James Halstead Share Discussion Threads

[lundhousegreen] 29/9/2009 12:01

I note Altium have put out a buy note (from Hold) with a 550p target price, and
WH Ireland have have reiterated their Buy stance with a 700p target price.

[lundhousegreen] 29/9/2009 07:15

Headline results figures and dividend much better than I expected after the general economic gloom.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Key Figures

Record revenue increased to £169.3 million (2008: £158.7 million) - up 6.6 %

Record pre tax profit increased to £33.0 million (2008: £29.9 million) - up 10.5%

Record final dividend per ordinary share proposed of 17.0p (2008: 14.50p) - up 17.2%

Record earnings per 5p ordinary share of 48.3p (2008: 39.7p) - up 21.7%

Record cash inflow from operations of £29.1 million (2008: £27.3 million)

Nil net gearing

[bda3490] 28/9/2009 16:26

I have made a £5 betting with a mug who thought Stoke had a chance. Still I think Chelsea will wipe our red lads out.
Hopefully tomorrows results will be the usual though it surely must be hard to keep it up.
I heard a whisper when I saw Halstead's FD at a function that there was to be no free food or bar at the AGM this year just a single glass of house wine. I said that there would be no point in going which led to a rather terse "so don't". I thought it rude but last year I drank so much free pop that I had to get a taxi home !!!!!

[zeppo] 18/9/2009 14:51

bda3490

Thank you for the offer.

I would be very happy with a glass.

We won at Everton at the beginning of last season with a late goal.

Let's hope for a good result on Sunday!!

And good results on Sep 29th!!

z

[bda3490] 17/9/2009 21:29

Hi Zeppo, hope you can make the AGM, I'll leave a bottle of champers behind the bar for you. Thankfully you will be supporting Rovers.

[zeppo] 17/9/2009 18:02

lundhousgreen

I have to thank ivancampo for last nights posting.

It should be an interesting weekend.

z

[lundhousegreen] 17/9/2009 17:47

They probably booked the venue at last year's AGM, after the wedding hi-jacked the normal AGM date! Shrewd move on CIC at 8am, zeppo!

[zeppo] 17/9/2009 15:10

lundhousegreen

Thank you for the info.

Presumably because they had to book the venue again the AGM date, 4th December, was available earlier.

As Blackburn Rovers are scheduled to play Liverpool on December 5th, I may well come up North for both events hoping to see an increased divi win and a Rovers win.

z

[lundhousegreen] 17/9/2009 15:02

RNS. James Halstead plc, the commercial flooring manufacturer and distributor, will be announcing their preliminary results for the full year ended 30 June 2009
on Tuesday 29 September 2009.

[zeppo] 10/9/2009 14:10

wad collector

With the water companies its a matter of waiting for OFWAT

(not waiting for Godot)

z

[wad collector] 10/9/2009 12:56

Z,
Sorry to hear your tale.Haven't seen you on the UU board for a while - but not much to say there.

[lundhousegreen] 10/9/2009 07:41

Wow! Hadn't realised the accident had been that traumatic! Glad to hear that
you are putting it behind you, which I guess is hard, from what you say.
JHD now my largest holding, followed by MCKS, for the dividends. Have also been in the mining sector with ANTO BLT TLW and CEY. Topped up on CIC recently with a 5 year view in mind. After Bob Ware's audacious takeover recently, I am sure it will whet his appetite for more.
Keep well and enjoy retirement zeppo.

[zeppo] 09/9/2009 22:06

lundhousegreen

Re our holiday problems: A Spanish lady and her daughter tragically died when their car hit our small coach head on. This was 5pm approx 23rd Dec 2005 . By 6.30pm our party was dispersed to three hospitals. There were some bad cuts and bruises etc but only a tour leader was detained for a ruptured intestine operation. At 8.30 pm unbenown to us the remaining tour leader, who was unscathed, cancelled a replacement for his injured colleague flying out to join us next day. (This led to eight days of tension and trauma until this leader was forced to stand down)

11pm that night my wife(with a massively swollen cheek and broken tooth) and I had ended up in separate hospitals outside Seville. It was 23rd Dec and six hours after the accident, after being discharged I could not get, even with the help of the hotel reception, a taxi back to my hotel. It was too near Christmas and the taxis were too busy in the city. I did not speak Spanish but with the help of phrase book was able to catch a bus then walk some kilometres to a landmark from where I could find our hotel. During this walk, exhausted, hungry, cut and bruised, I had to cross a multi-lane ring road, in the dark with the pedestrian light apparently not working and half expecting to be minced by a line of vehicles that was waiting to do a racing start from the traffic lights.

