Marks And Spencer Share Discussion Threads

[alphahunter] 02/6/2011 08:59

Isis,

No, I didn't know that your borough was statistically representative of the growth in the population in the UK and France. Apologies.

We leave it here then, no need for either of us to waste our time on a futile discussion.

Cheers

[alphahunter] 02/6/2011 08:32

Isis,

Sure, but don't you express a cognitive bias here?

More simply you think that the UK is ahead of France. Then you use arguments (immigration and birth rate) in order to justify that belief, arguments that would be valid if you were merely comparing the population in the UK over time.

But what do you know about immigration and birth rate in France? How do they compare with the UK? As I said, you expressed a cognitive bias.



UK: 61,838,154



France: 62,616,488

[isis] 02/6/2011 07:51

Alpha - You can ignore those population estimates. They are from the 2001 census, since then we have taken in at least 10million and the birth rate has also shot up with immigration.
We are easily number two and are chasing Germany.

[alphahunter] 01/6/2011 17:52

Isis,

UK is third, not second.

But apart for a MBO or a break-up bid, who would be interested in a mostly UK-centric business that combine selling food (bit of branded, bit of own-label) and selling cloaths with an ambitious to (re)develop its own brand?

MKS's sales abroad are not large enough for MKS to qualify as a trully international business. I would leave that to Tesco for instance. Not to mention that a large chunk of their international biz is through franchisees - e.g. shared control. Lastly the CEO is in no hurry to "internationalise" MKS own-store network given the lower margins and ROCE.

I heard so much about increased cost and capex - in the name of building the platform for the future - that I wonder how much incremental sales they have to generate in order to justify the extra spending.

Fair enough, I thought that the analysts would cut their forecast for 2011-2012, they raised the latter instead and reco mostly left unchanged.

Still hold it a short in the Long/Short portfolio, it has marginally underperformed the FTSE100 (after adjusting for the dividend that I had to pay out) but not to the extend I was hoping for.

[deanforester] 01/6/2011 17:25

No, that is why they fell 10.8p today, plus a bit for the market fall.

[shekari] 01/6/2011 14:52

will these fall tomorow after going ex dividend?

[killieboy] 01/6/2011 13:41

Bloody hell - ex div always on a Wednesday!!! Buying today gives no entitlement to latest div.

[nicd] 01/6/2011 10:08

Gruss,

thanks, rather confusing as no indication the purchase is ex D, but better the holding in my partner's ISA

Nic

[isis] 01/6/2011 09:36

400p again.....................

[gruss] 01/6/2011 08:56

nicd

You wll not get the dividend. I have checked with my brokers and confirm that
Ex-Div 01-06-11 and pay
15-07-11

[druinsky] 01/6/2011 08:52

The London Stock Exchange defines the term "ex" as "when a stock or dividend is issued by a company it is based upon an "on register" or "record date". However, to create a level playing field when shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange during this benefit period an "ex" date is set. Before this "ex" date if shares are sold the selling party will need to pass on the benefit or dividend to the buying party."[2]

[isis] 01/6/2011 08:49

Registered date is not the X date - sorry. ;-))

[druinsky] 01/6/2011 08:48

In addition the directors have proposed a final dividend in respect of the year ended 2 April 2011 of 10.8p per share amounting to a dividend of £171.2m. It will be paid on 15 July 2011 to shareholders who are on the Register of Members on 3 June 2011.

[nicd] 01/6/2011 08:46

I bought some this morn and they are not Ex Div

[gruss] 01/6/2011 08:41

This has to be a wind up day lol

[isis] 01/6/2011 08:34

Yep - but that was 2010.............

[nicd] 01/6/2011 08:30

hmm, their website says tomorrow

Ex-Date Record Date Payment Date Dividend Amount
2 June 2010 4 June 2010 16 July 2010 9.5p

[gruss] 01/6/2011 08:28

Robert.

The share has gone xd today not tomorrow. The divi attraction has now gone.
The final is 10.8p per share.

[isis] 01/6/2011 08:15

Obviously the Market market makers can't count! ;-))

[robertfaulkner] 01/6/2011 08:14

I thought perhaps it was ex div day but that is tommorrow, financials says it's 15p, so buy today at 10p dowm and also get 15p div and sell tommorrow. Market must expect at leasta 25p drop for a while??????

[gruss] 01/6/2011 08:11

Ex-dividend factors will knock a hefty 16.83 points off the FTSE 100 index on Wednesday, with Capital Shopping Centres, Intertek, Marks & Spencer, National Grid, Vodafone and WPP all trading without their divi attractions.

[nicd] 01/6/2011 08:04

why the drop this morning?

[isis] 31/5/2011 13:22

01 June 2011 Ex-dividend date - final dividend *10.8p