Minding the London Stock Exchange’s Business
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Even a few of our detractors have now come around
A “Trading Update - FY22 in line with expectations”-titled announcement from tissue converter group Accrol (ACRL) sounds good given the current macro climate. So what of a current 26p share price?...
Packaging group Macfarlane (MACF) has announced “a solid start to 2022, with first quarter sales and profits from continuing operations ahead of the same period in 2021… expectations for the full year are unchanged”. So what of a current 120.5p share price?
Previously writing on ventilation systems and window and door hardware company Titon Holdings (TON), in February with the shares at 80p I noted it’s further margin pressure ahoy and continue to avoid. The shares last closed at 90p but, on the back of results for its half-year ended 31st March 2022, are currently down to 75p.
Hostel market-focused online travel group Hostelworld (HSW) has announced an AGM update including “performance to date has been stronger than we had initially expected… we are seeing the recovery continue across all destinations and demand segments. In particular, booking demand into Europe, our largest destination in 2019, has almost fully recovered to 2019 levels with some markets exceeding 100%… trips from the US and Canada into European destinations at 2019 levels”. So what of a share price rising above 86p?...
Hello Share Catchers. Like me, you’re probably fed up with the amount of over-packaging that still goes on. Look at those silly Easter eggs we’ve recently scoffed. But we still need some packaging. And D S Smith (SMDS) is a company that’s big in cardboard boxes, cartons and paper, both of which are recycled. Furthermore, it’s on a mission to reduce plastic packaging and carbon footprints. This Footsie member has so far replaced over 170 million items of single-use plastic from its customers’ supply chains with recyclable alternatives.
Carclo (CAR) “is pleased to report that the business expects to report a strong performance for the year” and that “demand in the group's key markets remains strong coming into the new financial year”. So what of a current share price of 24.5p, down nearly 10%?!...
Previously writing on marketing technology group Eagle Eye Solutions (EYE), in November with the shares up towards 600p I concluded I remained wary of the valuation multiples and continued to avoid. How’s that looking now following results for the group’s half-year ended 31st December 2021?…
Previously writing on promotional products group 4imprint (FOUR), in November with the shares down to around 3000p I questioned further encouraging progress. So what of now full-year results?…
I noted back in September last year that “I am still avoiding FeverTree (FEVR)” and since then the stock has fallen from above a 23 quid share price to just under 16 quid. So what should I now be thinking about the company still obsessed by the potential from the “long-mixed drink category from retailers, spirits brands and consumers, especially given the increasing focus on premium segments”?
On 13th January a trading statement from ‘cake, bread and morning goods’ manufacturer Finsbury Food Group (FIF) emphasised “a robust H1 performance”, with sales growth to £166.5 million and that, though it “has faced persistent pressure from input cost inflation, staff shortages and other supply chain disruptions… it has been able to successfully mitigate the impact of these pressures to date”. The shares closed then at 98p and last closed at 88.5p… and are currently further lower on the back of the half-year results. What’s the story?…
Previously writing on drinks company with brands including IRN-BRU, Rubicon and Funkin A.G. Barr (BAG), in November with the shares at 520p I concluded that whilst a long-term buy looks cogently arguable, still just on my watchlist. The shares last closed just below 500p, but a trading update today has helped them back across this level – so what’s the latest?…
‘Digital value retailer’ Studio Retail Group (STU) commences a trading statement with “Improved performance on Black Friday and in Christmas period”. The shares are currently at 97p in response to the announcement, 39% lower! So what’s going on?…
It is going to be a busy week. Even beyond the world of US tech giants, there are loads of UK stocks reporting including Shell, BT Group (BT.A) and Vodafone (VOD), with the latter having a bunch of (overly) excitable new active investor chat. Who said the FTSE 100 was boring…(although for various reasons it has been a shabby performer for the last decade or so, but obviously what always really matters is tomorrow and not yesterday). Later in the week the Bank of England will be giving an update where a further interest rate increase is surely highly likely. And of course that makes the importance of corporate analysis even more important, which brings me today to Porvair (PRV).
Arts, crafts, stationery, toys and books retailer TheWorks (WRKS) has announced results for its half-year ended 31st October 2021 and an update on subsequent trading which currently has helped the shares up by more than 14% to 64.6p, a £40.4 million market cap. So what’s the story?…
Previously writing on UK operator of 67 bars, Revolution Bars Group (RBG), in November with the shares around 25p I reiterated caution with staffing and input cost pressures, a return to refurbishments and “Christmas bookings have been building more slowly than we would normally expect”. So what now from a trading update for the group’s half-year ended 1st January 2022?…
Pizza restaurants and stores in Poland and exclusive rights to Domino’s Pizza in the country company DP Poland (DPP) has announced a trading update including “like for like System Sales up 16% in Q4 2021 compared to Q4 2020… Cash at bank of £1.8m as at 31 December 2021 (2020: £1.2m)”. However, and already down from above 10p as recently as June, the shares have currently responded further lower, towards 6p. So what’s the story here?…
A trading statement announcement from greeting cards and complementary products retailer Card Factory (CARD) is headlined “Trading ahead of Board expectations for FY22”. So why have the shares currently responded to around 54p, 15% down?…
In May I concluded with shares in “the UK’s leading independent tissue converter” Accrol (ACRL) lower at 54p to avoid as inflationary pressures could persist for some time given the wide pandemic response. The shares last closed at 44.95p and are currently below 40p on the back of a trading update…
Though still well down from my caution after it listed in 2017 (for example HERE), shares in fashion retailer Quiz plc (QUIZ) have recently been rising strongly after my most recent caution. However, the company has today announced full-year results and the shares are currently back below 20p in response, more than 20% lower. So what’s the story now?…
Previously writing on soft drinks company Nichols (NICL), in March I noted there is still obvious business recovery potential, but also current lockdown and future ‘sugar tax’ challenges. What’s the situation with results for the first half of 2021?…
Wildwood and dim t UK restaurant company Tasty (TAST) has announced results for the 2017 calendar year – with “highlights” including; “Revenue up 9.7% to £50.3m” and “The financial performance of the group was in line with the board's revised expectation”. Hmmm, “revised expectation” hey…
After being outed by Tom Winnifrith as a non-adherent to the Star Wars doctrine, I turn my thoughts to matters in our galaxy (not far away)…and the bevy of trading updates from supermarkets this week.
