Ashtead Share Discussion Threads

[riley109] 07/3/2020 11:28

Won't the FD have suggested this in the first place.

[riley109] 06/3/2020 19:03

And they won't repaint any plant as it will be disposed of at auction when its time is up then replacement equipment will carry the new logo.Customers that hire A plant gear couldn't give a stuff about what stickers are plastered all over it,it's whether it's competitively priced or not.

[perfido] 06/3/2020 19:00

Amaretto1

I am alarmed to find that having followed all the tips you have given, (AV, Gregg's, BP, DEV et al) you boldly state 'I'm 95% in cash' and frankly it's is not looking good.

I urgently need your further advice, should I buy more, sell or just assume you are trying to work a 'greater fool' scam?

There is another conclusion which frankly is not flattering..

Please advise..
.

[riley109] 06/3/2020 18:37

When Ashtead bought Lux the terms included the retention of the name but whether that was for a certain period of time I don't know.

[perfido] 06/3/2020 16:29

Bracke,

Most interesting, thanks for your views..

[bracke] 06/3/2020 15:06

Good day perfido

Yes you are correct the share price recovered with a succession of higher highs and higher lows until the recent 2765 high. If you overlay the AHT Daily chart with the DOW 30 chart you will see they are in lockstep. The rise was in reaction to Mr Trumps policy of cheap money and lower taxes. AHT and DOW30 are also in falling lockstep.

Likely AHT and the markets will rise when the virus situation eases and Mr Trump seeks to regain lost ground by whatever means. Lower interest rates, negative interest rates, change the law to enable the FED to buy shares a la Japan. Whatever it takes it's got to be done by November.

[perfido] 06/3/2020 14:27

Good day bracke

Your analysis is always welcome here, thanks.

I seem to remember that following the low around 1600 in Dec 2018, the share price recovered rather rapidly to reach 2700+ by Feb 20 (i.e. 14 months later), in a series of rapid advances and minor consolidations. I am not saying history will repeat itself, because the extent of the damage to the U.S. economy from the present travails is yet to be determined.

Nevertheless the fall may present an opportunity to top up my holding, which had been reduced 25% by the five sells which I mentioned here during the year.

As usual as a LTH I am prepared to play the long game, so no pressure to act yet.

In the meantime 2flatpack I wish you luck, they used to say fortune favours the brave :-)

[2flatpack] 06/3/2020 14:00

Cannot resist, started buying back in @ 2180.
As always I live in hope.
Cheers

[bracke] 06/3/2020 13:55

I have been debating with myself whether to post my analysis of future prospects for the share price because holders will not like them. On reflection it's only my view and should not influence your decisions so no big deal. You can always filter me.

In a previous post I mentioned the long term rising trendline which commenced in March 2016 and currently is at 1923. If the share price continues to drop at the current rate it will reach the trendline at approx 19 March. The drop from the 2765 high to 1923 is 842.

Remember from 24/9/18 to 24/12/18 the share price dropped from 2455 to 1569 a fall of 886 so 842 is not without precedent.

Applying a PF to the rise from the 24/12/18 low to the recent high places the ML at 1970.

Yes I'm sticking my neck out once again but so what, it makes life interesting.

[perfido] 06/3/2020 12:26

fenners -

Re post 57780 that's strange, the vehicles and storefronts I am looking at all have the 'Ashtead Plant triangular logo + LUX' branding on them, perhaps they never got round to rebranding in your area?

I would post a pic but we seem to have lost the Tinypics facility at present.

I am not surprised to see AHT down this morning, URI was down around 8%, 119 when I looked last night, it seems to be a general market malaise we are suffering..

[amaretto1] 06/3/2020 11:43

I'm more leaning to the side of the markets .... half the institutions won't even know it's happening yet ! :-)I'm sat 95 percent cash ... I'm not entering the market long, probably till April fools day :-))

[fenners66] 06/3/2020 11:00

perfido - I meant the actual equipment - whenever I see it in the street.
Which is fine because actually re-painting the equipment and sticking new labels on it does not make it work better it just costs money.

