Booker Group Share Discussion Threads

[woodpeckers] 09/9/2015 07:49

"Britain's convenience shop market valued at £37.7bn
Shift in consumers' shopping behaviour has seen the convenience sector grow by 5pc in the past year, with two stores opening a day "

"Convenience stores have been seen as the growth engine for the grocery sector as retailers have had to tackle deflationary pressures and an ongoing bitter price war between the supermarkets. "

"The Co-operative Group has pinned its recovery on the convenience market with its new slogan “little.Often.Co-op”, while wholesaler Booker Group recently swooped on the Budgens and Londis chains as a direct route into the market. Tesco and Sainsbury’s have also halted opening larger supermarkets in favour of opening smaller shops and convenience stores."

[johnyee 7] 03/9/2015 07:25

advfn rns up the duff again.

[woodpeckers] 02/9/2015 20:32

Mmm, looks like the big boys heard first...

Booker : Acquisition Of Musgrave Bypasses Phase 2 Investigation
Envoyer par mail
09/02/2015 | 10:18am US/Eastern

LONDON (Alliance News) - The UK Competition and Markets Authority Wednesday said it has decided not to refer Booker Group PLC's acquisition of Musgrave Retail Partners GB Ltd to a phase 2 investigation.

Booker revealed in May that it is buying Musgrave Retail Partners GB Ltd, which comprises the Londis and Budgens convenience store chains, from Irish food wholesaler Musgrave Group PLC for GBP40 million in cash.

Shares in Booker were trading up 2.6% at 172.30 pence Wednesday afternoon.

[bellymonster] 02/9/2015 18:08

The mergers and acquisition board have decided not to do a phase 2 investigation into the Musgrave deal. So looks like its full steam ahead.

[woodpeckers] 02/9/2015 17:56

So what's going on here then? Something to do with B & L? Not usually leaky but certainly strange price action today?

[ayl30] 17/8/2015 08:46

Just thinking.....if Morrisons are selling off their convenience stores I wonder if this would play well forBooker. Either as a takeover themselves or as supplier to a new buyer. Would be a natural bolt on for Booker leading to even greater warehouse and delivery economies of scale

[ayl30] 29/7/2015 09:54

Every little helps as they say

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/smaller-grocers-are-enjoying-welcome-boost-in-sales-31411482.html

[woodpeckers] 23/7/2015 12:08

Nice of you to pop in CR! ;-)

[woodpeckers] 22/7/2015 22:07

pilly, I wouldn't be so bold as to guess. To be honest I don't really care as I don't have a sell price. As long as management keep doing what they're doing I'm happy to stay invested as I think there are few companies with a board as dedicated to growing the company and the share price will reflect that. They all have great personal investments so if they're prepared to put their money where their mouth is, then so am I.

Having said that, I never worry when directors sell a few shares, that's the name of the game, they work hard and get a significant proportion of their renumeration in shares so it is understandable that from time to time they will want to cash in a few. If the CFO suddenly sold the lot I would worry! Don't think that's going to happen any time soon.

[woodpeckers] 20/7/2015 16:41

SO Mark Aylwin is staying close to home.

Ridler has served as managing director of Musgrave GB since April 2014. He will leave the retail group, which owns convenience specialists Londis and Budgens, later this year.

He will be replaced by Mark Aylwin, who previously served as supply chain and IT director at the Musgrave Group. Aylwin has more than 35 years’ experience in the food industry, having also worked for Booker Direct and Safeway.

Aylwin takes up the role on August 17, when he will commence a handover period with Ridler, Musgrave said. Ridler’s leaving date is yet to be confirmed but he is expected to depart in mid-September.

The changes come less than two months after Booker agreed a £40m deal to acquire Musgrave Retail Partners’ GB business, which includes Londis and Budgens.

[woodpeckers] 18/7/2015 09:58

Nice write up!




Booker, the cash-and-carry chain and star of the No Pain, No Gain portfolio, continues to exude calm and confidence in what remains an under-pressure retail sector.

The supermarkets, once carrying all before them, are now struggling to combat the discount invaders. But Booker, supplying mostly small traders through its warehouses and delivery services, seems set to sail serenely on.

