Poundland (PLND) faces legal problems at the hands of the Competition and Markets Authority in taking over 99p Stores since the authorities have invented the notion that this particular band of discount retailing should be treated as different from all others. I trust that further reflection amongst those who impose these pointless costs of enquiry…
Greatly to my surprise Petro Matad (MATD) has announced a farm-out of aspects of its Mongolian properties with BG Group (BG.). The money problem is also resolved. Petro Matad retains Block XX – apparently this could be pretty good as well. I bought 100,000 at 10p – just to keep my hand in. My friend…
I have very recently commented on the big unravel coming at Mitie (MTO) and was surprised that the stock recovered to 281p at COB last Friday. Anyway, Saturday’s DMail finance section leads on delays now being encountered at Mitie on paying up arrears of pay where Mitie had underpaid in the sense of below the…
As my contribution to this first edition of Master Investor, I have decided to clarify some points concerning regulation of AIM. This is partly because it is not understood and partly because it is complex and unusual. AIM is a division or franchise (as the LSE likes to promote it) of the London Stock Exchange.…
Evil discusses Mitie, Concha and Optibiotix… Mitie (MTO) offer a market update this morning. The telling paragraph is: “As a result of the market pressures in the homecare and social housing businesses we expect our full year headline operating profit to be slightly below current market expectations.” This is just the beginning of the great…
Evil discusses ASOS, Quindell, the business leaders’ letter in support of the Tories, and Sam Cameron… I may have missed something (I doubt it) but ASOS (ASC) is on a PE of the order of 100 and profits are declining. Timber! The fan club would point out, if minded, that I have misunderstood matters. All…
Evil discusses naughty judges, Trinity Mirror and Gate Ventures… As I understand matters, the four judges who have been sacked for watching pornography on taxpayer-funded PCs really committed the offence (not defined in law) simply by using taxpayer-funded PCs. It would not have been an offence on their own equipment. The PCs I mean. Well,…
The best investment commentator in any mainstream newspaper today is John Ficenec, Questor of the Daily Telegraph. He consistently confines himself to common sense. Take for instance his bearish review today of Just Eat (JE.), now c. 350p. John makes this 32p net asset value where, if he will forgive me, I make it more…
Evil discusses Trinity Mirror, Afren and Edgar Wallace… Events at Trinity Mirror (TNI) and its subsidiary, MGN or Mirror Group Newspapers, moved on in Court last week. The defendants have accepted their liabilities and therefore the judge was not sympathetic to attempts to impugn the reliability of James Hipwell as a witness. James was grossly…
Evil discusses Afren, pragmatic Seattlers, and Indian weddings… At long last Afren (AFR) has been refinanced even if the price of the new shares has not yet been decided. Given that Afren is still above 5p the market must be mad. Bondholders have no intention that current ordinary holders should get £50m. A clear sell.…
