Centrica Share Discussion Threads

[mitchy] 12/3/2014 17:52

We seem to be easily beating the market at the moment. Not really sure why but i'm not complaining.

[mitchy] 12/3/2014 15:58

Lubbers Transport signs £3m contract with Centrica 11/Mar/2014Lubbers Transport Group announced that it has signed a contract worth £3m with Centrica Energy's exploration & production business.

[mitchy] 12/3/2014 15:24

12 Mar 14Centrica PLCCredit Suisse Neutral 329.15 310.00 310.00This is an upgrade from underperform to Neutral

[mitchy] 12/3/2014 08:15

Yes, round about the time CNA reaches its trading range top of 350. Before then, of course, there will be lots of broker upgrades.(Tongue in cheek)

[kaffee] 12/3/2014 06:15

mitchy,

There will be another MF article along in the next few days saying "Is CNA likely to cut its dividend?" or something like that.

They re-cycle them every few weeks.

[mitchy] 11/3/2014 14:35

Centrica PLC Is A Screaming Buy For Me At These PricesBy Motley Fool | Tue, 11th March 2014 - 09:31It's safe to safe that Centrica (LSE:CNA) (NASDAQOTH: CPYYY.US) has had a tough start to the year. The company has come under a barrage of criticism from politicians, with some even calling for the company to be split up, to give customers a fairer deal.However, while investors are right to be concerned about political intervention in the energy sector, it is unlikely that Centrica will be broken up, leaving the company looking undervalued. A split-up is unlikelyThe threat to break up Centrica is likely to be nothing but political hot air, as initial indications imply that customers will actually be worse off if the split goes ahead. You see, due to Centrica's size, market dominance and reputation, the company has been able to negotiate long-term energy supply contracts with several major gas companies. In total, these contracts are worth more than £60bn, four times the size of Centrica's current market capitalisation. Nevertheless, Centrica has been able to negotiate these contracts at attractive prices, which are for the most part being passed onto customers.As a result, if Centrica were to be split up these contracts would dissolve and it is likely that a smaller company would be unable to secure similar contracts.So, a split up of Centrica is likely to only increase prices for customers, indicating that it is unlikely to go ahead. That being said, it is possible that instead of a break up the regulator will cap the amount of profit Centrica is able to make from retail customers.  Plenty of room for growthEven if a break-up doesn't go ahead, many investors believe that Centrica's future growth prospects are slim but this is not the case.Indeed, it appears as if Centrica has plenty of room to expand around the world with the company's UK operations provide a great springboard to support this growth. In particular, most of Centrica's growth efforts are focused around Direct Energy, Centrica's Canadian gas business bought in 2000, now one of the largest retail energy suppliers in North America. Centrica's management has set a target of doubling Direct Energy's profits during the next three to five years.Moreover, Centrica owns operational gas and oil fields from which the company produced nearly 80m barrels of oil during 2013, giving the company an operating profit of around £1.2bn. Production from these assets is only likely to grow.Valuation is attractiveSo, as Centrica is unlikely to be broken up and the company has plenty of scope for international growth the recent sell-off makes the company attractive on a valuation basis. Specifically, at present the company trades at a historicP/E of 12 and a forward P/E of 11.9 for 2015, making Centrica one of the cheapest company's in the FTSE 100.In addition, at present levels Centrica offers a 5.3% dividend yield, which City analysts believe could rise to 5.6% this year. The payout is covered one-and-a-half times by earnings.Foolish summaryOverall, based on Centrica's low valuation and international growth prospects the company is a clear-cut buy for me at these levels.Reaching Your Retirement GoalsYou have your own dreams for your retirement. But whatever those dreams may be, you need the means to make them real.This exclusive FREE report reveals the 5 shares that The Motley Fool's top analysts believe you need to own today to help you retire on your terms. Because it's never too late (or too early) to work towards reaching your retirement goals. Just enter your email address in the box below for your FREE copy.

[mitchy] 11/3/2014 07:53

Another upgrade...any more to come?

[mitchy] 11/3/2014 07:52

11 Mar 14Centrica PLCBerenberg Buy 328.75 380.00 365.00 Upgrades

[mitchy] 10/3/2014 22:25

U.S Buyers outnumbered Sellers by 4 - 1. Not sure if that means anything.

[mitchy] 10/3/2014 22:12

It's not that wide a range..17% approx

[m4rtinu] 10/3/2014 20:53

Mitchy - not taking any chances by predicting such a wide range?

