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Would rather take the family down to the Marston local than sit in traffic jams all Easter holiday. If the sun comes out we can expect good sales!
NB. We have not yet seen the full benefit of the Breweries Christmas sales yet as the last figs released only were referring to upward sales in the Pubs. So we should be getting something positive soon I am sure which should take into account the Supermarket and retail outlet sales not yet shown. GLA.
I may in a few months (after the next Update from Martons) regret selling the remainder of my Long Term Share holding this week (at a loss of around £ 4k to me), but then I do now feel after recent news from other Pub chains, this is sadly not the bottom of the continuing drop in the SP for MARS!....I estimate around 20p as a new low before the next update? I don’t want to wait for a potential "RBG type SP drop" (of around 65% this week alone), if MARS's next update is not "good", which I will be truly amazed and stunned if it is good news, with all the recent headwinds, empty pubs and there huge debt pile....But I do feel that if the next update does show POSITIVE signs of FUTURE improvement in trading and potential PROFIT, as of course Sales improvement alone means Nothing if the debt is NOT being serviced and Proffit's not Increased...So I will await the next update and hold my breath as to see if I made a mistake selling early and if I then buy back into MARS, or count my lucky stars that I sold when I did and avoided my losses potentially doubling or worse??...well only time will tell and none of us have a crystal ball of course!
Justin needs to not waste his time on new initiatives, franchises etc, SELL the rest of the brewery to Carlsberg.. if they'll want it in these poor times and try a miracle of selling Marstons as well at the same time. (dreams..)
SHAPERITE. You seam to wallow in misery....You either believe in the share or you do not....If you do not then why hold....? 1000s of shares to pick from....Why not sell this one as you do not believe and buy another you do believe in?
Good time to invest where we can expect a new Chairman to be announced very soon! The share price is hardly going to go down very much is it? Obviously depends who it is but I suspect a far more optimistic Chairman statement will be coming soon.
Suspect even the brewery partnership might bring in closer ties, and possibly a takeover or stake coming in from Carlsberg as if they increase their stake they will be able to re-coupe profits from the brewery from the Marston 40% share. This is what we would have called in the R/I. Market a Retro! I would suspect more upside to come from a low base here and it is a silly time to sell this share (unless one needs to balance ones books before yr end).
Also we should from how on in see Families wanting to go out for Easter (if we ever get some sun!). Gla.
Pedro61 , I have a very diverse portfolio thank - you very much , but I have been invested in Mars since 2008 and yes have averaged down to now £0.81 on a whole host of Mars shares. I refuse to be lectured by a starry - eyed punter like you who expects me to sell up at a massive loss to go and invest in something more profitable !!If you have bought at around £0.31 ish you are fortunate but many long term holders are involved at a much more serious level O.K. ???
Something many do not understand, why have new investors not done due diligence. Ramping is all very well for the come day go day traders, but many have invested here sometime ago when a dividend was payed and have stuck with it hoping to recover some if not all losses. Some of us have reduced exposure expecting/demanding a change of fortunes. The realisation the hospitality sector has changed, excellerated by the lockdown, should have produced innovations that give SH's the value their loyalty deserves.
Something I do not understand....There are thousands of shares to invest in....Why have the very negative investors not sold up,and bought something they believe in....?.....
So negative......People will shortly have much more money in their pockets....and the interest payments will be much less....A much better scenario for the company going forwards....This s.p. will be history in 6 months or so....
All this understanding of History is fine for the schoolroom, nobody has mentioned that with a stuggling company like Marsdens a 10% rise in the minimum wage , coming into force within 3 days, will be an absolute ball breaker financially , not withstanding the extra employers N.I. PAYABLE ON THE INCREASE !! Every Monday and Tuesday is generally dead anyway but staff still have to be engaged , 6 hours at £11.10 / hour straight - off the bottom line !! The only positive is one tries to increase prices, with the prospect of loosing custom or reduce costs - fat chance. No wait, the BOD are idle, contribute virtually zero, now that would be a good cost saving !
History can be a guide to the future .where you may go wrong is concentrating on the history of a company at the total exclusion of thinking about the future. History deserves a scant look,but,the future direction and status is what ultimately matters.
Pedro, you demonstrate quite well the problems Society have and are facing. We as a Society have learnt nothing from History and are careering head long into another disaster. For instance Food in the 1930's was regarded as being available from abroad, consequently home production was marginalised. Result Germany virtually starved us out and then rationing was needed. However after the War, Churchill stated " never again will we depend on Foreign Imports". This brought in Farming subsidies to increase Home Food Production. Over a decade it more or less succeeded. Now we are going down the same route, the population is a little more aware than in the 1930's, but doubtful it will change the outcome. End of Sermon.
Now more specifically a Company's History needs to be properly researched as corporate cultures can and have evolved which determines future policies. It is the case those responsible for Corporate Governance may play lip service to satisfy friendly and hostile investors, but if the truth be known are only serving their own greed. Investors are basically a tool of their trade. A Company's culture can change given the will and tenacity of Directors and Executives. In Marston's case , the new intake of Executives are left with the wreckage ( debt) engineered by past egotistic managers.
