Member Info for 1ontheup

I'm in your camp but I would never short it because if the losses are less than the market expects then it will jump and might not come back, especially with the year end results looming large.

I sold at 406 so until I get some clarity then I still have some margin to go before it gets back to that level so I'm happy sitting tight with my cash atm..

@MSM, I agree. M&S dropped more in a day in Jan due to this RNS comment than it has in the last week: "The external environment remains challenging, with cost and economic headwinds to navigate, but there is

much within our control."

I have been stung before thinking that a SP should have dropped more, jumped in or topped up, and then found it was either a long grind down or accelerated down based on additional news, analysts opinions or lack of support during a market slump.

The future is bright and for LTH it should all work out but for those that have a shorter horizon or want to top up to reduce their % losses then they need to be careful

@Falla, I love your optimism, but if that's how you trade then god help you ;-). Having said that I hope you're right lol!!

JDS, I guess this time it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. If they keep updating that it's not entirely sorted then it will keep getting repeated in the press and more people will become aware of it with the risk that it will scare more shoppers away or make them reluctant to make the trip. For those that say that it will be back to 400 by the end of week, don't hold your breath. I was out at 406 just after the news hit the press and I'm not getting back in until there's some clarity over their systems and £ hit. As I've said, in parallel to sorting it someone should be calculating the hit to the business and get it out there as soon as possible before the year end results so the negativity is behind them and they can move on and I can load back up ;-).

Not looking good. Latest update from 13:48 today; As part of our proactive management of the incident, we have made the decision to pause taking orders via our UK & Ireland websites and apps and some M&S International operated websites. The M&S product range is available to browse online, and our stores remain open and ready to welcome and serve customers.

We continue to manage the incident proactively and the M&S team - supported by leading experts - is working extremely hard to restore online operations and continue to serve customers well.

https://www.lse.co.uk/rns/MKS/cyber-incident-further-update-rh42ba7505726tw.html

Those who are in it for the long term should fear not. Those that bought over 400 with the hope of making money in the near term might have to wait a little longer as I fear this could be drag for a while. As I wrote previously, the best thing M&S could do when it’s sorted is come out ASAP with the £ hit and move on. Tangible doubt = drag.

Https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/m-s-shares-at-ftse-100-retailer-fall-as-cyber-attack-hits-customers/ar-AA1DxmHZ?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds

I'm wondering if the issue Beo1 raised yesterday about not being able to "process any stock in or record waste" has been solved because that's also concerning.

Looks like it’s sorted:

M&S has confirmed to TechRadar Pro all contactless payments are now back online in all stores, and that it has seen “positive comments from customers thanking us for our transparency and for store colleague support.”

https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/marks-and-spencer-has-suffered-a-cyberattack-heres-what-we-know-so-far

@Duke, are they still fighting the issue or is everything fully operational again?

@Beo1 can you let us know in the morning if everything is back on track please?

Thanks!

Hi JDS, regarding your comment: "even if a trader I would be nervous of dodging in and out before results" and that "they shouldn't affect year end results." As I wrote previously I've significantly reduced and took profits following the recent rise based on this news but will fully load back up when I think the right time is right again, hopefully very soon. It's true that it won't affect the FY results but they will have an impact on forward guidance which could prove a drag and pull the SP back if the market sees the FY results already written into the price. What we need is for M&S to come out relatively quickly with a statement about the financial impact with a positive spin maybe mentioning that is what a blip to the fantastic momentum or something like that, if true of course, which we think it is. That way it will be kept separate from the FY results, analysts can consider it and take any hit now and then move on with the positive news/results. This type of attack is not to be taken lightly. Apparently it happened on Monday and said yesterday they would provide an update but nothing today as yet. They say it's minor probably meaning they were still able to take cash payments but for sure it will have a hit. So for the large part I'm sitting this out and waiting knowing that until there is news the SP will be under pressure which will present itself as an opportunity.

