Halfords Share Discussion Threads

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 19:35

ok so rathean got stopped out. so what. share price looks to me like it can slowly move up from here. volume today was good. just a few more PIs like rathean to shake out and we're good.

[argylerich] 07/11/2019 13:23

Record Date for the Divi

[kendonagasaki] 07/11/2019 13:15

Whats the amendment in the new RNS at 12.30?!

[porsche1945] 07/11/2019 13:06

Weak sterling hammering all the retailers, paying for stock alot more expensive now, plus consumers getting poorer because of it. If the brexit sxxtshow disaster gets resolved soon sterling will bounce and these will be doing alot better. Their online offering needs sorting too.

[rathean] 07/11/2019 12:33

I was stopped out a few days ago and no intention of jumping back in after those results. More of the same, lacks direction and focus when compared to the M&S RNS from yesterday... both struggling but at least with the M&S announcement there was a clear sense of longer term vision and direction.Same with Sainsburys this morning, HFD seems a bit adrift imo dyor ofc.

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 12:04

mid-day auction. UT 150.00 heck

[stupmy] 07/11/2019 10:27

I bought back what I sold (got just over 153). So yesterdays loss of about 4.5p is now nearer 3p.

[stupmy] 07/11/2019 10:17

Oddly enough I have a limit buy at exactly 152!

Rightly or wrongly something bothers me about the financial summary. Decline in revenues is modest (but part of 5 year trend) at 2.9%. Gross margin for both is up by 0.4-1.1% (retail and autocentres). Apparently there have been significant cost savings during an efficiency drive, but pre-tax profit is actually off 15.1%. Why is profit off so much with the cost savings, improved efficiency and modest fall in revenues. It seems that they've been cutting staff etc. Where is the profit haemorrhaging? I've not looked into BOD remuneration.

Anyway, as I said before I think if they were going to cut the divi they should have done it in a oner and rebased to 5% as it's not clear that the share price will move to 240. 240 would give a more reasonable yield of 5%. Leaving it at 8% leaves that partciular sword dangling over the share price in my view. I think there is plenty of scope in the service sector and if they worked that well, they could turn things around, but currently that's only about 20% of their mix I believe?

I still think it's a trading opportunity and am still involved having retained 60% of my positions yesterday. I will happily buy back as much of the uncertainty has been removed for the short term at least.

[yump] 07/11/2019 10:16

Jury still out - seems to be the situation at the moment.

However, the strategy requires a bit of thought. At least it isn't based on the old rationalise, cut costs, bang on about efficiency, without any other possible growth area.

As with PETS, I think the 'retail is doomed' mantra is not very relevant here - it requires a bit more thought. 'Our particular bit of retail is stagnant, so what else can we do ?' seems more sensible. In many cases, businesses can't find the answer to the second bit.

As with PETS, the 'our particular bit' is often not in the same market as clothing, shoes and all the other stuff that is so widely sold online.

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 09:58

stupmy get back in now. 152p!! what are you waiting for??

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 09:26

and a 25k buy at 152p yet share price no rise wtf. tree shake?

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 09:00

53k share buy at 155p just gone through!

[buoycat] 07/11/2019 08:41

I spent £70 on bicycle lights last night in Cycle Republic. Glad to see the share price responding this morning.

[stupmy] 07/11/2019 08:32

Reads ok for me too. Personally I think they shouild have taken the opportunity to cut the divi to 5% and reconsider over time if they can turn retail around. It made sense to me to increase service as a proportion of their mix. I'd move further in that direction personally. Market looks neutral on it which I also understand. It wasn't great, but it was steady.

[poikka] 07/11/2019 08:31

So they're going for growth on the back of our divi. Yes, it's a good yield, now, but not at the price many bought at.

I'm ok with that, but have to say that if McDonald hadn't given out that special divi a few years back, they'd still be able to grow AND pay the divi.

In September I wrote:

"Unless they suddenly have a brainfart and come up with some investment scheme, it (the divi) should be safe - assuming their forecasts are correct'ish."

Brainfart it is, then, and I guess that they're on the acquisition warpath. Should be ok as it's not exactly an unknown field...; probably a good time to buy, as cars are getting older while drivers get their heads around what to buy next - e.v., diesel, petrol, hydrogen - waters muddied by the daft regulation going on, the latest being the loony left and green Bristol CC banning diesel cars from the city centre - never mind that many new diesels are less polluting than petrol. Blanket ban!

Where's my coffee! Forget McDonald, Lupo, time to move on.

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 08:26

buy the dip!! won't get a better price than today. £2+ soon. LT £3!!

[technowiz] 07/11/2019 08:08

dividend cut payed for the acquisition. all good. yield still 8%. very happy with what i read today in the RNS.

[spob] 07/11/2019 07:32

divi cut always looked likely imo

and more than priced in already

In fact I would say the share price was looking for a huge profit warning which has not materialised

I hope the share price drops this morning - I want to buy some more

[stupmy] 07/11/2019 07:28

Is the acquisition not a good move, a move that increases service orientation at a time when retail is threatened?

[21ant] 07/11/2019 07:18

Well there is the divi cut for the full year that was inevitable. I can’t help thinking that acquiring another business at a time when the core business is far from stable is another cracking decision by Mr S. let’s see what the markets make of this lot.

[kendonagasaki] 07/11/2019 07:16

Mr benn.Looks like HFD are issuing no profit warning!!!!!!!!!???Full year guidance remains the same circa 50-55 million.Cash on hand up 29 percent.Dividend on track for 12p that's just shy of 8 percent at today's SP?Big ticket items down slightly and new services working well and AutoCentre growth continues in an upward trajectory.If the retail stores have a good Xmas then it will really start to move the share price Overall these results compared to the rest of the high street at present are a breath of fresh air.DYOR obviously.

[mr bennn] 06/11/2019 22:22

Fly ? .....just like thise pigs that just went pass my Windows. 😅

[technowiz] 06/11/2019 21:06

HFD has trading as high as 190 in the last month. its now low 150s last couple of days.

a good RNS and some broker upgrades and this will fly.

[technowiz] 06/11/2019 20:57

stupmy. Stochastic went below 20 yesterday signalling a buy.

SP has touched lower bollinger band. signs of consolidation around 150-155p

M&S share price went up today after poor results before pulling back to close unchanged.