Given dynamic planning, which is not without risk, Justin Platt and the New Chairman, can turn things around , they will be mindful of their inheritance here which is and will continue to be a significant Mill-stone.
Oh for the World to be as you visualize .!!
The one thing I try to do is not look at history,instead concentrate on the future. History may have been painful but it does not mean the future cannot be much better. History has happened and cannot be put right if mistakes were made,it is much better to look at what may occur in the future given the prevailing economics in the country.
Pedro how long have you geld shares in Marstons? I hope you did due diligence and understand what has caused the decrease in shareholder value. Some of us, who have been invested a considerable time wish to see a significant increase in shareholder value. Some very serious mistakes have been made by past CEO's who got so rattled attempted to restore value and reduce debt. Selling off Pubs, entering into an agreement to manage a bunch of run down Welsh pubs ( Brains). By the way you should visit those pubs they will open your eyes. Ralph Findlay did a favour for a mate John Rhys ( Chairman of Brains) before having the estate surveyed. When it was realised how poorly maintained the Brain's pubs were 7 were deleted from the final deal, they were almost beyond repair. Brains were on the verge of going into Administration when along rides a Knight in Shining Armour, Sir RF ( not yet a Knight but is on the road with his gong awarded by our Late Queen) The Brains deal was being concieved at the same time Platinum made offers for the Company. SH's were not informed of the Platinum offer for some time. You can draw your own conclusions as many of us have.
Call it negative if you wish, but the company has suffered Bad management for several years. Andreas was asked to leave and now William Rucker is riding off into the sunset.
It is to be hoped Justin Platt is working on a plan that will restore the faith for long suffering Shareholders.
Food inflation around 20th Jan this year had fallen very low, which suggests 8.8% increase at a point of biting cost of living problems was a commendable effort.
It makes no difference what time of the year,best or worst ,as it is a like for like comparison,so 8.8 % increase is good,and can get much better..
You ask me why is this languishing at this s.p.,and the answer is too many people seeing the negatives and not seeing the positives around the corner. The big positive is interest rates about to come down,which will save the company money on interest payments,whilst increasing disposable income .
Pedro imagination seems to have got the better of you. 8.8% may appear fine on the face of it, however the period in question is without doubt historically the best trading time of the year. The figures as I recall compared with the same period last year since when there was food cost inflation of almost 20%. VAT has been re-introduced. Interest rates rocketed and so on.. Increase in trade is one thing it is net profit that matters.
If things were as rosy as you believe why is the SP lingering at almost it's historic low?
The "negative crap "you mention is not the reality of the situation. The last trading report up to 20th January 2024 gave an increase in trade of 8.8%,maybe you did not read that. 8.8% increase in the midst of a cost of living crisis would appear a very good increase,and it does not take much imagination to see much bigger increases once people have more disposable income from the savings made on interest payments.No imagination at all to see this.
yes. okay pedro, we must all be taking “negative crap” then…not just facing upto honest and real facts and figures that is keeping this share price sadly on its ****! you are of course fully entitled to wear your rose tinted glasses and hope the pixies somehow pay off marstons huge pile of debt (like rbg reported today) and also magically make huge numbers of former and new customers reappear in there pubs and spend loads of cash (that they don’t currently have) because all the martons pubs around that i know have had there customer footfall reduced (certainly not increased!) for even half a chance of the next trading update sales and debt figures improving! every other pub group is reporting a downturn currently….so once again please pedro answer your own question of “what makes marstons so unique and such a special offering?” as all the marstons pubs around me certainly don’t stand out as anything “special” at all??
With the national minimum wage going up,interest rates going down,and with people have more disposable income then a return to the pub looks on the cards. More people in the pubs will produce more profit. Interest rates going down will also benefit the company enormously going forward. Positivity is called for.....
Are all us long suffering shareholders ready for the 10 % rise in basic pay being enforced upon us in a few days time ? Say hello to the £ 5.00 pint , say goodbye to a multitude of your customers , desperate times indeed not allowing for rises in council rates, electricity, etc. £1.02 per share seems a long distant memory ( which bye the way, undervalued the company)
I wonder if the BOD still draw their inflated salaries or are they totally bemused by the whole affair ???? Any idiot can run a reasonable business in good times, the trick is running a reasonable business in bad times, Oh and I am still awaiting the positivity that was just around the corner last March !!!!!!
From my experience Marston pubs are better than most other pubs ,with modern settings and large attractive beer gardens ,offering very good value for money with sport and quiz nights,bingo and all these things together with extremely good locations and staff training does set them apart from other run down pub chains.
Fullers on a downward trend, and Youngs a nervous 1000 + or -. Rather worrying, and the weather this Easter is going to do us no favours.
Just take a look at RBG Revolution Bars shares today -32% down!….This is what is happening to any big pub group carrying a load of debt at the moment….i have just sold my remaining 20% of MARS today I’m sorry to say. I honestly hope I am wrong, but I can’t afford to wait for a similar fate to maybe happen here in the next few months?? GLA remaining share holders.