Crawshaw Share Discussion Threads

[playful] 16/7/2016 20:53

One of our staff has found Pokemon in the fridge room according to Twitter, not sure which shop but folks are going mad for them so we can expect this shop will see a boost in footfall.

[analyst] 16/7/2016 15:54

The obvious other reason why the CEO has not bought any shares yet is that he regards them as currently over-priced, all things considered. Which they probably are!

[davidosh] 15/7/2016 15:20

The Southport store opens on Thursday next week. It is opposite Primark in the Marble Shopping Centre which looks a very good location for the value seekers.

[davidosh] 15/7/2016 11:14

For the avoidance of doubt and give clarity to comment. When I stated...

"This is not the time or place for complaints"

It was in relation to the fact that most posters here had bought their shares at very low prices compared to the current price of 83p and some may have been able to buy in the single digits and so wanting directors to buy at a ten times higher price would not be a priority for me.

Richard Rose and the other directors have significant shareholdings and the new non exec has just bought a significant number so I am sure the BoD as a group are aligned in the way you want them to be

[gengulphus] 15/7/2016 10:11

I disagree about eggs in one basket, as someone who has a highly concentrated approach to investing.

Which may well be the right approach for you, but it most definitely isn't for everyone. For example, very few people with young families would be happy with putting both their job and a substantial part of their investments at risk from disaster striking the same company - and disasters can strike any company, no matter how well run they are and how good their prospects look.

Or as another example, it's not suitable for me. I don't have the young family issue, but I know my track record at picking baskets - and it isn't good enough for me to risk using one basket. Or to be precise, it isn't good enough for me to risk it again - I have in fact had 90%+ of my eggs in one basket in the past, as a result of shares obtained from employee share options rising massively in the tech boom. That lasted about 6-9 months before I found the stress of continuing to run my winner too great and started diversifying... I'm in no hurry to repeat that stress!

Obviously the first example might well be relevant to Noel at present and the second almost certainly isn't. But my point isn't really about Noel specifically - it's more that generally, it's perfectly possible for one's own meat to be another man's poison where investment strategies are concerned.

Gengulphus

[mr hangman] 15/7/2016 09:40

What will interest me is weather Noel takes up his options in a few years time
(Knowing he will be issued some more) or sells them..

[hydrus] 15/7/2016 09:37

Mr hangman I concur with playful - options are not the same obviously. I don't really have anything else to say on the matter so will leave it at that.

[playful] 15/7/2016 09:24

When I mentioned a share purchase Noel did give his reasons as having a young family and he was employed for his skill sets and not to buy shares and if he delivers that's fair enough, but I personally think if you have a CEO on a £300K salary he should make a share purchase to get his name on the company shareholder register, but that's just my opinion on the right thing to do.

I always ask this question to directors and Noel certainly did not avoid answering, I did not get the opportunity to ask the FD the same question but will do so at the next available opportunity.

[mr hangman] 15/7/2016 09:00

Hydrus, will you be buying more shares, in a few years time, when Noel
takes up his options and the price is £1.50 ?

[hydrus] 15/7/2016 08:03

I think it was the "This is not the time or place for complaints" line that did it! Anyway totally agree that it's very beneficial having discussions on here with differing views and I welcome your comments and views in the company which I find helpful. GL

[davidosh] 15/7/2016 04:53

Buffy....I think Noel had already experienced working for a very big company and wanted to create something from a very small start and build it into a big company and to have an appropriate sized stake in it. Lidl was a German family controlled European giant and he could not have any stake at all.

Hydrus.....I did not try to close you down at all. I was merely showing that there may be a good reason why the investment by the CEO which you want to see is not being made at this current time. There are often differing views on BBs and I enjoy reading them.

[hydrus] 14/7/2016 19:07

Davidosh I am quite entitled to raise a point without being shut down completely. These bulletin boards should not just be for cheerleading - I understand you are an experienced investor so would have expected more from you. I disagree about eggs in one basket, as someone who has a highly concentrated approach to investing. I look for companies that have significant ownership by the management team. Now as Noel has been bought in recently that is obviously difficult. However nothing to stop him buying some shares. I am happy with my investment here and believe the future is promising. I simply suggested that it would be reassuring if the CE decided to buy some shares. Please just accept that we have different views.