[mitchy] 10/3/2014 18:50

Nice little move today against a lack lustre market. Can we expect this to continue? Decent buying,at least. The charts aren't showing much in the way of a trend yet but it seems to be following the (edit) guesstimated trading range between 306/8 and 350.

Good Luck.

[portside1] 10/3/2014 08:16

these are cheap great div 5 2% and very happy buy added more last week target back above 400p a cert

[mitchy] 10/3/2014 07:16

10 Mar 14 Centrica PLCCredit Suisse Neutral 0.00 310.00 310.00 Upgrades

[mitchy] 09/3/2014 19:14

By Ed Crooks in New YorkCentrica, the owner of British Gas, is sticking with its plan to double its earnings in North America, in spite of the problems that have hit the business over the past year.Sam Laidlaw, Centrica's chief executive, reaffirmed his ambition to develop the business through organics growth and acquisitions, even though profits from Direct Energy, the North American gas and electricity supply business, fell last year and are expected to be roughly flat this year.The company is still looking for more gasfields in America to hedge against price risk, following the $1bn purchase of oil and gas assets in western Canada last year, but suggested no deals were imminent.Speaking to the Financial Times in Houston, Mr Laidlaw said the plan to double the profits of Centrica's operations in the US and Canada over 2012-17, an objective he set last year, was "still a good long-term target".He rejected the idea that it was no longer possible for the company to grow in Britain because of the political pressure it is under, saying it could do "a lot more" to sell services to customers in the UK and the US, but identified expansion in North America as a central part of the strategy of trying to limit its dependence on political decisions."The North American market is still the largest energy market in the world, and the largest deregulated one, and we've got a lot of opportunities and a lot of running room,' he said.Some analysts have suggested that the target for growth in North America was unlikely to be reached, and that the company would do better to spend money on share buybacks than on investing there.A number of other European utilities, including Eon of Germany and EDF of France, have been pulling out of the US, and the UK's National Grid has suffered a difficult time there.The North American market is still the largest energy market in the world, and the largest deregulated one, and we've got a lot of opportunities and a lot of running room- Sam Laidlaw, Centrica chiefMr Laidlaw argued that those companies had all been running regulated businesses, and suffered as a result."What we're trying to do is something very different, where we enter deregulated markets, where we have the opportunity to innovate and compete, and it is competition that sets the price for our products, rather than a debate with the regulator."He added that "we've probably got a little bit more to do on the acquisition front" to meet his growth target, and was looking at deals both for energy retail and services businesses in deregulated markets, and for more gasfields."I think probably in the northeast [US] this year we will see more businesses going through restructuring," he said."We've got a big presence now in western Canada. If we could find the right opportunity in US shale, we would look at that as well. But so far all the things we have looked at – and we have looked at a lot of a number of years – have been very fully valued."He also said Centrica could sign another contract to buy liquefied natural gas exported from the US, following its deal with Cheniere Energy, which is building a liquefaction plant in Louisiana.However, he added: "We want to focus on getting through the Ferc [the US energy regulator] processes, getting the approvals for Sabine, and then we'll be looking to market that gas, and then we'll think again."

[tamboerskloof] 08/3/2014 19:10

Thanks Mitchy, your posts are appreciated.

[mitchy] 07/3/2014 20:19

Range trading. I don't see any real reason for an uptrend other than the government pushing for fracking now after the Ukraine thing has highlighted our over dependence on Russian Gas and Oil. There may well be subsidies in the offing now for fracking which would be to Centrica's benefit.

China and Warren Buffet have expressed 'an interest' in acquiring stakes in the U.K energy industry but that is old news.

Is all this enough to support an upgrade?...hhmm dunno.

Buy backs on going and divi next month.

[supermarky] 06/3/2014 09:10

Bought some more this morning for the divi

[janekane] 06/3/2014 08:03

I doubt red Ed will be able to carry out his threats regarding gas prices with the Russians holding the trump card
Cameron will push quadrilla to get on with finding shale gas and getting it to the taps in double time
CNA at this price has got to be the best investment this year at the present price

[mitchy] 05/3/2014 16:15

Lots of buyers now.

[mitchy] 05/3/2014 16:09

Oh yes..official BREAKOUT !

[supermarky] 05/3/2014 15:21

Has this officially broken out now? I think I will buy some more before xd next month.