Share price dives - because of market dive or are more analysts wondering wtf is going on ?

[hydrogen economy] 06/3/2020 09:01

Re-branding to Sunbelt doesn't make any sense, no marketing benefit with UK customers and cross-selling seems far fetched.

Horgan is American and worked for Sunbelt since 96, it almost looks like an exercise in showing the UK based board and management Sunbelt has taken over and he is in control now, which would be a worrying sign.

I agree sale of the lower ROE UK business would make sense to release capital to grow the higher growth and profitable US/Canadian businesses. The Sunbelt re-branding suggests that is not in current thinking. The UK listing could be an issue, although Prudential recently split off their UK/Europe assets into M&G leaving an Asian and US business with headquarters and primary listing in UK.

[2flatpack] 06/3/2020 08:44

fenners
totally agree.
Cheers

[perfido] 06/3/2020 08:36

Fenners,

I am much in agreement, but the division you mention is currently branded
Aplant Lux Traffic Systems.

I am inclined to wonder whether there is a broader plan afoot, beyond rebranding..

[perfido] 05/3/2020 14:25

A-Plant, formerly known as Ashtead Plant, is present in over 185 locations throughout the United Kingdom, and has the following divisions:

* A-Plant, Plant
* A-Plant, Accommodation
* Astra Site Services, Excavator Attachments
* Brightlights
* FLG Services, Lifting and Handling Specialists
* Hoist-It LTD
* GB Access
* Hewden Industrial, equipment hire to the petrochemical industry
* Leada Acrow
* Live Trakway
* Mather+Stuart Power Solutions
* PSS Hire
* Rapid Climate Control
* Tool Hire Express
* A-Plant, Powered Access
* A-Plant Customer Training Solutions
* A-Plant, Rail
* A-Plant, Lux Traffic Systems
* Opti-cal Survey Equipment (Survey Hire Express)

(source:

Unifying the UK brands under one powerful banner might help, reducing layers of management, duplication of systems etc, but why under the Sunbelt banner???
.

[bracke] 05/3/2020 14:07

Perhaps better than cross-dressing....but then again.

[fenners66] 05/3/2020 13:56

"simplifies our cross-selling "

WTF!!

So when I go to get a rotavator for my garden , they ask me if I would be interested in taking a CAT from Miami or a backhoe from Toronto .....!?!

What absolute tosh.

I know , there may just possibly be some construction company that operates in the UK and north America ...... (maybe not).... but cross selling ?

[perfido] 05/3/2020 13:27

"Our rebranding to Sunbelt Rentals is the culmination of work to unify our UK brands under one powerful banner. With our unrivalled range of specialist products and services this change simplifies our cross-selling as we deliver Availability, Reliability and Ease to our broad customer base.”

Andy Wright, CEO of A-Plant

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I imagine it originally might have been 'Availability, Reliability, Service and Ease' until someone spotted the acronym beartrap :-)

[bracke] 05/3/2020 12:28

My understanding is that 90% of the profit comes from the US so why keep A Plant unless the intention is to increase the size of the business by acquisition. This appears unlikely as the focus has been the US and Canada where the prospects are better.

Why keep A Plant? Better to have kept the name and sold the business but then why have a US company with the Directors in the UK?

[dcarn] 05/3/2020 12:00

I have to admit that's my thoughts as well, especially now the Yanks are in charge.

[perfido] 05/3/2020 11:55

fenners

I agree entirely, I had the same thoughts (excl CGT concern).

I am looking forward to an explanation from the Directors, no sign of it yet on the AHT Investor Relations website.

[fenners66] 05/3/2020 11:46

I really don't understand the point of rebranding....
Massive cost , loses Brand goodwill , which we are expected to believe has a value.
for what?

Suggests that long term plan is to re-locate to USA and take the listing with it.

If that happens .....
will share price rise?
Will it be a CGT event ?