Mears Share Discussion Threads

[mistertibbs] 16/1/2008 16:05

Good points hose. The amount of Asian money currently being pumped into the US banks is a step change when you consider the outcry over there when Japan was at hit's height in relation to car production and the xenophobia they had over that. At least MER continues to pick up the contracts meantime and would be pleased to see us jump the next hurdle, 300p and in a falling market.

Personally, I don't subscribe to the FT rumour. I believe it's a case of building the domicliary care side with small purchases, mainly private owned and if a biggie comes along at an advantageous price, so be it

[hosede] 15/1/2008 12:06

Tibbs - these things have aleays been there and the USA probably always the worst. I see the economic problems being far more serious. AS the credit bubble continues to deflate,most US banks becoming (probably already technically) insolvent, a general retreat by Asia (particularly) from the Dollar as a world reserve currency which will hit the pound as well. I guess MER could go to 400, but if the £ is below par to the Euro so what. Zimbabwe's stock market is doing the best in the world.

[polopolo2] 14/1/2008 22:39

All of these contract wins and the steady climb upwards should continue unababted when we get the conclusion to the bbc allegations. I go along with EvaLongoria - 400 - minimum by year end.

[mistertibbs] 14/1/2008 21:15

Hose.....not forgetting Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Iran, USA. I jest not about the latter. So someone didn't like a catholic president in Kennedy, how about a black man at a time of recession? mmmmm

[evalongoria] 14/1/2008 13:54

I can see these at 400p+ by the year end,look at the good rns recently

[cambium] 14/1/2008 12:52

I agree, this isnt the growth story that it was when SCSW tipped it when it was 50p odd, why it is one of there NAPS for 2008 is beyond me. It is only just a small cap at 200m and where is it going to get the massive growth to push the PE back up to the 30's like it used to be 5 years ago.
Also dont like the low ticket invoicing, lots of room for error and mistake. Dont like the massive dilution with Bobs incentive plan, 10%.
As I have said I sold out when Bob did at £3, dont hold but still interested.

[cockneyrebel] 14/1/2008 12:30

Company seems to be trying hard to get the price up with all this news.

Call me a sceptic but perhaps someone is a long term AIM holder here and they want to sell out before the April tax year and the change in taper relief?

I'm just a bit sceptical that SCSW are tipping these again too, when they have held them so long - just before this deadline too. I suspect we might see a lot of long runningAIM stocks have director announcemets too in March saying such and such a director has sold 'to avail themselbes of the tax advantages before the April deadline.

CR

[5dally] 14/1/2008 08:04

Mears Contract Wins




RNS Number:6389L
Mears Group PLC
14 January 2008



Mears Group PLC
("Mears" or "the Company")


New contract wins in Care Division.



Mears Group is pleased to report significant new contract wins by its Care
Division, Careforce, which has been particularly successful in securing future
revenues in two areas where existing contracts, having come to the end of their
natural term, were being retendered. In both cases, Careforce has been
successful in winning higher volumes of the outsourced work at similar or
increased billing rates.


In Rotherham, Careforce has won the maximum possible allocation of three blocks
and in Hertfordshire it has won contracts which will lead to significantly
increased volumes and will run to at least 2015 with possible extensions to
2018. The anticipated aggregate forward sales value of the new contracts in
Rotherham and Hertfordshire is in the region of £34 million during the basic
contract terms or around £52 million if the options to extend the contracts are
taken up.


Since Mears acquired Careforce Group plc in April 2007 the Company has completed
on 8 businesses for an aggregate initial purchase consideration of £10.3
million. The Company believes that this series of acquisitions will continue to
provide the necessary scale for Mears to influence the way in which domiciliary
care is procured and delivered.


Mears Group Chairman, Bob Holt, commented:


"I am delighted to be able to report these significant gains so soon after our
acquisition of Careforce last year. I believe that they confirm that our Best
Value approach and our commitment to Partnership Working resonate well with the
expectations and responsibilities of our Local Authority partners. I believe
they also provide further evidence of the consolidation taking place in the
domiciliary care market which is leading to the placing of outsourced services
by local authorities with a smaller number of larger providers such as
ourselves."


