Marks And Spencer Share Discussion Threads

[grahamite2] 07/11/2017 09:04

I'm not really looking for a wow factor, more for a good selection of basics. I thought this was what the new management was committed to.

I wanted some lambswool socks with a quiet pattern - not too much to ask. M & S had precisely one. OK, one is enough, but they were out of stock in 2 of 4 sizes. Now - surely there should have been a note: either "new stock coming soon" or "new line to replace this coming soon"?

In the event I got some M & S socks from ebay - good quality and excellent in every way so why did they stop carrying them?

[ignoble] 07/11/2017 08:54

Having had a walk around a large Marks store at the weekend ....
Rows of clothing , well displayed etc. but nothing that jumped out to make me want to buy anything.
I need a couple of winter sweaters but out of so much choice nothing had the WOW factor.
Is there just too much choice ?

I don't know what it is ?

[grahamite2] 07/11/2017 08:52

Isn't the long term chart here more useful than all the stuff cluttering up a spob thread? Perhaps not for a day trader.

[philanderer] 07/11/2017 08:45

7th nov HSBC buy tp 410p cut from 435p



Retailers hit by worst non-food sales growth on record

Sales of non-food items grew at the slowest pace since records began as families chose days out over shopping, the British Retail Consortium has said.

[philanderer] 06/11/2017 12:54

'Not just for over-55s! M&S chairman says chain needs younger clothing'

Internal report of Archie Norman’s comments during store visit comes as underperforming retailer looks poised to launch tougher turnaround plan

[mornington crescent] 06/11/2017 10:56

They have been offering big discounts in the last few months

struggling to hold on to like for like

[opodio] 04/11/2017 17:18

Steve Rowe, Chief Executive said:

"Trading in the first quarter was in line with our expectations and we are on track with delivery of the plan we announced last year. I am pleased that we continue to grow full price sales in Clothing & Home, with reduced discounting and no clearance sale in the quarter. In our Food business, we delivered strong growth from new Simply Food openings, and are prioritising better ranging and stronger promotions."



Group revenue increased 2.7% in the 13 weeks to 1 July 2017 (up 1.8% in constant currency).



Clothing & Home revenue was down 0.5%. In line with our strategy, full price sales were up c.7%, as we reduced the number of promotions and there was no clearance sale in the quarter compared with one last year. We start our summer sale today, a week later than last year, with terminal stock for the season significantly down.



Food revenue increased 4.5%. New Simply Food stores continue to perform ahead of our expectations. We are focused on tightening execution through improving ranging in store and on delivering stronger promotions in a competitive market.



International revenue increased 3.8% (down 4.0% in constant currency). Retained owned and franchise revenue was up 9.4% (1.4% in constant currency). Consistent with the plans we set out in November 2016, we have now closed 28 of 53 stores in the owned markets we are exiting.



Full year guidance remains unchanged. We will report our Interim results on 8 November 2017.



* Like-for-like is the movement in revenue from stores which have been trading, or where there has been no significant change in footage, for at least 52 weeks; includes online sales

[opodio] 04/11/2017 11:42

nice to see schroders go to 5.3pc

[qantas] 04/11/2017 09:25

Short updata going higher

www.shorttracker.co.uk/company/GB0031274896/

Now at 10.54% or 171,247,141

Please do your own research.

[philanderer] 03/11/2017 13:25

Darren Shirley, analyst at Shore Capital, is not expecting fireworks.

“We do not anticipate fireworks at or immediately post M&S’s forthcoming results, rather confirmation that another staging post has been reached in CEO Steve Rowe’s multi-year turnaround and overhaul of the entire M&S group, one that will see the food retailing activities take an increasingly prominent role,” he said.

The results will also be the first under M&S’s new chairman Archie Norman.

Mr Norman, who succeeded Robert Swannell in September, is best known for turning Asda around in the 1990s.

Mr Shirley added: “We see Mr Norman and Mr Rowe as an interesting and potentially exciting combination for M&S’s shareholders, particularly given Mr Rowe’s strategic restructuring of the business in the UK and abroad allied to Mr Norman’s track record of transforming businesses such Asda, Kingfisher and Energis.”

[parazaradox] 03/11/2017 06:54

M&S' interim results next week should have a confident presentation from Steve Rowe on the progress of his five year plan which includes the closure of 53 loss making international stores, the shift towards more Food space and less Clothing space, the small trial of Food online, and continued improvements in the clothing offer under the new leadership of Jill McDonald.

M&S has made significant improvements in its website and delivery offer from 2014 to early 2017 and through 2017 M&S has broadly consolidated those gains. This resulted in a peak Net Promoter Score for M&S of 30% in July (which bodes well for 2Q sales).

[philanderer] 03/11/2017 00:22

Not sure about this ever happening ;-)

Market report:

"..Meanwhile, Next’s share-price plunge a day earlier sparked imaginative thinking in some quarters of the City, with veteran retail analyst Tony Shiret attempting to revive speculation about a deal with Marks & Spencer. Combining the two firms would be a “defensive merger” and a radical solution to deal with their store sales decline, the Whitman Howard analyst claimed.

"But the market failed to buy in to the chatter with Marks & Spencer shares inching up just 0.55p, or 0.17pc, to 329.3p and Next lifting 45p, or 1pc, to £45.16."

