cranswick (CWK)…

It really is a crazy time. I see the management of Intu Properties (INTU) has admitted the company is close to administration as a standstill agreement remains illusive. Logically (not!), the shares are little changed as I write. You know my view on this one: a zombie at best, as noted earlier in the month. But the dog known as Intu is not what I really want to write about today. I believe I am correct in saying that nobody here - not even Malcolm - has written about Cranswick (CWK)...