Standard Life Aberdeen Share Discussion Threads

[ramellous] 17/9/2020 11:09

I have to say that as a Standard life customer, their processes are out the ark. I have to use them as my work pension scheme is through them. I opened a shares isa with them and last week wanted to sell some funds and get the cash out. I had to phone them then wait for a callback a few hours later. I was told 10 to 18 days for my cash to reach me. My funds were sold last week and the cash is still sitting in my isa at standard life as I can see in my online account Meanwhile I’ve had a paper letter through the post telling me of my transaction. I’m still waiting for my money. Jeez!

[mcunliffe1] 16/9/2020 08:35

netcurtains: When you think that SLA is no longer an assurance company and is now an investment company you could well answer your own question with....... "Invest the money in companies that will outperform SLA".

That, in the current situation gives scope for a very wide range of possibilities.

If we are expected to trust SLA with our investments why can't they have the bravery to earn that trust and do the bloody job they are paid commissions to undertake?

I've never seen the benefit of buying your own shares back and stated as such on here in the past. The response has often been to explain how buying one's own shares back generally raises the share price Doesn't seem to with SLA.

[nick rubens] 16/9/2020 08:28

Dividend Yield of 9.23% suggests the market believes it can't be maintained.

Anyone buying with the expectation of a cut or expecting it to be maintained throughout?

[netcurtains] 16/9/2020 07:42

Ch1ck: What is the better way? Buy shares in Tesla? Buying shares seems a reasonable idea in this environment as they are cheap - got to be a good investment for long term. Even I have bought a few at these prices.

[ch1ck] 16/9/2020 07:09

SLA IS SPENDING MILLIONS OF POUNDS in buying back shares and in my opinion throwing money away while the share price sits a 234.There has to be a better way to provide value to the company.

[mcunliffe1] 14/9/2020 16:30

Following my post (not rant) of 8th Sept. I find it hard to believe what SLA have done in the past week.

Rather than contact me to discuss the best way to resolve they simply removed the money they had placed in the wrong pension. They waited a day, then placed the amount (plus tax) into the pension they said they'd credit on 27th August.

The transaction audit trail for the pension they incorrectly credited on 2nd Sept now shows NO payment having been made at all. The pension that I'd asked them to credit now shows a transaction for the amount of money dated 1st September when in fact they only credited that account on the 10th Sept.

Their systems are so archaic I cannot see the unit rate applicable at each erroneous stage. During the period 2nd Sept to 10th Sept my research shows the UK Smaller Companies fund rose. I suspect I've been shortchanged yet again.

I'm sorely tempted to move my pensions that carry no guarantees - and perhaps follow the exodus of AUM's that have already left.

[spud] 08/9/2020 11:43

FWIW:

Standard Life Aberdeen upgraded to Buy from Hold at Berenberg.

Berenberg analyst Chris Turner upgraded Standard Life Aberdeen to Buy from Hold with a 285 GBp price target. The analyst sees encouraging signs for the European asset managers, including solid earnings growth, strong cash generation and simple balance sheets.

spud

[mcunliffe1] 08/9/2020 00:43

berber1 - when it rains even a worm moves upwards.

On 25th August I sent a secure message to SLA (once logged-on to my account) to instruct them to make a minor change to my payment/allocation. Basically, shifting the monthly payment from one pension policy to another.

On 27th August they responded to suggest it would be better to speak. They 'phoned me later on the 27th. We discussed at length the reasons for the change and a couple of days later I received in the post the details. Five pages of what the policy may be valued at in x years and y months - based upon the first payment being made on 1st Sept. 2020.

So far so good.

2nd Sept I logon, check the pension and find they've NOT made the change. I send a secure message on that same day. They respond via the secure message function on 3rd Sept to apologise and state that their 'expert payments team' will contact me if they need further info.

4th Sept having received no further contact I message them again identifying my quantifiable losses resulting from their inaction and pointing out that the documents they sent on 27th August are now invalid as the payment was missed - I also tell them that on the five pages the policy number is not stated once. I have five policies with them so who knows which one they are referring to if the number isn't printed.

Still waiting for some contact from them.

Now, this is not a rant it's a detailed example of their ineptitude. THIS is partly why their share price is generally depressed and AUM is leaking like a sieve.

[berber1] 07/9/2020 22:51

moving back up to 280p

[ygor705] 04/9/2020 18:04

MCunliffe1 ....... they clearly need to sharpen up then - especially in the area of pensions administration!

[mcunliffe1] 03/9/2020 17:02

ygor705, I agree that SL is a household name. Not so sure SLA is a household name though. I think the share price has never performed well since the merger.

SLA is not a "fleet-of-foot" outfit. Their systems are archaic and their admin. falls short too often. I've had several complaints registered with them over the past five years relating to my pension - the most recent being yesterday.

[berber1] 03/9/2020 15:48

Is there going to be another Share/Capital consolidation on the way? This may explain this sudden drop in sp!

[ygor705] 03/9/2020 12:21

Despite a reasonable set of interims and evidence that things are settling down the share price continues to get battered. My thinking is that the ship is in need of a decent captain who can give a firm heading as to where SLA is heading next. The new man has a lot of investment experience, is a Scot and is being paid shedloads of money. An earlier post on this thread drew attention to the difference between the inflows of Hargreaves Lansdown and SLA. Given the differential why isn't SLA out there bidding for one of these platforms and trying to build it up and cross sell other products from it? There are and always will be innovative ways to manage people's money by companies with a solid and reputable reputation. SLA is such a company, a household name........It is about time that it got out there and started to put itself about.

[cmackay] 02/9/2020 13:38

Thanks for the tip, spud

[spud] 02/9/2020 13:11

That's a rare sight, the Company actually timing a buyback well!!

Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 751,520

Weighted average price per day per trading venue: 229.2673

spud

[spud] 02/9/2020 10:17

Not sure but if you hit the AVIVA PLC thread, there are some very informed posters who can probably give you a definitive answer.

spud

[cmackay] 02/9/2020 09:50

What do people make of the new appointment?

[spud] 01/9/2020 15:48

Standard Life Aberdeen Confirms Bird Has Taken Up Chief Executive Role

Standard Life Aberdeen PLC on Tuesday said that following the receipt of regulatory approvals, Stephen Bird has taken over as chief executive.

spud

[mcunliffe1] 25/8/2020 08:41

I'd prefer a positive update from a little Bird, or from an old buzzard prior to his leaving the nest.

[uppompeii] 25/8/2020 08:15

Awaiting a positive update from Chinese investor...

[mcunliffe1] 21/8/2020 08:01

There haven't been many days other than nasty of late Salty.

No matter how much of our money this company spends on share buy-backs, paying-off old CEO's, saying "hello" generously to new CEO's and F.D.'s the share price seems mired.

It's am unglamorous outfit in all respects and until that changes and good news starts to appear I cannot see the situation changing.

I recently posted (on the other thread I think) the comparison between SLA and Hargreaves Lansdown in respect of inward investment:

HL - £7,700m
SLA - £ 100m

For the 12months to 30June2020.

That's why the SLA share price is languishing IMO.

[wtacraig1] 20/8/2020 10:04

Long wait til next divi... Will see next spring if it's raised, held or cut

[saltaire111] 20/8/2020 09:56

Ex d today but still a nasty day!

Salty

[mcunliffe1] 14/8/2020 13:35

Maybe not this week C.I.