Firstgroup Share Discussion Threads

[slaterlpj] 03/1/2014 09:43

What do you think Sanks? Could the recent rise be no more than a prelude to 9p? lol.

[robertfaulkner] 02/1/2014 16:11

Nice little increase on a bad ftse day

Is this the gov investing in rail firms to change first class carriages to 2nd class?

[zedder] 02/1/2014 14:48

Looking to push up through the 6-month high?

[michaelmouse] 01/1/2014 16:10

hxxp://michae1mouse.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/barratt-developments-rsa-group-and.html

Added a few musings.

Michael.

[robertfaulkner] 29/12/2013 21:59

M mouse, well spotted, should help the share price tomorrow

[michaelmouse] 29/12/2013 21:05

Tipped in today's Sunday Telegraph:-

hxxp://michae1mouse.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/share-tips-for-2014.html

Michael.

[dealy] 26/12/2013 21:40

i agree totally. one quarter of the market cap of easy jet with even more revenue. either the djia is telling a lie or the US and Uk economies are recovering normally. First group is totally undervalued compared to similar companies with steady, multi billion revenue streams

[kmreid] 26/12/2013 16:40

Now seems to be a good time to top up FGP. Low P/E, good divi, price at a record low, new Chairman with successful track record, tipped by G Sacks. Anybody agree?

[barlick] 11/12/2013 17:38

Has McFarlane resigned from Aviva or doing multiple jobs?

Could not see it in the statement!

GLA

[miata] 11/12/2013 16:20

Council tax only accounts for a small part of council's income, less than 10% for my council. So, in effect, bus passes are mainly funded by taxpayers. The fuel duty rebate given to bus operators is also funded by central government taxes.

[davred20] 11/12/2013 16:05

hi
I don't think people relize that nothing is free in this world.
Robert have you not looked at your council tax bill ?
I think if I remember south Yorkshire last year the bill for all those old age passes and mobility passes etc was £32million pounds of council tax that was given to sypte that run the transport

[miata] 11/12/2013 15:45

Kent council is capping Freedom pass costs by 11-16 year olds from next September. Passes will cost £100 but will have £350 stored on them.

[robertfaulkner] 11/12/2013 15:27

Funny old world, I can remember my dad's bus pass, just a bit of cardboard that he waved at the bus driver, It couldn't have been paid for by the council in any other way than a one off yearly payment to the bus companies( as no on board swipe/touch system existed.

Wind forward to 2007, I'm 60( 5 years earlier than my dad), I get a freedom pass with a chip for touching the pad on entry. To start with I can only use it after 9:30 am, seems sensible to let those paying. get to work without the OAPs in the way

Now I can use the tube and buses anytime, I even use the tube free to get to and from Heathrow to fly to stay with my wife's family in Hong Kong

When we go away for bargain breaks, all over the country(by car) we get on double decker buses and go along the coast where I can enjoy the view, up high and no driving, no petrol expense and no expensive parking, dropped right in the center of a town(I do have to wait until 9:30 before I can get on a bus outside London, so terrible when on holiday, having to drink another cup of tea and read the paper a bit longer)

I don't want it to stop, but how can it go on when the country is bankrupt?

I saw the cost of an all zones weekly tube pass, next year it will be £58 a week Getting on for £3000 a year out of taxed salaries

[miata] 11/12/2013 12:12

Liberum agrees with management that Sandell want a better analyst.

We struggle to see how a strategy of large scale disposals creates value: Selling underperforming assets when they are cyclically depressed is unlikely to realise more value than restructuring them, and seeking an exit at a better point in the cycle, if appropriate. It is unclear to us how different owners could be confident of restructuring Greyhound and First Student more effectively than FirstGroup itself. Both businesses are leaders in their respective markets by substantial margins (both are a multiple of the size of their nearest competitors), so the synergy opportunities available to trade buyers are limited, in our view.

[chub] 11/12/2013 09:30

Thank you MIATA for very interesting article link.

Best article I have ever read on this, but worrying to see what could happen next year. Unless I am missing something the amounts involved are peanuts compared to HS2 and the Olympics.

[miata] 11/12/2013 09:21

Chub, For Wales see:

Some other councils just pay on bus mileage (which is why there are a lot of buses in the middle of the day when congestion is low).

[dell1234] 11/12/2013 08:55

Shares mag has the finer details of Sandell proposal, valuation of the assets etc here

[chub] 11/12/2013 08:39

Does anyone have any specialist knowledge of how councils pay bus companies? I now live in Wales and have reached my bus pass. Good services, but very interesting to note just how few people actually pay. Does the bus company get a fixed amount per journey regardless of distance. If there were to be serious cut backs on bus passes it is hard to see how there would be any public transport left. It is hard to see how the poor could afford to travel at all, especially where there is no train service.

[robertfaulkner] 11/12/2013 08:29

Price up 5p on a bad FTSE day, when I looked at RNS, Proposal from Sandal Asset Management, I thought it was a buy out (But only up 5p)

Anyway just a big shareholder sticking it's nose in

Market must like it, after horrible news of councils reducing bus subsides all over the counrty on bus sevices






Statement re: PROPOSAL FROM SANDELL ASSET MANAGEMENT



The Board of FirstGroup plc ("FirstGroup" or "the Group") notes the recent
press speculation and confirms that it has received a proposal from Sandell
Asset Management ("Sandell") outlining its rationale for seeking strategic
changes to the Group, namely a separation of the Group and asset disposals.

The Board is open to all means of enhancing long-term value and welcomes the
views of the Group's shareholders. The Group has engaged with Sandell several
times, reviewed their proposal in detail and believes that it is not compelling
and contains a number of structural flaws and inaccuracies.

The Board believes that the current multi-year programme that was set out in
May, with clear objectives to improve growth and restore a profile of
consistent returns and cash generation, will deliver superior value for
shareholders compared to alternatives that were considered in detail earlier
this year, and which remain under review. Consequently, we remain focused on
the vigorous execution of our strategy.

As previously indicated FirstGroup will be holding a Capital Markets Day on 23
January 2014 where we will be joined by John McFarlane, our new Chairman, as we
review our programme in further detail.

[dr biotech] 06/12/2013 17:00

McF didn't muck around when he took over at Aviva after several years of poor management and decline. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more board changes and a clearer strategy.

I sold out of these six months ago and the share price hasn't really moved since. It might be time to get back in, but for me its going to have to wait till April as the ISA is used for this year.

[robertfaulkner] 06/12/2013 16:05

The market likes it

[robertfaulkner] 06/12/2013 16:05

From RNS above, today


By Tapan Panchal

LONDON--British transport company FirstGroup PLC (FGP.LN) said Friday that John McFarlane, currently chairman of Aviva PLC (AV.LN), will succeed Martin Gilbert as chairman of the company.

Mr. McFarlane joins FirstGroup's board with immediate effect, and will become chairman effective Jan. 1, 2014, at which point Mr. Gilbert will retire from the board.

Mr. McFarlane became chairman of Aviva in July 2012 and also serves as non-executive director of mall operator Westfield Holdings Ltd., and of London-based financial holding company Old Oak Holdings Ltd.

[miata] 06/12/2013 08:39

Interest rate rises expected earlier.

Correlates with decline in long-term gilts see