Walker Crips Share Discussion Threads

[cockneyrebel] 21/2/2005 14:00

Hey, press says don't buy as it's gone too far, too soon - but I'm a sceptic with what the press says.

What makes me more of a sceptic is when I see 70K worth of sells today and the price off just 2p. If that was 70K buys today these would be up 30p as this is so illiquid so it seems clear that somebody is taking all these sells imo.

A mate of the guy that said 'don't buy' in the press?

CR

[cockneyrebel] 20/2/2005 13:34

From the Telegraph:

Walker Crips Weddle Beck

Shares in Walker Crips Weddle Beck have surged by 44 per cent to 242.5p since February 11, when the stockbroking and fund management group announced it was buying G&E Investment Services, a fund manager and pensions advisory business, for up to £2.8m.

Despite the shares rising to a four-year high, on February 15 Stephen Bailey, the investment director, snapped up 10,000 shares at 216p. Just four days earlier he bought a total of 33,000 shares at between 172p and 194p. The deal comes after Walker Crips announced in December that pre-tax profits in the first half of the year had increased by almost 30 per cent. It has a market value of just £25m and the shares are relatively tightly held. The recent price rise looks steep and investors should steer clear.

---------------

Now call me a sceptic but I read this all the way through and then the last sentence just doesn't fit with the rest. I don't believe an investment director buys a further 10K at 216p with a view that these are just going up 10% myself.

And what the story doesn't say is that despite the 30% profit increase in H1 they add:

"The second half of the current year has started strongly and I
can report that stockbroking volumes have been particularly buoyant since early
September. Your board is confident of capitalising on the strong start in the
second half. We are also committed to growing our recurring revenue stream
through both the fund management and financial services divisions. The success
enjoyed by the corporate finance division in the first half of the year looks
set to be repeated in the current six month period. We look forward to reporting
another strong set of results for the full year."

I'll take more on the cheap if anyone wants to sell me them lower than this.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 16/2/2005 11:05

GavDilly - Director Stephen Bailey was buying yeaterday at 216p - I doubt that he bought with a quick 10% in mind so I think thee could be a fair bit more yest.

Article here on Citywire - don't think you have to subscribe

[guppyworld] 15/2/2005 13:33

NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CHEESE & onion variety??

[gavdilly] 15/2/2005 13:20

Have I missed the boat in buying these CR? Many thanks.

[cockneyrebel] 15/2/2005 13:08

I still think there could be more director buying yet - Bailey has increased his holding by 120% in the last few days spending a not insignificant £80K or there abouts. Last purchase notified today - 10K at 216p

I really don't see him buying this many without good reason - in the past his buys have been quite small (around 5K).

The last purchase at 216p isn't to scalp a net 15p or so a share by selling at this level imo. I think the reasoning is the gains from the acquisition and the positive outlook at H1 results myself.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 15/2/2005 11:33

Stephen Bailey - another 10K bought :-)

CR

[cockneyrebel] 14/2/2005 11:49

15K sells, 10K buys - yet the price is up 12p, must be a much larger buy to show.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 14/2/2005 10:17

Up again this morning - think it will go a lot further too.

A director doesn't double his stake with the bulk of them at 198p just to scalp a few pence.

Won't surprise me if thseare up today cos there's another director buy beubf filled.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 12/2/2005 12:15

I've been through all the director buys and Stephen Baileys buys have all been well timed - he also hasn't been a seller so he looks like he sees the bigger longer term picture.

Yesterday's acquisition looks very interesting, looks like it adds a lot of synergies and probably makes WCW look much more attractive as a bid target imo. They seem to have got G&EIS at a good price.

Personally I think that Bailey doubled his holding because they are likely to be well ahead of expectations. At the interims they said:

"The second half of the current year has started strongly and I
can report that stockbroking volumes have been particularly buoyant since early
September. Your board is confident of capitalising on the strong start in the
second half."


If they are well ahead then they will probably put out a trading statement after the year end in April. He couldn't buy then as he will be privy to insider info near to the statement. He wouldn't want to buy after that as the price would probably have risen sharply. So his last chance for a major add to his position is now imo, as soon as they have annonced the acquisition - he couldn't buy just before because he knew of the acquisition and the market didn't.


That's my opinion anyway. I would think some very good results will be published in June and the impact of the acquisition spelt out which will significantly enhance next years eps.


The acquisition gets a mention in the Mail today by Geoff Foster and in the Independent DoubleorQuits tells me.

CR

[nickdr99] 12/2/2005 06:29

cr what happened in 98-9 when the director bought. do you have a target price for wcw in the next 3/6 months.

[cockneyrebel] 11/2/2005 21:25

Looks like there's never been many watching this one anyway - which is a great sign imo - no hype in the price.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 11/2/2005 18:15

My mistake - it's the same director, just doubled his holding.

I've gone through the RNS and this guy seems to have good timing. He has never bought this heavy before and his previous heaviest buying came in 98-99 - just before they rocketed.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 11/2/2005 15:49

ISAable too.

Two directors increasing their holdings by 30% at this level - that's a big shout isn't it?

H1 results said H2 would be strong too.

CR

[cockneyrebel] 11/2/2005 15:04

Okay, what's going on - another director buy of 22K at 194p!

Bumped his stake up by 30% too!

CR

[cockneyrebel] 11/2/2005 10:28

Bid? - are these being stalked?

It's the hot sector and the chart is going to the moon.

A director bought another 10K today, increasing his holding by 30%


Fiske said yesterday that consolidation was going to be the thing in the broker sector and a little one like this looks a prime target imo.

CR

[mryesyes] 19/12/2004 15:06

Not going to make you rich at 1.60 barring takeover
Was a buy at £1 but I missed it.
Made a killing on it in the 90s selling start of 4Q 1999

[ibrox] 13/11/2004 11:03

Well there are the good interims. So what price now? However not generating cash and the return on investments 2nd half could return to last years levels. Then what?

[petersmith6] 26/9/2004 18:21

if we get good interims in november,could we see 200p?

[petersmith6] 23/9/2004 20:32

boy,there are so many people on this thread!!! jumped in yesterday.

[ben value] 21/9/2004 16:57

Three posts in one day. Quite an active thread!

[elliotset] 21/9/2004 16:03

Initate i will read it dont no why i stumbled across this one see you in 2006

[initiate] 21/9/2004 13:59

Ten posts in 4 years - is that some kind of record ? Will anyone ever read this ? Spooky.
WCW up today on heavy volume - a recovery stock for the future ?