Natwest Share Discussion Threads

[bountyhunter] 08/6/2007 18:27

If customers had a choice of water company now or in the not too distant future it might make sense but I don't think that is the case? (please correct me if I am wrong)

[aspers] 08/6/2007 13:49

Who pays these bloody brokers????.....they do my head in, UBS downgrade this share to neautral but at the same time up its target price to 365p......!!!!! wish these folk would get a real job!! We all no the true value of this company and it is well above 365p.

[jzd] 08/6/2007 13:29

Keeping price increases in check could be seen as an investment in the long term to gain favour with regulators/politicians/customers and to discourage a take over by Private Equity. I bought for steady reliable real dividends not a quick buck (for that I buy resource shares).

[anresu] 08/6/2007 13:06

John Cuthbert for Chancellor?

He obviously likes giving away other people's money.

"We are the only company to have taken this position on pricing."

Now there's a surprise.

[payney36] 08/6/2007 12:26

It does all seem very strange Aspers!
i sold at£3.45 and bought back in at £3.32 because i thought they were a good share.
There must be some reason for this!

[payney36] 08/6/2007 11:59

maybe their trying to send the price down for a takeover!(i doubt it though but i can't belive anyone could be stupid enough not to take 22m profit, business is business)

[rebess] 08/6/2007 10:53

payney36

Good question - Why!

They've shot themselves in the foot IMHO.

[iwillbe] 08/6/2007 10:49

this has got to be the gaffe of the week...

[payney36] 08/6/2007 10:41

Why would would a company want to give up 22m of profit?As a shareholder i find this unbelievable.
Am i missing something here?
No wonder the share price is dropping!

[rebess] 08/6/2007 10:19

I believe NWG made a mistake in announcing that they would not be implementing the full price increase allowed for in the regulators guidelines.

This news has had a marked negative effect on both analysts and investors expectations.

[zeppo] 07/6/2007 09:30

Gateside

Thank you for the info.

z

[gateside] 07/6/2007 08:51

Tipped as a HOLD in The Daily Torygraph

[bountyhunter] 06/6/2007 18:11

yes that + the dow haven't helped today; maybe they are expecting some kind of regulatory leanancy in the future for keeping price rises to customers down?
but still the best value water company out there based on fundamentals imo

[rebess] 06/6/2007 17:59

It seems strange that the company has chosen not to maximise it's income by applying what the regulator would allow.

I'm struggling to think of a good reason as to why they should do this.

It's certainly had a detremental affect on the share price.

[aspers] 06/6/2007 12:11

This is still one of the cheapest water companies around and for sure a good long term hold!!

[alan@bj] 06/6/2007 11:50

Also possibly the indication that Gordon Brown is going to clamp down on private equity firms, which may dampen bid speculation?

[fhmktg] 06/6/2007 09:16

Today's drop on opening expected?
Presumably some expected a statement on merger/takeovers?

If there is an analysts meeting later I would expect somebody to ask the question.

Overall a sparkling set of results!

[bountyhunter] 06/6/2007 07:59

absolutely; the best value water company left by far imho

[leadersoffice] 06/6/2007 07:32

This has no impact on dividend policy and shareholders will continue to benefit
from any outperformance.

[bountyhunter] 06/6/2007 07:15

A final dividend of 7.52 pence per share for the year ended 31 March 2007 will
be recommended by the Board to shareholders at the AGM on 2 August 2007 and, if
approved, will be paid on 14 September 2007 to shareholders on the register at
the close of business on 17 August 2007. Together with the ordinary interim
dividend of 3.75 pence per share, the ordinary dividends paid and proposed for
the year will be 11.27 pence per share (2006: 10.56 pence per share). This
represents an increase of 6.7% on the ordinary dividend for the previous year
and is consistent with the Board's decision to maintain a progressive dividend
policy with real increases of around 3% p.a. The board of our main subsidiary,
NWL, has proposed a dividend policy consistent with the underlying assumptions
adopted by Ofwat at its price review in 2004.

The dividend cover for the year is 1.9x, and 2.3x (2006: 1.5x and 1.7x,
including the special dividend) excluding deferred tax and the amortisation of
debt fair value.

[bountyhunter] 06/6/2007 07:13

"Proposed final dividend of 7.52 pence per share to be paid on 14 September 2007, giving a full year ordinary dividend of 11.27 pence per share, an increase of 6.7%"

:-)

[sllab101] 05/6/2007 20:46

Northumbrian Water's dividend will attract attention. Swiss broker CFSB recently started coverage with a "neutral" stance but cautioned a dividend cut could be on the horizon. Like others in the sector, the shares have been strong on bid gossip recently