Natwest Share Discussion Threads

[alan@bj] 21/7/2008 09:56

James93 - I agree. I do have the ability to short (I've had a CFD account with Etrade for a while) but I work from home and I'm too busy to give it the undivided attention I think is essential for trading effectively. Consequently I've not taken advantage of the falling market. I worked for NatWest for over 30 years and think RBS is a buy at the moment, but I should say I am a holder, and I was daft enough to take up my entitlement to the rights issue in full, then watch them drop another 50p, so what do I know. It's very difficult to estimate what losses they will suffer due to the economic slowdown and high UK personal debt. Thankfully I've done very well with NWG, and also with AU.(which I bought into under £2 and now stand at over £10) and a few other good results, so all in all I've made good returns - but I've also had a few serious casualties and I've still got some walking wounded in my portfolio as well.

[james93] 17/7/2008 08:09

alan@bj ...... I quite like this kind of market.As long as you have the ability to short in your armoury. Personally I short using IGindex and buy certificates for the long term. Bought a few RBS yesterday. I think there are some all time bargains in the banking sector, as ever it depends on timing and selection though.

[alan@bj] 16/7/2008 16:16

Hello James, good to see you're still around. You must let me have your 'phone number, then if ever I'm feeling too happy I'll give you a call. Sort of like the Samaritans, but in reverse.

[james93] 16/7/2008 08:42

zeppo - I don't really know if NWG looks that attractive any more. I'm more tempted by the bombed out financials and even housebuilders. It's just a case of selecting the right one. I think NWG could go a little lower yet but also looking to add Tesco at around £3. The shear scale of downward pressure has surprised even an ardent pessimist like me. During the last bear market we had a couple of bad days followed by a sharp rally. This time seems different. The market seems to know were it is heading and is taking the direct route. We may even have to re visit the lows of 2002/2003.

[zeppo] 15/7/2008 16:28

James 93

It was on 15th April that I suggested , for fun, that the share would not go down to 300p within 100 days.

With a few days left it is almost there - so you were right.

There are now many bargains out there - if you have money to invest.

How much worse will this market get? And what do you go for?

z

[optomistic] 14/7/2008 19:38

My target buy price dropping daily.

[james93] 14/7/2008 08:06

May soon get my 290p -300p.

[topgallant] 07/7/2008 17:13

Its obviously some administrative move - he can hardly be hard up for 6000 quid can he?

[optomistic] 07/7/2008 16:15

MD sells 2000 of his shares and the share price rises 9p. Work that out if you can!

Managing director John Cuthbert sold 2,000 shares in the company at £3.09 each, cutting his stake to 5,000 shares.

[ceckyspunt] 16/6/2008 13:41

shift back to banks today IMO

[sllab101] 09/6/2008 17:01

M.T Glass,thank's for link.

[m.t.glass] 09/6/2008 16:26

NWG is already among the dozen water stocks listed on the H2O thread


But if anyone can think of other UK water stocks that ought to be added, please mention them there.

[killieboy] 06/6/2008 10:34

Manrobert - Agree completely, one of the safest stocks on the market at the moment. A good long term hold.

[manrobert] 05/6/2008 15:46

i am happy with fair value and safe in these turbulant times.

[gateside] 05/6/2008 08:03

The Times rate NWG as a HOLD



Northumbrian

Northumbrian Water may have secured the goodwill of its customers – it has pledged to raise bills by less than its regulatory allowance – but investors may feel more ambivalent.

Over the past three months its shares have lagged behind Britain's big four quoted water utilities – despite a 7 per cent gain on the week. After yesterday's full-year results, that treatment appears harsh. Pretax profits were up an above-forecast 15 per cent, the dividend was raised 7 per cent and the company confirmed that it had secured funding for its capital expenditure programme to 2011. It has also met its leakage targets and its pension fund surplus has more than doubled on the year.

Yet investment is about relative returns and Northumbrian can suffer by comparison with its peers. Its prospective dividend yield, the attraction of regulated utilities, is a none-too-compelling 3.6 per cent. A £2.2 billion debt burden means that unlike United Utilities and, it is forecast, Severn Trent and Pennon, Northumbrian is unlikely to return capital to shareholders before 2010, when the next five-year regulatory period begins.

The other consideration is that, alongside Pennon, Northumbrian has been seen as a takeover candidate. Tight credit markets have taken that prop away for now and the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, which owns 26 per cent, appears to be in no hurry to sell: it has a mature pension scheme whose demands Northumbrian fits. For a well-run, pure-play water company, 335¾p, or 13 times current-year earnings, is no more than fair value. Hold.

[jaywood] 04/6/2008 10:30

Definitely above expectations and good to see.

Remember the fuel cost isn't as we know it - they will claim back the VAT leaving base cost and fuel duty. So at least these firms are not part of the extra revenue con that the rest of us are sucked into.

[manrobert] 04/6/2008 08:25

good also that they can quantify the increased energy costs for coming year avoided further uncertainty.think results were ahead of market expectations.

[jaywood] 04/6/2008 08:11

A little bit of Northern sunshine in the financial news.

[gateside] 04/6/2008 08:07

Northumbrian Water recorded a 15.2 percent rise
in full year pretax profit Wednesday, thanks in part to increased tariffs
allowed under Ofwat's current price period.
The UK utility proposed a final dividend of 8.07 pence per share, up from
7.52 pence last time, giving a full year dividend of 12.07 pence, up 7.1 percent
on last time.
Capital investment for the period was 232.6 million pounds, up from 225
million pounds last year, and the company said that it has funding secured for
its capital programme to 2011.
The company met Ofwat's leakage targets for the year, though it said that
sewer flooding continues to be a problem, the result of increased localised
storms in the north of England.
Operating costs increased from 353.1 million pounds to 356 million pounds,
partly due to the impact of inflation on operating costs and increased
depreciation due to the capital investment programme. Next year's operating
costs are set to be dominated by high energy prices and in particular by price
volatility in recent years.
For 2008/09, energy costs will add more than 8 million pounds to the
company's operating costs, it said in a statement

[zeppo] 04/6/2008 07:55

'Proposed final dividend of 8.07 pence (2007: 7.52 pence) per share to be paid on
12 September 2008, giving a full year ordinary dividend of 12.07 pence per share, an increase of 7.1%'



z

[gateside] 03/6/2008 21:50

Results in the morning

[sllab101] 18/5/2008 22:55

Not with you,bit more please.

[waldiman] 18/5/2008 22:50

I keep reading that Ofwat are looking are looking to open up the water industry to competition.

COuld be good for the sector, IMHO.

Just clicked on the BBC link above and it talks about this lol