Marks And Spencer Share Discussion Threads

[qantas] 11/7/2017 15:43

Shorters have now made the money so they need to buy them back....

[eisler] 11/7/2017 14:13

Went to the Silverlink store today - men's suit trousers lacking in size availability, wrong sizes on hangers and jackets on hangers the wrong way round. Tiny things - but a sign of general decline in standards. Not what you would expect from M&S.

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 14:05

Well , it's getting a good trashing today and not bouncing back with the market.


M & S's Posh Food Flight

It's one step forward, two steps back for Steve Rowe, chief executive of Marks & Spencer Group Plc.Just when there are signs of improvement in the retailer's troubled clothing division, the chichi food arm starts to wobble.

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 13:32

Brokers notes here , with numbers from Barclays, Stifel and Morgan Stanley....

[gswredland] 11/7/2017 13:32

Agreed ST I think dividend is safe.
Think that we may even see sub 300 in coming months though

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 12:19

Article slightly misleading total food sales up 4.5% like for like fell 0.1% that is why Rowe can keep to guidance. On these figures dividend seems safe.


DYOR press can be misleading!

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 12:14

For sure ST , as long as that dividend looks safe I`ll continue to hold.

I didn`t see any predictions from the experts that we would see a fall in those food numbers, that wasn't expected at all and has done most of the damage albeit on a poor market day.

-------------------

Kathleen Brooks of City Index is also concerned that M&S is falling behind other food retailers.

The best way to sum up M&S’s Q1 sales was disappointing. Not only did the clothing and homewares sector see another 1.2% drop in sales, the second consecutive decline, but the all-important food sector also saw a decline in sales, dropping 0.1%, whereas estimates had looked for a pick-up of 0.6%.

Unsurprisingly, the share price has dropped at the UK open, as investors’ lose confidence in the outlook for the UK high street stalwart.

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 12:08

phil I agree.

But what I would say is MARKS a fantastic brand name, if there is a fallout with some of the other premium brands I would expect Marks to mop some of it up.

There is bound to be a fallout sooner or later Brexit isn't helping. Consumer spend set to get worse I see no to little growth for most retailers whether they be food or household/fashion.

Bricks and mortar difficult but some will survive.

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 12:06

'M&S should pay Living Wage and change negative narrative surrounding the business'

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 11:49

Waitrose + 2.1%

ALDI and LIDL growing at 18% eating into all food stores sales.

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 10:52

Retail's tough no doubt about it.

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 10:52

At 2.7% growth Marks seem to be ahead of John Lewis.

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 10:48

I forecast John Lewis to report a first half loss. they are also at risk.

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 10:45

Margins are better at Marks than Debenhams. My gut feeling says Debenhams may hit the wall.

[grahamite2] 11/7/2017 10:45

Carillion had an impressive dividend.

Not negative on MKS and still happily holding, just pointing out you can't rely on the dividend without considering other factors.

[gswredland] 11/7/2017 10:44

Yep! I think this could drop further of the next few months given the backdrop generally

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 10:42

Yep , it`s a good number , as long as you're not losing your captal while waiting for it ;-)

[gswredland] 11/7/2017 10:39

Thanks Phil
Impressive dividend!

[philanderer] 11/7/2017 10:37

gsw, on an unchanged dividend you're looking at a 5.8% dividend yield this morning.

Possibly the best bit of news ... "full price sales are up by 7% which will help profit margins"

[simon templar qc] 11/7/2017 10:36

I have a Debenhams thread and negative on most retailers, however I do think MKS will fare better than most, but its a gamble. Debenhams have lower margins. Keep am eye on John Lewis Partnership weekly sales figures, which give an indication as to how Marks should be faring they are no better. Here are todays weekly sales figures for JL..



23 weeks + 1.7%

What shareholders need to concentrate on is factor in inflation once that is done sales growth is not at all good for Marks, Debenhams, John Lewis.

If one of them goes bust which is possible the others will pick up. Both Debenhams and John Lewis both have problems. With JL its a high pension deficit and dents. Debenhams have long leases and debts.

[gswredland] 11/7/2017 10:28

Thanks for these links guys.
Advfn don't show the yield but it must be over 5% at this share price