[buffythebuffoon] 14/7/2016 19:00

Crawshaws clearly are very lucky to have him; but don't kid yourself for one second that he's doing it for anyone other than himself. Nothing wrong with that of course, but he'd have taken one of the 'big' jobs he's been offered if it suited him.

Buffy

[davidosh] 14/7/2016 18:57

Hydrus....As an investor you would not want all your eggs in one basket so why are you demanding Noel puts all his into one !?

Noel is already fully invested here IMO and if he does have any spare cash then it is up to him to invest wherever he wishes and that may not necessarily be into shares in any company.

Many of us here have met Noel. I suspect you have not done so already. If you can show me a better management team and indeed board including Richard Rose in any company below £250m market cap then I will ask you to compare the return for shareholders over the last two years. Crawshaws and Noel and the team win hands down.

This is not the time or place for complaints.

[tadders2] 14/7/2016 18:05

Davidosh is right Noel has invested himself into the company. I was at the AGM and he told me that he had been offered big posts at the four big supermarket chains. We are very lucky to have him. In my opinion he is at the top of his game.

[hydrus] 14/7/2016 17:36

I accept your points Davidosh but if I was a CE of a company that I knew was on to a sure thing buying shares would be a dead cert as I'd know I'd make money. Why wouldn't you? He must be able to save money from his generous salary so surely it should go into buying shares rather than sitting in a savings account earning diddly squat. Owner operator model is IMO a very important for a listed company. Anyway we are where we are and one has to hope he continues to act fully in best interests of shareholders.

[davidosh] 14/7/2016 17:27

Hydrus...Be reasonable. Noel is still very young and was under 40 and with a very large family of under 16 children when he gave up an extremely well paid and secure job as head of Lidl UK to take on his role at Crawshaws.

Crawshaws were barely known on the high street and he probably had to accept a much lower basic salary but was happy to take the option of shares in the future so long as he delivers for shareholders.

On top of that you want him to spend his taxable income on shares just to prove he is aligned with investors !!

I think he has invested a much more significant part of his life, career and future into Crawshaws and having met him three times I am so pleased he made that decision. He is totally driven and dedicated and you can take my word for that.

[value king] 14/7/2016 16:46

It feels like these are ready to really come good soon with that director buy increasing my confidence even more. New highs very soon?

[hydrus] 14/7/2016 16:10

Playful - when you say it went down like a lead balloon, did it appear as if the thought had not even crossed his mind? I am still not entirely happy he hasn't bought shares tbh as if he did it would mean his interests are more closely aligned to shareholders.

[janeann] 14/7/2016 16:08

no small purchase either .....
Crawshaw Group Plc ("Crawshaw" or the "Company"), announces that it was notified today by Ken McMeikan (Non-Executive Director) that his wife Melanie McMeikan purchased on the same day 180,000 ordinary shares of 5p each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 83p each. Following this purchase, Ken McMeikan has a beneficial interest in 180,000 Ordinary Shares representing 0.23% of the Company's issued share capital

[davidosh] 14/7/2016 16:07

What exactly did Ken do ?? lol

I much prefer his very sensible wife ....

[playful] 14/7/2016 15:40

Well done Ken!

I did suggest to Noel after the AGM he might like to buy some shares, but that went down like a lead balloon.

The new saving stamps and books are available now. I collected my new book earlier today from the lovely people in our Bramley shop

[mcmather] 14/7/2016 12:15

Aye; whatever happened to the good, old fashioned and nutritional jam / sugar / ketchup butties??

[mr hangman] 14/7/2016 11:46

Chicken Nibbles/Nuggets flavoured coatings, no wonder type II diabetes is on the
rise

[garbetklb] 14/7/2016 11:26

I've visited half a dozen Crawshaw shops and my impression is that they are recruiting locally. And seem to have fairly low staff turnover - although it's premature to be sure of this given the changes of the last couple of years.

Generally, the staff seem cheerful & happy to be working for the company.