Future Share Discussion Threads

[alotto] 18/10/2024 07:03

I'd go with the former.
If I was a holder I would sell before the likely decline.

[slogsweep] 18/10/2024 06:50

jumping before he was pushed? Or fleeing from Labour govt.

[alotto] 18/10/2024 06:39

This doesn't look good.
Was he home sick?

[bigbigdave] 18/10/2024 06:18

CEO leaving

[smokeyjohnson] 15/10/2024 08:56

Does look to be trickling down, currently pinned to the 980 area. Interesting to see what happens when the buyback ends in a few days. Marshall Wace increased their short 10 days ago so could get driven lower unless there's news.

[furiousrabbit] 14/10/2024 11:19

This is gonna trickle all the way back down to where it was last year isn’t it? I even used GoCompare to buy car insurance to show some support 😂

[smokeyjohnson] 08/10/2024 11:05

Marshall Wace increased their short to 1% on 4th Oct

[sajad37] 06/10/2024 17:24

Country Life publisher Future considered breaking itself up amid 'strategic review'

Updated 23:23, 05 Oct 2024
By Mark Shapland
OC&C conducted a review that lasted for more than three months
London-listed publisher Future held a ‘strategic review’ in late 2023 that resulted in management mulling a break-up of the company.

Global consultancy firm OC&C conducted a review that lasted for more than three months and finished in January 2024, a well-placed senior source told The Mail on Sunday.

FTSE 250-listed Future publishes titles such as Country Life, Homes and Gardens, Decanter, FourFourTwo and Marie Claire.
Royal connections: Queen Camilla has featured in Country Life magazine
It also owns insurance comparison website GoCompare.

At the time, chief executive Jon Steinberg had been in the job for a little over six months and was looking for a new strategy for the company amid a sharp drop off in its share price.

Future had thrived under the previous boss, Zillah Byng-Thorne, but had begun to stagnate.

Following the review, OC&C advised that Future be broken up and that Steinberg focus solely on growing the consumer magazine subscription business.

It was suggested that its business-to-business titles, including SmartBrief and GoCompare, be put up for sale as they were labelled ‘non-core̵7; to the rest of the organisation.

Some titles such as The Week were also flagged for a potential sale.

Future held a ¿strategic review¿ in late 2023 that resulted in management mulling a break-up of the company
The source said: ‘The review was taken seriously and there was exploration by the board about selling some businesses that were not aligned. Ultimately, it was decided to keep the company together and solve the issues internally.’

Under Byng-Thorne, the business grew rapidly from 2014 to 2023, acquiring titles and building a solid subscription model. ‘Zillah was excellent at keeping all the plates spinning,’ the source added.

The share price over her period in charge gained an astonishing 3,500 per cent and she was hailed for her ability to drag legacy media brands into the internet age.

The business benefited from the pandemic as readers flocked to its niche websites, helping it to outperform larger media peers.

Future's share price has languished since 2023 and on Friday it closed down 0.1 per cent at £9.92, giving the company a market capitalisation of £1.1billion.

The former board member continued: ‘There were plenty of shareholders who enjoyed the ride up and made a lot of money, but there will also be those who are still invested and are waiting for Future to turn itself around.’

[eigthwonder] 26/9/2024 10:03

not listened into the call, but the query I would have with these (and many more) is the impact on figures of sterling strength against the dollar I think

[furiousrabbit] 26/9/2024 09:41

What’s with the big drop.. trading update sounds like things are fine?

[smokeyjohnson] 26/9/2024 09:12

Agreed, was just commenting on the potential meaning of the company's own words 'ongoing evolution of the media landscape, including updates in the search market'

[mortal1ty] 26/9/2024 08:37

People said the same about Keywords. AI will destroy their business (translation, content creation). Acquired at a 65% premium in the end.

[smokeyjohnson] 26/9/2024 08:23

Generative AI and how it is changing content creation as well as how the large search engines are now providing more AI powered information within their search results potentially reducing clickthrough rates to 3rd party websites.

[alotto] 26/9/2024 07:55

What is the 'ongoing evolution of the media landscape, including updates in the search market'?
Is it something of existential threat for Future, or could it capitalise from it?

[eagle eye] 26/9/2024 06:49

Future Pre-close Trading Update for year end 30 September 24.

FY24 performance in line with expectations

The Group confirms that FY24 performance is expected to be in line with market expectations, with the Group delivering a return to organic revenue growth during H2 2024 and maintaining its strong financial characteristics.

The Group continues to make good progress executing its Growth Acceleration Strategy. One of the pillars of the strategy is portfolio optimisation, which is a continuous process to ensure the Group is best positioned to deliver sustainable organic growth. During Q4, the Group began the closure of a number of non-core or low to no growth assets, including its external video production unit, selected events and a small number of print and digital brands, representing c.£15m of annualised revenue and with margins below the Group's average.

The Group's £45m share buyback programme announced on 16 May 2024 is progressing well with just over £30m repurchased to date.

Jon Steinberg, Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are making good progress with our Growth Acceleration Strategy since its launch last December. The progress, combined with our return to organic growth and the stabilisation of our online audience trends, means we will deliver a FY24 performance in line with market expectations. Whilst we remain mindful of the macro backdrop and the ongoing evolution of the media landscape, including updates in the search market, the highly cash generative profile of the Group and our cost base flexibility ensures we are well positioned as we look ahead."

Future will announce full-year results on 5 December 24.


++ Company-compiled consensus for FY 2024: Revenue of £786m and Adjusted Operating Profit of £220m ++

[alotto] 26/9/2024 06:47

He was right

[triktrak] 25/9/2024 20:38

Artemis Fund Manager, William Tamworth, talks about Future during interview with Paul Hill at 35:15. Says trading update is imminent.

[smokeyjohnson] 24/9/2024 15:35

Big late reported sell 13:26:09 ~120k @ 1,041.50

[100egs] 19/9/2024 09:16

started a position here yesterday and added this AM. good timing for a change.

[100egs] 17/9/2024 11:57

Thanks eigthhwonder .

[eigthwonder] 17/9/2024 11:43

year end September. Last year they did an update on the 29th. H1 up date this year in the first week of April. So at a guess last week September/first week October should see something issued

[100egs] 17/9/2024 11:32

Anyone here watching? Do Future report soon?
Tia.

[smokeyjohnson] 15/8/2024 13:07

US Retail sales beat forecast by quite a bit so given the whole market a kick up the bum, but for how long!?

[takeiteasy] 10/8/2024 10:39

"With the macro environment increasingly uncertain, GoCompare at peak growth/margins, US advertising peer updates showingba some softness..."

hxxps://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/ttd-earnings-trade-desk-surges-after-beating-across-the-board/ar-AA1oufRf

Shares of Trade Desk (TTD) gained in after-hours trading after the ad tech company reported earnings for its second quarter of Fiscal Year 2024. Earnings per share came in at $0.39, which beat analysts’ consensus estimate of $0.36 per share. Sales increased by 26.1% year-over-year, with revenue hitting $585 million. This beat analysts’ expectations by almost $7 million.

Things look dark or rosy depending on which advertising peers you choose - the better ones like Trade Desk are certainly in full steam recovery mode :)
nai/dyor etc

[thebears1] 10/8/2024 08:10

In May Deutsche Bank gave it a £21.20 target price