Marston's Share Discussion Threads

[jeffian] 06/9/2014 11:20

I haven't seen it but TV is best avoided IMHO. Many years ago (1980's) I worked for a family brewer which was contacted by The Money Programme wanting to make a short piece on family-owned companies. I argued against it, knowing that without editorial control they could make it appear how they liked (N.B. the current Great Bake Off row where one contestant has been stitched-up by the programme makers), but the other Directors thought it would be good PR and went ahead. In fact, there was a great story to tell as the controlling shareholding hadn't been handed down on a plate but had been carefully re-assembled by the current generation after fighting off one of the big brewers in the 1960's and incurring substantial debts to buy back shares from distant relatives etc. The programme makers couldn't have been less interested, didn't want to hear the briefing we had prepared for them, wouldn't even sit down and chat to us over lunch and confided that they'd picked our company with a pin simply on the grounds that there were a few directors with the same name as the company! It appeared as a 'mood piece' (barrels of beer, dray horses etc) with voiceover suggesting these companies were a 'silver spoon' passed from one generation to the next.

In my experience, TV and journalists are best avoided as you'll always appear how they want you to, not as you are.

[zeppo] 06/9/2014 10:48

Very disappointing tv programme.

For general viewers it offered very little.

The transport manager scenes lacked any sense of drama, tension, or entertainment. What new information was there in showing utterly mundane management of a transport fleet?

I believe that for Marston shareholders this programme was an embarrassment.

Not PR - more: Perfectly Ridiculous or Public Ridicule.



z

[redartbmud] 05/9/2014 21:32

Space

It is a load of rubbish. The producer/director is making idiots of the staff involved, by sending them uo, and in so doing is making the company look stupid. IMHO


red

[spacecake] 05/9/2014 20:58

Marston's ... One ale of a job.

Looks like a trip down memory lane to 1950's with the exception of an occasional PC dropped on a desk.

[baxter99] 05/9/2014 14:27

Up 2.7p today, so the market seems to appove the appointments. For Marstons, I'd consider 2.7p in one day a breakout!

[redartbmud] 05/9/2014 09:00

Semper

Tesco is a beacon of the best management that it is possible to assemble. Just look at how it is imploding before your eyes.

[semper vigilans] 05/9/2014 08:55

Tesco connection good or bad?

[redartbmud] 05/9/2014 07:48

Any of the numpty's leaving, to redress the oversupply of incompetents?

[skinny] 05/9/2014 07:02

Marston's PLC is pleased to announce two non-executive appointments to the Board.

Carolyn Bradley and Catherine Glickman will join the Board as independent Non-executive Directors with effect from 1 October 2014 and 1 December 2014 respectively. Catherine Glickman will also be a member of the Remuneration Committee.

Carolyn was Group Brand Director at Tesco PLC from 2012 to 2013. She joined Tesco in 1986 and held a number of other senior positions including Chief Operations Officer for Tesco.com, Commercial Director for Tesco Stores and Tesco UK Marketing Director. She led the teams responsible for major marketing initiatives including the 'Every Little Helps' campaign and the launch of the Tesco Clubcard. She was a Trustee of the DrinkAware Trust until 2013.

Catherine is Group HR Director at Genus Plc. She was Group HR Director at Tesco PLC from 2009 to 2012, having joined Tesco in 1991 and led retail management development and customer service training during a period of significant expansion in the UK and overseas. She previously gained experience in branded retail at Somerfield and Boots.

[bit thick] 22/8/2014 21:24

TV series featuring Marstons: hxxp://www.channel5.com/shows/marstons-brewery-one-ale-of-a-job/episodes/episode-1-666

Reckon we will see 153p befor 103p myself.

[jeffian] 18/8/2014 09:51

A bit like 'road tax'/roads, I think you'll find that taxes on alcohol and the pub industry pay their way several times over.

[buywell2] 18/8/2014 07:46

The chart suggests that the Net Tangible Asset Value PS of 103.67p could get tested once more







I wonder when what we loosely term , the Government , will act to tax alcohol in relation to the NHS costs it is piling up ?