When I got back to the hotel there had been no coordination by our fit tour leader. His mobile phone, which he had given us as our emergency contact number during the holiday hadn't been functioning when the accident occurred.(it had run out of credit) He had gone off to one of the three hospitals leaving the rest of us to flounder. Nobody knew where my wife was of whether she would be detained.
I will not give you whole sorry tale of the resulting court case etc

My wife's replacement tooth 'implant' cost £1,500 but could not be claimed on the holiday insurance sold to us by the holiday company that we had gone with - as the treatment for the replacement not carried out in Spain. This money had to be claimed back fom the motor insurance of the deceased Spanish lady.

So much for holiday insurance.

We have moved on. Sorry to have let off steam.

We are both retired now and after the market turbulence of last year and one or two mistakes, still have some useful divis.

I topped up our modest MCKS holding at about £1.21 (including costs)and bought back 2K CIC at £1.16p (including costs) which was part of our small CIC holding that I sold out at £1.8 when things looked dire. So on those little deals I currently did ok.

I now very 'costs' conscious and deal much less - after belatedly realising that flitting and out of the market like a demented bat is costing 2% in and 1.5% out every time (using a traditional broker).

We still hold DVW, NWG and UU. and a varied portfolio including some defence stocks as her indoors, the one with the replaced tooth, worked, in a clerical capacity, for two defence companies.

We bought DVW, JHD and some MCKS back in 2003 and have been well rewarded with divi increases for being long term holders.

z

[lundhousegreen] 09/9/2009 20:43

Hi zeppo. Hope all is well & the holiday problems from a couple of years ago are well behind you?

[zeppo] 09/9/2009 20:38

AGM: 4th December.

I would be more than happy with continuing divi increases until 2015 when, I believe, it is the company's centenary year.

That will be a very special year and I hope that they will be able to celebrate it in a special way.

Let's hope that they can keep up their admirable performance in these challenging times.

z

[lundhousegreen] 08/9/2009 14:08

1. No. ( Go to CompareTheHalsteads.com) Lol !
2. Always a slight possibility IMO. See what the results bring, they may give an indication.. Given the economy, JHD directors are usually prudent, but if there is a special, the family receive a VERY nice bonus.

[wad collector] 08/9/2009 13:15

Is your real name Halstead?
What chance a special divi this time?Diddly squat I suspect ...

[lundhousegreen] 08/9/2009 09:33

That's a huge responsibility, wad collector!! ;-))
I have indeed bought another 2k+ in the last couple of weeks at 420p. The price is now edging up as the end of year results report due in about 3 weeks time. (Usually the end of Sept.)

[wad collector] 26/8/2009 17:03

LHG , I hold you personally responsible for the performance of this share price
I trust you will be buying enough to raise the price substantially.

[pugugly] 06/8/2009 16:25

Main risk appears to be pension liabilities

From the accounts

Defined Benefit Pension Scheme
The full accounts will detail the IAS 19 analysis of the
scheme and whilst this seems to be the main focus of
attention for analysts and shareholders, it gives only a
snapshot of the scheme and the creditor in the balance
sheet is very fluid. It is sensitive to gilt yields and other
assumptions and is at best a rough guide to the ongoing
liability. Certainly it falls well short of a 'buy-out' figure. In
summary, the deficit net of deferred taxation has risen to £9
million (2007: £4.5million). This deficit is of course variable
according to market experience on the assets, actuarial
changes to assumed lives and the discount rate. In the latter
case just 0.1% variation in the discount rate has a £1 million
effect on the liabilities and in these times of an inverse yield
curve (where long term rates are below short term) this can
have a significant effect.
It is important to appreciate that whilst the scheme is
closed to new members and future accrual rates for benefits
have been reduced, the liabilities of the scheme are not
capped but will continue to be determined not just by
investment returns but also by longevity of pensioners.
Consequently, the defined benefit scheme remains an area
of risk and uncertainty for the group.


However busienss appears to be satisfactory.

[lundhousegreen] 05/8/2009 14:43

Added another coupla thousand shares for the long term.

[bda3490] 29/7/2009 15:59

Just read a brokers note from WH Ireland. A buy recommendation with a target price of 700p. The IMS they announced today was refreshingly cautious but unequivocal that its ANOTHER record year. How do they do it ????

[bda3490] 15/7/2009 16:43

Trade with James Sharp & Co they dive through the spread

[the big dog] 05/6/2009 08:28

There are the other tax benefits of this stock being on AIM. Potential IHT savings and CGT reductions - subject to time held. Cake and ha'penny my friend.

[trigger blade] 03/6/2009 13:31

The spread on the shares is ridiculous, 35p at present and the sell gets marked down on zero trades.

The dividend seems pretty secure, just a shame it's not ISA-able.