Standard Life Aberdeen Share Discussion Threads

[tornado12] 06/2/2019 17:38

Stock markets are a risk and good companies can surprise and reinvent themselves or go to the wall. I think SLA is a risk, but then I didn’t invest in the company with divi yield > 7% thinking it was a sure bet. I’m giving company the time to get control of their future with some conviction to recover revenues and hope they are maintaining their divi, whilst increase control on costs/cash flow. Here’s hoping for clear some positivity in next update

[mcunliffe1] 06/2/2019 17:13

No Skinny, it's not good. It's dire.

[fionascott1234] 06/2/2019 11:43

Some have high hopes of the new chairman but that begs the question as to what the last chairman was doing over the past few years. The decline in the share price over the last year for a ftse 100 company is nothing short of tragic and if by any chance they announce a cut in the dividend in then a, "decline" will become a CRASH!

[cyberian] 05/2/2019 11:38

Again, I sense that all the negatives are in the SP, and the market will be looking to the detail of a more forward approach with Chairman Flint grabbing the headlines. He has a good record and a reasonable following from his previous positions in the sector, and has extensive Far East knowledge/skills where more sustainable growth prevails for future years. Phoenix (19% holding and servicing links are in place), and the India investment is shaping-up quite positively should help the recovery...all imho.

[meijiman] 05/2/2019 10:19

Given the share price performance one might think that heads should roll. Some folk love to take credit when it's going well but when it ain't it's nothing to do with them.The key issue is why AUM is declining..where does the buck stop on who is primarily responsible for that?

[mister md] 05/2/2019 10:10

Why is this share underperforming so badly? Only holding it for the decent dividend...

[cyberian] 05/2/2019 09:32

I can't see the new Chairman, Sir Douglas Flint sitting on his hands if he was not happy with the company's very significant (big cash commitment) buy-back of shares even at this level. Obviously there are some benefits to the program continuing at the current SP, so interesting to see what comments are made over future strategy and changes when the finals are announced in a few weeks. The market will want to see evidence of a more dynamic approach and this may involve some new key appointments, and some departures, possibly....he needs to steady the ship and impress with some key developments/changes.
Interesting to reflect on the recent comments by Morgan Stanley (MS) when they referred to the share price decline of over 40% over 2018, and their forecast of a fall of a likely fall of 20% in profits (guess mainly due to some large AUM with Lloyds/Scottish Widows), which most have taken on board. So a 40% fall against a possible 20% suggests that the MS new price target at 255p has already been achieved...hopefully a floor against which Sir Douglas Flint will be able to build from.

[tornado12] 04/2/2019 19:09

When are the EOY financials and Divi payment announced ? This will at least give us finally some concrete news on SLA.

[edmundshaw] 04/2/2019 15:09

Broker targets are pretty well established as utterly useless. There is quite a bit of research on them demonstrating that they follw the share price much better than actually predicting it. But their commentaries in the more well-researched notes, on the other hand, are sometimes quite useful.

[eipgam] 04/2/2019 14:27

Have these details been posted. If not....

1/31/2019 Morgan Stanley Downgrade Equal weight GBX 330 ➝ GBX 255

[mcunliffe1] 02/2/2019 23:27

Nothing new there meijiman. Many other companies are the same. Difference is, other companies can afford it.

[meijiman] 02/2/2019 21:46

Senior management troughing and gorging in Davos whilst the shop at home suffers...very poor indeed.

[ramellous] 02/2/2019 21:14

My company uses SLA for its DC pension scheme. The default fund is the managed fund. From chatting at work I’m the only one of a few who seems to have used the facility to switch my contributions into better performing funds using their platform. Seems apathy amongst their customers is rife.

[mcunliffe1] 02/2/2019 15:44

And that's the problem I think OXMAN. I'm looking at my pension pot with SLA. I've mentioned the 4% guarantee on the With Profits part previously. The main part is invested in the Managed fund - a smaller amount in the Equity fund.

The Managed fund seems to track the FTSE index very closely - too closely for my liking. There are lots of funds offering tracking and at lower fee rates. The SLA stock pickers need to "up their game" to use a common term. Until they do I feel the AUM will haemorrhage.

[its the oxman] 02/2/2019 15:00

Yes given the chart theres plenty of scope for a bounce. But tend to think you need aum to grow for any believable turnaround.

[m12rtn] 02/2/2019 11:45

I guess then if they don't cut the divi it will fly?

[its the oxman] 02/2/2019 11:20

No expert here but been burnt before with Aviva. Hate to say it but surely the chart and dire price performance says the market fears a div cut is a real fear.

[mcunliffe1] 02/2/2019 09:15

It hasn't in the past 5 years Tornado (discounting dividends). You're OK if you bought in the summer of 2012 - definately not if you bought at the peak in summer 2015.

As regards volatility - I made a reasonable return playing the put and call game with M&S, Rolls Royce and (if I recall), British Aerospace in 1980's. Need a bit more stability these days as I'm older :-)

Pity is, Gilbert should have the same view. He's even older, and should be wiser.

[tornado12] 02/2/2019 03:52

Wilm, I don’t see SLA as any short term play unless you are brave. It’s daily movements are fairly unpredictable and it’s the long term view Im taking. The buybacks continue which improves EPS and is at least sticking plaster to support the divi & share price while they sort out their business plan. The next update will be crucial to understand if the ship is now moving in the right direction and there’s a captain at the helm. I am confident in 5 yrs this stock will reap the rewards for our patience.

[wllmherk] 01/2/2019 09:14

Wish my average was 270p tornado, unfortunately, my average is 336p so this equates to my biggest loss of all my investments, which is quite an achievement when one considers my second largest holding behind SLA is VOD. Last year was a shocker primarily down to these 2 stocks. Like yourself, it's the dividend that I want as I retire in 7 years and saw both these shares as fairly safe income stocks. Comparing the two in terms of dividend I suspect SLA's payment is safer than VOD's with the latter's cover waver thin.

wllm

[tornado12] 01/2/2019 04:14

My take is that I don’t expect Stella results for EOY, but hope of 2 things, robust plan to control costs & AUM under management, and a secure dividend. Is clear they need to adapt their business model to current market trends and I’m sure in medium term they can do it. My average is 270p, but with 7,7% divi tax free I can cope with share price fluctuations. As long as they don’t severely cut the divi !!??!!

[edmundshaw] 31/1/2019 22:32

The company can take fees according to the fund rules, it cannot (legally) extract money from the fund for corporate purposes. Bonuses are paid from within the fund. There are lots of places to read about that, but basically it bears no direct relation to the profitability of SLA as managers.

[mcunliffe1] 31/1/2019 22:16

edmundshaw,
t.b. is not "client's money". It's a value that is assigned to a With Profit policy at any given moment - and may be removed at a whim. That's what SLA state - maybe not whim - but anytime. Whim sounds better I think.

It's not at all like my invested money in, say, the Managed, or Equity or even With Profit fund. That's at the "whim" of the markets and the SLA stock pickers.

But, if the t.b. is specifically assigned at a given moment to a w.p. policy it's surely a reflection of the strength of the company, its reserves and the underlying investment. THIS is the very tool that for years was used as the "smoothing" mechanism when times were good - or bad.

A 17% reduction indicates bad times to me. So, edmundshaw, if this extraction from my policy is a "smoothing" mechanism and hence used to bolster the company liquidity, and that company still pays dividends and bonuses to bosses - whilst it is not "client money" it's a bit rich - don't you think? Last week it was my money if I surrendered the policy.