Morgan Crucible Share Discussion Threads

[beckwith] 06/7/2006 20:55

Yes, huge volume. I have a tiny interest in this lot even so it's frustrating that they have been going nowhere for some time. Is there a suprise around the corner tomorrow???

[2shemshersingh] 06/7/2006 13:51

very high volume today anyone looking at this?

[2shemshersingh] 02/7/2006 16:59

there was a further break at 250p the next level is a break above 260p.

[2shemshersingh] 30/6/2006 15:44

I'm focused to buy more shares at 250p breakout based on charts.

[2shemshersingh] 28/6/2006 09:07

The postive update has pushed the stock above the 230p breakout point. Technially the stock could test 240p.

[gerd212] 22/2/2006 12:59

Morgan Crucible switches into profit

Date: Wednesday 22 Feb 2006

LONDON (ShareCast) - Ceramic parts maker Morgan Crucible reported a full year profit, its first in four years, after it sold its magnetics unit and cut production costs.

The group said it was "progressively shifting manufacturing...to lower cost countries," and had reduced overhead costs.

Pre-tax profit came in at £20.4m for the year ended 4 January compared with a loss of £31m the year before. Sales fell to £745.7m from £795.9m. The group also resumed a dividend payment, offering a final dividend of 2.5p for the year.

Looking ahead the group said, " The financial transformation of Morgan, which accelerated in 2005, provides a strong platform for growth."

It added, "All three major divisions continue to make good progress in margin improvement with the group's double digit operating margin target now very close to being realised a year ahead of schedule."

General market conditions in the Americas remain robust, it said, while industrial markets in Europe "showed limited growth".

In a separate statement the company said its Insulating Ceramics division has agreed to buy the ceramic fibres business of Cookson Group for $21m in cash.

"The acquisition will both enhance the geographical presence of our Insulating
Ceramics division in Eastern Europe and its production capacity in North
America," it said in a statement.


Not much interest in this one!

[typo56] 15/9/2005 11:29

Bid talk at 260p, but could well be a ramp.

[abcd1234] 15/9/2005 11:13

why the spike this a.m. ???
t.i.a.

[go with the flow] 27/7/2005 14:37

Rallying quite nicely after the April correction.
The USD is strenthening too!



Flow

[rafieh] 16/5/2005 08:44

Forcast P/E is now under 13.
The share price seems to have found some support.

[go with the flow] 13/5/2005 12:04

Courtesy of:


Keep stoking with Morgan Crucible

Warren Knowlton had a big task ahead of him when he took over as chief executive of the struggling mini-engineering conglomerate Morgan Crucible in January 2003. Debt was more than £300m, 145 divisions had to be untangled and the carbon, magnetics and ceramics markets were declining.

He didn't make it easy for himself, either – setting a 10pc margin target when the company was making a loss and promising a return to top-line growth in the continuing businesses. Yesterday's full-year results provided the proof that his plan is working.

A rights issue and asset disposals have reduced debt to £148m, underlying margins are back up to 7pc and continuing business sales growth climbed 7pc at constant currencies. Just one year into the three-year restructuring programme and Mr Knowlton has secured £20m of the pledged £50m cost savings from moving manufacturing overseas.

Questor followers have already benefited. We recommended taking up the rights at 100p, buying at 122p and holding on at 157p. The shares climbed 7 to 187p yesterday as analysts upgraded their price targets.

So, should investors still hold on? There are risks. At the pre-tax level, Morgan Crucible made a £78.4m loss after £114m of exceptionals. Hopes that the group might return to the dividend list this year evaporated as Mr Knowlton said the cash would be better used for restructuring. And the weak dollar wiped £5.5m from profits on top of the £10m cost of rising raw material prices.

But even with the additional costs, the results didn't disappoint. Trading on 14 times forecast underlying earnings, the shares are no longer a steal but it's worth hanging on.

[slogsweep] 26/4/2005 08:32

Not surprised chairman buying looks cheap at this price

[humphries1] 05/11/2004 22:47

go on and some more
humph

[humphries1] 03/11/2004 17:58

going right direction go on keep it going
humph

[humphries1] 29/10/2004 12:11

small piece from advfn mail

Among the midcaps, traders said Morgan Crucible was outperforming -- up 9-3/4 at 152 -- after a presentation to Citigroup analysts went "very well
humph

[hijeff] 29/10/2004 08:43

big move away from the trend lines,full blown breakout?

[swans] 28/10/2004 18:28

boadicea
the only reason i can see for the rise is that the company has cut it's debts but a long way the the individual sites for morgan are now running a lot more effectivelyand order book is beginning to raise a little

[boadicea] 28/10/2004 18:25

Highest share price since May 2002, but cannot trace any specific reason for the latest surge.
Clues??

[humphries1] 22/10/2004 13:07

nice rise but whats going on with this co at mo
humph

[ollybean] 16/10/2004 19:40

looking at the last years movements it would have been possible
to make about nine gains of aprox 3% each. If there is anyone out
there do you think this trend will continue .
I might jump in at the next turn.I looked at these after a high
risk watch/buy recommendation by the Share Centre.
olly.

[toriel] 20/7/2004 11:48

swans - no, I'm not a Morgan employee. Actually I'm actually a University-based scientist with an interest in a number of sectors, of which engineering is one. But if Morgan wants me to step into the position of chairman next time it's free, they can reach me through this BB. I'll be waiting for the call...

[swans] 16/7/2004 14:42

Toriel i find it a bit of a coincidence you comparing morgan cru to pilkington do you work for morgan cru as the chairman warren knowlton was once chairman of pilkington

[toriel] 16/7/2004 11:09

Well jimcar, I'm not sure I've set the board alight (!) but it would be nice to stir up a little discussion.

As garth says, 38p certainly looks a bargain now, but then that's true of so many stocks, especially in the engineering sector, that languished on lousy PEs a few years ago.

MGCR is one of those companies like Pilkington that has strong technical advantages in its main markets and yet never seems quite to make the best of them. Pilkington is perhaps too dominant in the glass industry worldwide to fall to a bid from a competitor, but MGCR is a less focused business and could well be attractive to a company which is anxious to get hold of a particular part of it, such as fuel cells or technical ceramics, and could then sell on the rest.

I've held MGCR for a number of years, and I suppose my failure to sell and buy at the right time is a reflection of the difficulty I find in assessing when the company will take advantage of its strong position in a few specialized markets. There seems to be plenty of unrealized potential; the question is when - if ever - that potential will be fully exploited by the company itself, or be crystallized by some other company making a bid.

[garth] 14/7/2004 13:46

Great prospect, given time. FCT involvement the original reason to buy in for me - that and the healthy divi. Then it went pear shaped. 38p to buy looks a bargain now ;-)

G.

[jimcar] 14/7/2004 13:33

Toriel

It is an interesting question. Most of the very active boards are for small, very volatile shares. I suppose these appeal to traders looking for a quick profit, i.e. the BB regulars.

BPB is another inactive share, only 1 post this year. I suppose the steady upwards rise of a world beater in a major industry is too boring for most posters. People probably feel that their comments won't move the share price here whilst they might with the smaller ones.

MGCR seems to be recovering well under the new boss. Maybe it is too complicated to comment on, certainly is for me. Still you seem to have set the board alight now so maybe it will continue.