I've just taken some profits having recently fully loaded up again. I'll just to sit and watch at the moment with every intention of buying back to where I was, hopefully at a lower price. Also, as M&S has a bright future, a problem now is an opportunity when the results come out next year and they do the year on year comparison - always pays to remember these events 😉

I’d also add that some retailers might see upgrades in the near future thanks to the Next results so this could add to further gains. I’m also convinced that something positive will come out of the M&S tie up over the next month. I guess M&S would have accounted for a 100% payout to Ocado based on performance but it’s not going to be anywhere near that so anything less will help the bottom line

I'm sticking. As I wrote previously I sold a big part and bought back in at an 11% discount and it's recovered so overall I'm up about 6% at the moment. As the sentiment and signs are positive I'm holding until the air changes direction again and I might take some gains. I think that the pressure is mounting on Trump & team (if you can call them that) and we might get some positive news surprises next week as I'm hoping he pulls back or signals better than expected tariffs. Here's hoping 🤞

Very good results and outlook all round for Next. The only downside possibly being that they forecast an increase in unemployment due to the upcoming NIC's increases. Amazing how they keep pushing the negative side of this increase whilst at the same time proposing to increase their dividend payout by 12%. The other side to this is that waiting times are coming down which can also be good for business but this never gets mentioned. A healthy nation is a productive & profitable nation so it's right that big business also play their part (I say that when M&S is my biggest holding but they're better placed to weather the storm). It's the smaller ones that I feel sorry for.

If M&S do acquire the balance of the JV then I will seriously consider adding far more to my current holding. As I've written before, there were rumours about Amazon acquiring Ocado and that they are also super interested in the UK food market, including supermarkets. I have always thought that M&S might be a target one day and taking the balance of Ocado could raise a lot of interest, also possibly from private equity. Amazon could allow M&S to keep doing what they do whist optimising the Ocado business with their own. Imagine Amazon pushing M&S products on their own platform in the UK AND abroad. With their efficient low cost international shipping networks they would be able to deliver what you want all over Europe and maybe the world. Anybody else got any thoughts on this becoming a possibility?

For those calling to sell, think about this. When I heard the news about Heathrow this morning I immediately looked at Easy Jet flights from Gatwick to an airport near me in Italy for today. There's one leaving early afternoon and there were still 52 seats left that have now all sold out and the prices for those tomorrow & Sunday doubled and are selling. If this is happening with many destinations and the disruption extends over the weekend then it will be a bumper weekend for EJ.

UBS cuts Marks & Spencer price target to 450 (465) pence - 'buy'

UBS cuts Tesco price target to 360 (410) pence - 'buy'

UBS cuts J Sainsbury price target to 279 (321) pence - 'buy'

Fender, to be fair I think people on here share the positives and the negatives as they're published. I would also say that the SP has been affected by the sector in general and mixed communications from the leadership. M&S is clearly the one that is performing the better but it's just not being rewarded for it at the moment. It got hit because the last clothing results weren't great and put down to the weather, whilst others have been worse. The food is flying but speculation around Asda has sent it tumbling. As a trader I would have thought you'd have been taking advantage of these volatile times especially as there's enough anecdotal evidence, also from the people on this board and yourself, to suggest that M&S is still going great guns. I don't day trade like you because I always keep a position in M&S but the size of that position will vary based on how I feel and the news I'm being fed. On Monday I wrote that I had sold 70% @360 on 11/03 but with the recent crash which extended to Monday & Tuesday I decided on Tuesday morning to add back 30% at 327 and right at the close was back in with the balance plus added a further 25% on top @ 320. Good move? Up to now yes but who knows, it might go back down again over the next few days but I got back in and added with about an 11% discount on my total previous holding. This is how I like to manage my stocks in general and so far over the years it has served me very well but as with everything, especially with stock like M&S that are trending positive. Anyway, good luck when you eventually decide to jump back in.

Sold 70% of mine @360 on 11/03 with the cash waiting to get back in. I was lucky to miss the big drop on Friday and caught up with only after the market closed otherwise I would have been back in. Today I'll probably add a part back again at some point