Chancellor Osborne’s proclamation about the ‘cocktail’ of economic threats to his National Accounting Jerusalem has left the market shaken but not stirred – he is acting as the alter ego of James Bond. It was of course, inevitably, more of a politically motivated PR statement, than a new economic prediction. He evidently wanted to get ahead…
Next (NXT) shares, at 6,860p after the Christmas trading period report, look good value on a one-year view. Should it prove a falling market generally, the estimated dividend yield gives the shares defensive qualities as well a useful income stream for their owners. Already, thoughts are stretching to next Christmas and that, in theory, should…
On restricting all Muslims – as a dangerous religious group – from entering the USA. Petition to His Britannic Majesty, James I of England, Ireland, Scotland and France. From Baron Trumpington, Old Trumpington Towers, Old London, Old England. November, 1610 AD Dread Liege, May I petition Your Most Gracious Majesty for appointment as Governor of…
The economy is not the same thing as the stock market and its profits. However, a strong share market with increasing profits is dependent on a growing economy. The former of course tends to discount the latter. That is pretty much where we are now. The share market discounting economic growth has been driven to…
The market was evidently stirred (but not shaken, of course) by Sainsbury’s (SBRY) first half results, which arrested the slow but drifting decline in the share price. It demonstrated that the market has discounted much and that the share responds positively to good news. In the six months, Sainsbury’s did the unexpected thing of maintaining…
Dixons Carphone (DC.) results for the half year to 31st October have been released and look encouraging. Going to the top line first, I see that like-for-like sales rose by 5% in Q1 and by 3% in Q2. That suggests an improved competitive position for the company and an excellent way to help bottom line results.…
Royal Dutch Shell’s remarkable build up of cash, and the strength of cash flow in relation to dividend cost, suggests that Royal Dutch dividend bulls have a rational argument to support their bullishness. Sometime in the summer of 2014, the share price of the Royal Dutch Shell Group rose a bit above 2,400p –…
Of the two major British tobacco players, Imperial Tobacco seems the sounder investment and the former now the more dangerous investment. A bid by BAT for Imperial would almost certainly be rejected by the competition authorities, in my view. The concentration of market share in Europe would be too great. I would therefore hold Imperial…
British American Tobacco has outperformed the market over twelve months but significantly underperformed Imperial Tobacco, which has been born aloft on takeover stories. The sector, despite its defensive qualities, is currently a bit on the heady side. I last put pen to paper on British American Tobacco (BATS) seven months ago, when the share price…
Thomas Cook (TCG) has just reported its results for the year to 30th September 2015. As an investment, it is highly speculative because of the absence of net tangible assets and the share’s lack of dividend support. In consequence, it also has a share price that is notably volatile. Way back in July I thought it worth…
