UK 01:44 Saturday, 19 September 2026
Breaking news and expert analysis on fast-moving AIM and LSE listed shares
It is a new week but I see in today’s range of corporate numbers that Lok’nStore (LOK) still has lots of people’s junk to store, with its full year numbers to the end of July seeing a just over 5% rise in self storage revenue year-on-year. A bit like many things in life, if you have not used something for many years, you are never going to use it and, given the existing online capability to sell pretty much anything you like to someone else, I am amazed the average citizen does not shift a bit of their junk for a few quid…so they can buy some prospects for tomorrow’s list of junk (or pay a few bills and the like). However, life is changing a little bit…
A year ago, I observed that there had been a “strong update from Lok’nStore (LOK) but, but, but…”. I have never personally used a “self-storage company”, but lots of people regularly do. And I see that the group’s headline comment from today’s trading update is talking about “momentum continues”. Why is the share price down about 25% during the last year then?
Hello, Share Shiners. Having been involved in a house-moving nightmare fairly recently, I appreciate the value of self-storage. The days of a simple move where you leave one property and move into your new one on the same day seem under attack. Nowadays, the exchange of homes is often so complex that you have to rent for a time before you find somewhere suitable to live. And that means putting your chattels into self-store.
It is over a thousand days ago when I observed that “Marie Kondo and I are both wrong about self-storage...and Lok'nStore (LOK)”. Since then, shares in the provider of self-storage space in the UK are up another 50%...whilst the lady who created the KonMari method of keeping only those things that "spark joy" has moved to California (where the ability to waffle on about anything and get paid for it is unparalleled). Today’s trading update by the company is described as exhibiting “excellent revenue and pricing growth driven by continued strong demand (and) more new stores on the way".
Hello Share Shakers. This old punter hopes to move out of Stacey Towers soon in favour of a new gaff with better transport connections. The experience is not proving pleasant. Though we’ve sold our present home, we can’t find anywhere else suitable to live in. My estate agent tells me he has 10 similar cases, where a home has been sold but the owners can't move for the same reason.
Back in April I observed that the thought of paying up for self-storage at a name like Lok'nStore (LOK) for me was beyond the pale. As it happens I am far from being a hoarder and live my life a little bit closer to the ideals of the Japanese organising consultant Marie Kondo...but it seems I am far from the norm…
Unless you are an accounting geek who gets excited about post-IFRS 16 updates from Tesco (TSCO), there was not much to excite in today's crop of larger cap names...which means my attention was drawn to the interim results from Lok 'n Store (LOK) – the strangely-named, 'fast growing...self-storage company'. The combination of a consumption society (aka having too much stuff) with pressure on the housing stock has led to the growth and growth of this sector...
