Marston's Share Discussion Threads

[ianood] 22/8/2017 10:30

I don't intend to get into a remain/brexit fight, I just quoted a fact, employment is at a record high!

[ed 123] 22/8/2017 10:28

You shouldn't believe the 'historic low' spin, Ianood.

There is less benefit arising from registering as unemployed in 2017 than in earlier times. Eg, anyone with £16,000 in savings or with a partner earning would not get any benefit today. So, many people looking for work just don't register as unemployed.

As to the consumer squeeze, that's a matter of fact, not opinion. Compare average earnings growth with the rate of inflation.

There definitely is a squeeze going on and UK gdp growth is declining.

Whether or not we go into recession remains to be seen.

[ianood] 22/8/2017 10:14

I don't think it is, not with unemployment at historic lows!

[ed 123] 22/8/2017 08:41

Only 1.28% disclosed shorts. That's low level.

Anyway, it's up this morning, +0.4p.

MARS is just one of many stocks affected by the squeeze on the UK consumer. Do we tail off into a Brexit recession or does the UK carry on growing? The jury's out.

[zcaprd7] 22/8/2017 00:58

Death by a thousand cuts here. Is it being shorted much?

[jeffian] 21/8/2017 23:08

Probably the original by The Troggs as well!

[spacecake] 21/8/2017 20:20

Could have bought these at a similar price when Wet,Wet,Wet had a number 1 with "Love is all around" :-)

[hastings] 21/8/2017 18:15

Good post Jeffian

[jeffian] 21/8/2017 18:03

2009. To be fair, most people thought the end of the world had come just after the banking crash and companies with bank borrowings were put under huge pressure by their lenders. The problem was, MARS 'blinked' and panicked into a deeply dilutive Rights Issue (11:10 at 59p) and cut its dividend when, arguably, it didn't have to do either as things turned out. The City have never really forgiven them for that and i think that's why they are so lowly rated. Enterprise Inns, by comparison, toughed it out and refused to go down the RI route, although they were forced to suspend their dividend and diverted all their resources to paying down their bank debt to the extent that they ended up with no bank (as opposed to corporate bond) borrowings at all!

I can't see it happening again with MARS unless an 'event' occurs that is so significant that the whole market takes a dive.

[pherrom] 21/8/2017 17:41

It's not so long ago that they had a rights issue and cut the dividend. If they do it again the management will need changing.

[bend1pa] 21/8/2017 16:19

Tempting with the div, but for me not tempting enough. You just know that div is going to be cut within the next year or two with the level of debt. That, or a rights issue looming on the horizon. Seen this type of scenario too often.

[lurker] 21/8/2017 15:47

Also watching and waiting here

[11_percent] 20/8/2017 11:22

Salpara,

Thinking the same, but every time I look, it is lower.

Will go for it some point.

[salpara111] 20/8/2017 10:55

curious one in that the divi does not seem to be providing support despite being comfortably covered.
I have had this on my watch list for some time but have yet to take the plunge.
I guess market sentiment is a big force at present for consumer focused stocks.

[123trev] 20/8/2017 09:55

Will be a strong buyer at £1.05 here and any further falls in itv must represent way oversold territory.

[gswredland] 20/8/2017 09:47

Chart looks awful.looking for 100 but will,it get there?
Dividend is excellent but can they maintain it?

[geminian] 20/8/2017 09:28

Philoosh, you may be relieved to know you are not the only one to have bought in to have price dive.

[diku] 16/8/2017 15:56

Were they drunk when doing the deal?...

[bobbygas] 16/8/2017 15:55

Is it going south

[illiswilgig] 16/8/2017 10:07

£1 a share sounds good to me. After all it's not going to go up much in the short term so a buying oppoertunity before the next results would be fine by my. I will wait and see for the moment.

Buying another regional brewery was never going to be popular even though it gives them the scale to grow their brands. FY results for this year are forecast to be essentially flat - or 1% on EPS for last year. With profit growth forecast to increase in the following year to 6% which is more like it. But quite a while to wait and see, so I expect plenty will seek greener grass in the meantime?

cheers

[123trev] 15/8/2017 11:45

This was always going to go down after the placing and I think certain folks want this at a £1 a share with that yield !

[arf dysg] 15/8/2017 11:39

Something's brewing... possibly a buying opportunity.

[jeffian] 15/8/2017 09:59

Well it can go out and blow £55m on some rather unexciting mature businesses for a start!

[philoosh] 15/8/2017 09:43

This has done a complete nosedive since I bought in. How can a stable business model with a favorable product and a recent acquisition be such a poor performer. Very glum :(