[philanderer] 03/11/2017 00:13

Couple of previews of next week's results:

Hargreaves Lansdown......

Investors will have noted a pretty bleak trading update from Next earlier this week.

While things at Next are looking better than they did earlier in the year, the group noted a sharp decline in sales in October. We’re hoping this doesn’t mean M&S’ Clothing & Home division has suffered from similar trends. However, with Next attributing the slowdown to unseasonal weather, it certainly can’t be ruled out.

Aside from detail on recent trading, we’ll also be looking for an update on strategic changes made this time last year. The key themes were a rationalisation of sales space and the continued roll-out of the Foods business. Hopefully M&S can provide some encouraging news of its progress on these plans.





Russ Mould, AJ Bell's Investment Director, discusses next week's first half results from Marks and Spencer.

[philanderer] 01/11/2017 20:28

Market report:

Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and Dixons Carphone – three of the most shorted stocks in the crosshairs of hedge funds – fell on fears that Next’s slipping in-store sales were indicative of a further slowdown in the retail sector. Compounding Debenhams’ misery, broker Liberum downgraded the stock to “sell” to weaken the department store 1.8p to 42p.

[capeview] 01/11/2017 16:11

I might say that about the clothes because they have lost that quality that M&S was known for, but there food is pretty good across the board from what I've tried over the months.

As for quantity, you can say the same across the board. Charge the same for less, or charge more for the same amount. All the supermarkets do it.

As for the small stores like Aldi and Lidl, you still have to shop elsewhere for your groceries as they never supply everything you need. And if they do at those cheap prices, much like a lot of cheap food, it's probably full of loads of fillers to make the product cheaper but not necessarily better for your pocket or your health.

[avidacre] 01/11/2017 15:50

Share price down, Quality of clothing down, Quality of food down + smaller quantity.
Management - what can I say , they have no answer.

[qantas] 01/11/2017 13:19

Simon not the saint is not sorry she is just desperately seeking Susan.

Picture the scene

Shorters desperately seeking Susan dancing on the dance floor clutching there clutch bags (Not wanting to lose there money).


Please do your own research.

[freedom97] 01/11/2017 13:08

An interest rate rise tomorrow means the £ should strengthen and has already started to over past week due to expectation of a rise = better for MKS as cheaper to buy goods from abroad, which if need be they could lower the prices or have promotions on various products. Imported food would also cost less so can pass the savings onto customers by lowering some products.

Plus as probably many if not most of M&S shoppers have savings and probably many don't have mortgages as tend to attract older & more wealthy customers (although a growing number of younger people are now shopping at M&S these days), any interest rate increase will help their savings and so will feel richer, so have more money to spend at M&S whether instore or online.

Plus remember, a quarter point rise to 0.5% is nothing when you think for about 30yrs the rate was many times higher, did it prevent shoppers going to M&S NO!

So it's important to look at the full picture. Also, more people in work than ever before plus UK population has grown hugely, so more shoppers, however, you have to realise we have internet shopping which is the reason why high st., shopping isn't as high as it could be, as internet shopping is growing, so really balances out. Even Next internet sales are up 13% I think I heard mentioned on R4.

[simon templar qc] 01/11/2017 12:26

Sorry guys but John Lewis should have given you all a clue as to the state of the High St, they have shown a weekly fall in sales for last 5 weeks.

No one been listening to me!

An interest rate rise tomorrow will be the nail in the coffin.

[capeview] 01/11/2017 12:23

@Willoicc, I haven't bought much Next stuff for ages. The last pair of shoes I bought from them fell apart within a few months and I'd hardly worn them. The soles were coming away and the leather was ripping near the sole too.
The only problem is I can't find the receipt so not able to return them.

I've had a pair of Kickers shoes that I wear pretty much every day now, the leather is in great condition, the soles are almost like new with hardly any wear and other than the odd scuff they look almost like I just bought them.

I just won't buy from next again. There quality has gone down the pan and would much rather buy M&S because they at least seem to be reasonable and even without a receipt they do there best to help.

Just to add. I've had the kickers shoes in storage for years and forgot I had them. The Next shoes I only had for a few months and worn for a few weeks of that.

[philanderer] 01/11/2017 12:23

Investec’s Mundy looks to UK domestic shares for value


Alastair Mundy, who runs the £1bn Investec Special Situations fund and the £1.04bn Temple Bar investment trust, is turning to UK domestic shares for value.

Mr Mundy describes himself as a value investor, typically buying the shares most out of favour with the wider market.

He said shares exposed to the UK domestic economy, in the banking and retail sectors, are where some of the better opportunities are right now.

Mr Mundy is particularly keen on the retailers selling DIY products, such as Grafton Group, which is a top 10 holding in his Special Situations fund.

He noted the recent signs of decline in the UK housing market, and said homeowners who might have been looking to move may now choose to extend or renovate their existing property, which benefits companies such as Grafton.

He is also keen on the UK food retailers, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer.

In both cases he said management action in Morrisons and Marks & Spencer was key to improved shareholder returns.

article:

[freedom97] 01/11/2017 12:23

Yes, will be very interesting, if the results are better than the market is pricing in today, could see a massive rise here of well over 10% judging from going down 5.5% so far today.

[philanderer] 01/11/2017 12:14

MKS Half Year results next wednesday - interesting .