Might harm some businesses when and if they ever get round to it before the NHS ceases to function

[buywell2] 18/8/2014 07:38

These are nothing to be proud of


Net Debt 1,687.30 m
Gross Gearing 67.91 %
Quick Assets 270.30 m
Net Working Capital 62.10 m
Intangibles / Fixed Assets 10.65 %
Turnover PS 136.73 p
Pre-Tax Profit PS 12.19 p
Retained Profit PS 4.07 p
Cash PS 16.43 p
Net Cash PS -23.68 p
Net Tangible Asset Value PS * 103.67 p
Net Asset Value PS 147.03 p

[redartbmud] 17/8/2014 22:22

So Compton is in Berkshire, not just on the outskirts of Wolverhamton. That reporter really did her homework didn't she!
How many more inaccuracies are there in the article? I have a very good idea.
Answers on a postcard please.

[spacecake] 17/8/2014 17:56

Marstons TV show... Wolverhampton-headquartered brewer Marston's is to feature in a new Channel 5 documentary airing next month (September 2014).



and...

RALPH FINDLAY INTERVIEW: My F-Plan* to save the Great British pub... that's females, family, food and forty to fifty-somethings

Read more:

and...

Why are pub stocks plummeting?




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

Its seems the Marston's board have come alive and are finally fighting their corner.

[bit thick] 14/8/2014 15:56

from the Telegraph "The new company, Hawthorn Leisure, will be run by Gerry Carroll, a former managing director of Enterprise Inns, and is already looking at several other portfolios on the market as most of the major pub groups and brewers, including Marston's and Heineken, seek to reduce their exposure to the unfashionable tenanted model"

Only mention of Marston's I can find.....

[jeffian] 11/8/2014 12:39

Nope. In what way? MARS have themselves just dumped 200+ pubs for conversion to other retail uses. The pubs GNK sold to Hawthorn Leisure are tied back to them for beer supplies for 3 years. Where would MARS fit in?

Edit: Or are you thinking that MARS might sell another tranche of pubs to them?

[iaincc] 11/8/2014 12:28

Anyone else heard the rumour about MARS tie up with the guys who bought the under-performing Green King pubs ?

[skinny] 24/7/2014 08:26

N+1 Singer Buy 144.50 144.20 163.00 163.00 Reiterates

Numis Buy 143.25 144.20 185.00 185.00 Retains

[redartbmud] 24/7/2014 08:05

New pubs are not exactly setting the world alight.

[spacecake] 24/7/2014 07:27

Well, at least its not going backwards, but its real slow at going forwards.

[skinny] 24/7/2014 07:01

Trading
We have continued to make good progress in line with our expectations. The impact of the World Cup was broadly neutral, with higher drinks sales offset by weaker food performance in our pubs, and strong sales growth in the off-trade.

In Destination and Premium, like-for-like sales for the 41 week period were 4.1% ahead of last year, including like-for-like food sales growth of 4.2% and like-for-like wet sales growth of 3.5%. Operating margin is slightly above last year and we remain on track to complete 27 new-build pub restaurants in the current financial year.

In Taverns, like-for-like sales for the 41 week period were 3.0% ahead of last year. Our franchise business continues to perform strongly and now operates in around 550 pubs.

In Leased, like-for-like profits for the 41 week period are estimated to be up 3% compared to last year.

In Brewing, own-brewed beer volumes were up around 1% compared to last year including 10% growth in off-trade volumes during the World Cup.

Net debt and cash flow are in line with expectations.

Commenting, Ralph Findlay, Chief Executive Officer said:
"We have continued to make good progress in implementing our strategic priorities with our focus on investment in new pub-restaurants, the expansion of franchise and the continued development of our premium beer portfolio all contributing to our growth targets. We remain confident of achieving our expectations for the full year."

Forthcoming Events
Please find below the forthcoming reporting dates for the Group, which are also available on the investor calendar on our website, www.marstons.co.uk/investors

Year-end trading statement
8 October 2014
2014 Preliminary results
27 November 2014
2015 Interim results
14 May 2015
2015 Preliminary results
26 November 2015