ENDS


NOTES TO EDITORS:

Mears Group PLC is a leading provider of a range of services to social
landlords. The Group is also a major supplier of domiciliary care in the United

Kingdom following the acquisition of Careforce Group plc in April 2007.

The social housing services provided include response maintenance, void
refurbishment, planned preventative maintenance, improvements to meet the
'Decent Homes Standard' and estate management.


Profits have shown an annual compound growth rate of 40% since Mears was listed
on AIM in October 1996. The Group was awarded the AIM Company of the year award
in 2003.





Enquiries: Mears Group PLC

Bob Holt, Chief Executive

07778 798 816

[cambium] 12/1/2008 13:46

We may see Fillip on Monday!

[mistertibbs] 10/1/2008 23:18

After gaining on Friday on news of bid approaches, Nestor Healthcare rose a further 8.3 per cent to 52p. Mears, the social housing specialist, is rumoured to be one of the potential bidders.

Quote from the FT 8th January 2008

[hosede] 10/1/2008 14:57

Josh
I agree being out of the market makes good sense at the moment. I have almost exclusively commodity ETFs and European government bonds (denominated in Euros).
Tibbs
The problem is that the government/local authorities are going to run out of money later this year and there will have to be big cutbacks somewhere; there are already articles in the press about increasing defaults in council tax etc. etc. caused by the credit crunch and its nonly going to get worse for quite a while

[polopolo2] 10/1/2008 10:14

Excellent update but still no mention of bbc conclusion??

[5dally] 10/1/2008 08:05

Mears Trading Statement
Date : 10/01/2008 @ 07:03
Source : UK Regulatory (RNS and others)
Stock : Mears Group Plc (MER)
Quote : 254.0 0.0 (0.00%) @ 08:04

[mistertibbs] 09/1/2008 15:34

I read, was it the weekend FT, not sure now. that mer may ne interested in one of the larger healthcare companies who didn't have their troubles to seek. Memory suggests Nestor Healthcare. Will check it out.

As a 24/7 carer, I can report our local authority, near Glasgow, are cutting back on their services and looks to me like they are considering more private care. Handy for MER as they bought that old repair lot in Paisley, not a million miles away, Laidlaw Scott, who are often to be seen at our local private care home.

Sadly of course, our Govt is taking the knife to private healthcare as seen just prior to the new year and I feel this sentiment will continue in this sector for a while. Still holding.

[5dally] 09/1/2008 14:40

Very quiet here considering this is moving in the righ direction

[joshalexander] 17/12/2007 19:26

hosede

I am out of the Market currently, I agree Small Caps are being hammered.

[hosede] 17/12/2007 14:54

You may be right Josh, but MER are not established in this market yet. Whatever the reason the fact remains that midcaps and especially small caps are being hammered at the moment and arguing with the market is normally futile and (expensive). How long will this go on for? No one really knows but (IMO) it could have quite a lot further to go.

[joshalexander] 15/12/2007 20:49

hosede

That is why they are agressively expaning in the Home Care Market.
As I have previously posted this will be the main driver of earnings in the years ahead.


The Governement's recent announcement of "self funding" in Domilicary Care is not an issue either, as the vast majority of funding will still go through Local Authority "block contracts".
Huge growth in this market over the next 3-5 years.

The recent compression in ratings in the Small Cap Market has caused much of the malaise in the SP, but I agree with polopolo - there needs to be
a conclusion to the enquiry.

I do not hold MER currently - and as always DYOR.

[polopolo2] 15/12/2007 11:11

When are we going to get the outcome of the drawn out enquiry into the BBC allegations that were made in early summer?????

[hosede] 14/12/2007 23:39

5dally I think maybe you are looking thru rose coloured spectacles -this government are going to start reneging on promises left right and centre next year - and even if programmes go ahead competition for contracts will be tough and margins will suffer. I don't think the amazing growth we have got used to from MER will continue - it will survive of course but could have a tough two or three years

[5dally] 12/12/2007 12:06

Complete Care is the largest and best run on The Wirral and recruit on a regular basis, if they keep buying quality company's like this they wont go far wrong