Rank Share Discussion Threads

[grizzly bare] 07/10/2009 08:42

Just a reminder ......tomorrow.

"The Rank Group Plc will release its interim management statement for the 40
weeks to 4 October 2009 at 7am on Thursday, 8 October 2009."

Grizzly xx

[grizzly bare] 04/10/2009 08:41

Not sure if we posted these at the time or not....





and today this ......;



Grizzly xx

[grizzly bare] 02/10/2009 16:46

Chartwise looks like we are heading for magenta .....




Grizzly xx

[scrapman] 01/10/2009 14:26

thanks griz ,

Lousy volumes today again , seems to be Fridays and Wednesdays when the vols spike

btw , were you ok with the storms ?

[grizzly bare] 01/10/2009 11:03

Logan - not sure that the Bingo side is what either Guoco or Genting would want to keep long term, but who knows.

Whatever, with the Bingo being cleaned up and modernised and taken out of the old cinemas, it starts to have value again and phoenix-like may arise from the ashes, (maybe of ex-cigarette ashtrays), to be worth keeping or floated off.

A nice IPO of Mecca Bingo as a standalone should bring in quite a few quid, particularly if they can get rid of the Gordan Brown 22% bingo tax and simply be taxed at 15% as would be fair.

With all the share combinations you mention you can be sure of one thing .... that Goldman Sachs have had their sticky little fingers in the pie from the beginning and know where most of the pie is at the moment and where its going to be in the future and at what price!


Grizzly xx

[grizzly bare] 30/9/2009 20:16

My own view has always been that Guoco, who slowly took control and ultimately ownership of Thistle Hotels,(.... and The Clermont Club casino from Rank,) want to do the same with Rank and gain control and ultimately ownership of the casinos and licences.

They can then move the casinos into their Thistle (Guoman) Hotels as circumstances allow and add value to the hotel group. The bingo side can be floated off if it does not fit with the Groups identity. They can also pick up nice windfall VAT repayments.Maybe end up with what they want to keep for free.

I am sure they already have in place agreements with third party Rank shareholders to buy their shares at pre-determined prices when the share price hits those prices. eg Genting. Their Accounts state this is something that frequently do.

I would not be suprised if they do not already "unoffcially* have 51 per cent control via their dealings with Goldman (the fires tomorrow) Sachs.

Grizzly xx

[loganair] 30/9/2009 17:26

quidnunc - Guoco could not have taken-over Rank for 30p cheaper due to the stakes of the other notifiable share holders at that time being more than 50% of the share issue of Rank.

[quidnunc] 30/9/2009 17:13

Hard to see why Guoco would make a move now when they could have done so about 30p cheaper.
Other than to block or spoil another party.
Q.

[grizzly bare] 29/9/2009 17:00

Well here's the state of the revised uptrend channel as it presently stands.

Downside risk should be limited to the magenta line bottom support.

But lets hope we have another rocket like lift-off if Guoco are ready to make a move.


free stock charts from www.advfn.com


Grizzly xx

[scrapman] 29/9/2009 15:25

Hi Logan , thats what I am getting at , it is these large trade days that seem to be slipping through the system

[scrapman] 29/9/2009 14:37

Just thought it may make a bit of a story on a low news day ,

how the figures seem to be very vague around the disclosure marks ,

and as Logan points out when there has been a notice of a reduction in holdings there is not a corresponding increase by someone else

[scrapman] 29/9/2009 13:46

what about your chum at the newspaper Griz , any chance of him having another look at it ,

seems like journalists seem to be able to find out far more than mere investors can

[loganair] 28/9/2009 09:40

So far this morning already 2 x 100K 'O' Buys have gone through, so there is someone out there wanting to pick-up big chunks of Rank stock.

[loganair] 28/9/2009 09:18

Hi Grizzly - Major shareholders - What ever happened to the 12 1/2% which was owned by BT/Hermes?

When BT/Hermes were selling down, they were reducing at a rate of 4m to 6m shares a day in 100k to 1m volume each trade. Therefore this strongly suggests that it was not Private share holders who were picking-up the shares but institutional holders.

Therefore I still include this 12 1/2% as held by institutional holders and are therefore not available in Free Float.

[grizzly bare] 28/9/2009 05:14

Logan - it is certainly reassuring to see such low stock on loan figures continuing. Where do you get them from now that ADVFN have stopped their CREST service?

Despite the kick in the teeth from Browns April Budget (which badly knocked the share price) the Rank Management have shown sound evidence of putting in place positive measures to counteract all the bad news of the last couple of years. The half year report seemed very encouraging to me for future development and I would be very suprised if the 8th Oct interim report doesnt build on this picture.

When Goldman Sachs (who must know more about Rank than anybody apart from the Rank management!) recommend BUY it seemed pretty positive to me.

The major shareholders figures got very high at one point and the free float looked to be about 10%, but after the clarification of the double counting of the Guocco/Goldman holding and various RNS diposals of above 3% holdings, the Rank website doesnt seem to indicate major shareholders with over 3% being at that high level any more!? Of course there could always be a few with 2% - 2.99% who dont need to disclose and certainly as we know one large holding disappeared almost overnight with no corresponding RNS to show where it had gone!

Always happy to hear your thoughts.

Grizzly xx

And finally ....... after Friday what will today bring?!!!!! Maybe a nice Monday morning bid from Guoco.... they must surely be close to 29.99% by now.

[loganair] 27/9/2009 10:49

Hyper10 - I doubt that very much as 90% of Rank shares are LONG in the hands of only some 10 institutional holders and secondly as of last month there were only around 2 1/2% of Rank shares on loan, one of the lowest of any share in the FTSE350.

And yes, after such arise in the share price there is normally a correction, for what ever the reason was for the rise in the first place and not just because shorts were closing out their postions.

[hyper10] 26/9/2009 20:44

I think it is short positions closing out that caused this rise, hopefully it holds but if the price corrects a bit on monday then it is likely to be this.
The big question if it is the above why they are closing out

[grizzly bare] 26/9/2009 12:06

Looked at The Times this morning and missed the article!

Think you could well be right Logan. A return to paying a dividend for the second half is a possibilty now that so much bad news is behind us.

I would love to think that Guocco are about to bid though!

I hope that Fridays gain is consolidated and built on in next weeks market.

Fingers crossed.

Grizzly xx

[loganair] 26/9/2009 09:26

The only comment I can find is in todays Times:

Rank Group, the Ten's most consciously contrarian pick, has begun to look less of a gamble: shares in the bingo and casino operator, down 6 per cent in June, are now up 22 per cent. July's interim results conveyed a clear improvement in trading, with a better than expected showing by Rank's regional casinos prompting upgrades to profit forecasts. Next month's trading statement, due on October 8, should hopefully maintain that trend.

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

Just a thought-If the upward trend in profits for Rank continues there could be the possibility of Rank paying a small dividend this time round (for the second half of this year) which could be the reason for the sudden jump in the share price.

I recall when Cookson announced a returned to paying a dividend their share price jumped 25% in a week.

Also I think we need to consider the fact that the down side pendulum, when all the bad news (smoking ban, the budget, loss of high-end slot machimes etc) as usual just went too far and the share price is now in a reajustment phase back up to a more realistic level.