True, first-quarter sales progress failed to achieve the heady heights of a year ago but chief executive Charles Wilson describes the more modest gain of 0.2 per cent (or 0.4 per cent on a like-for-like basis) as "solid".

The group has succeeded in turning round the loss-making Makro cash-and-carry chain acquired three years ago for around £140m. Now it plans to direct its attention towards another lossmaker, as represented by its proposed deal to buy the grocery chains Budgens and Londis. If this goes through – and there seems every reason to believe the competition authorities will clear it – the cost will be £40m cash.

There are hopes the acquisition will complete later this year, and the addition of 167 Budgens supermarkets and more than 1,600 Londis stores, mainly corner shops, should enhance Booker's performance.

The shop chains should sit comfortably with Booker's existing Premier convenience business and its still- fledgling Family Shopper discounters. There must also be huge scope for its distribution fleets to increase their operations.

The shares, as I write, are around 168p. With a deserved fancy rating, they are not cheap and it would be difficult to argue with stockbroker Shore Capital's view they are fully valued. Still, with increasing profits and dividends and the promise of another 3.5p-a-share special payment next year – making three on the trot – any investor who followed the portfolio into Booker should stick with the group. I am."

[woodpeckers] 16/7/2015 13:24

Booker Group Plc (LON:BOK)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reiterated by equities researchers at HSBC in a research report issued on Wednesday, AnalystRatingsNetwork.com reports. They currently have a GBX 200 ($3.10) target price on the stock. HSBC’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 17.10% from the company’s current price.

[woodpeckers] 15/7/2015 12:26

BOK gets a mention here.

"The first category consists of growth-oriented stocks that also offer a good yield. This portion of the fund includes a broad spectrum of companies, such as Amino Technologies, Booker Group and Provident Financial.

[woodpeckers] 07/7/2015 14:02

Don't usually rate Motley Fool articles but for once they're on the money.

Why You Can’t Go Wrong With Booker Group Plc, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, WPP PLC ORD 10P And Talktalk Telecom Group PLC

[shammytime] 06/7/2015 10:47

Looks like we'll be testing 200p here this week

[woodpeckers] 30/6/2015 20:29

Booker Group (LON:BOK) Rating Reiterated

The company have set TP of GBX 200.00 on Booker Group (LON:BOK) shares. This is 18.76% from the current price. In analysts report sent to clients and investors on Tuesday morning, HSBC reiterated their Buy rating on shares of BOK.

Read more:

[woodpeckers] 27/6/2015 15:18

Ikea is believed to have either agreed in principle or be very close to striking a deal to set up shop in the giant Makro site off Wellington Road.

[woodpeckers] 16/6/2015 10:59

BY MARTYN FISHER

Tuesday 16th June 2015, 09:40 London
Londis voted UK's best c-store
Awarded gong on criteria including quality of fresh fruit and veg and product availability

Londis has been voted the UK's top convenience store on criteria including quality of fresh fruit and veg and product availability, according to a survey of shoppers.

The symbol group - recently bought out by the Booker Group - registered significant improvements across all 14 customer satisfaction areas in the 2015 Convenience Tracking Programme (CTP) from HIM Research & Consulting.

The ratings included staff friendliness, ease of shop, speed of service, value for money, prices, quality of fresh fruit and veg and product availability.

John Pattison, Londis brand director, said: “We are really pleased that our shoppers have recognised the significant improvements and investments we have made to improve our store standards and consumer offer. Most importantly we’re delighted that customers think Londis is a friendly and welcoming place to shop.

"These latest results are a testament to the continued hard work of our retail partners in developing their stores and providing a brilliant convenience offer and shopping experience to their local communities.”

[ayl30] 11/6/2015 10:35

Yes, if Charles Wilson can do as well with latest buy as he did with Makro then its bumper profit time

[phowdo] 11/6/2015 10:26

Think market coming round to the view that Londis/Budgens acquisition is going to be positive for the entire group. I bought back in on that news.

[malcontent] 11/6/2015 10:16

I was very pleased with my investment in Booker

now I'm excited.

[ayl30] 11/6/2015 10:11

..and today it keeps on rising despite the ex-div. Nice one

[ayl30] 10/6/2015 10:15

Good support today so far, rise pays for the drop tomorrow when it goes ex-div. Must be institutions building their positions