Member Info for AllAtSea

Some bankers should have done jail time after 2008. Instead they got away with it.

Useful FT piece here:
https://www.ft.com/content/07628c56-f1c9-4da0-95c3-4e6ed0b1b01e

The purchase of SVB (uk) for nothing seems like a good move for HSBA on the face of it. The problem for SVB (usa) was it simply had liquidity problems which it could not solve without advertising its actions. This seems to have sparked an unnecessary panic with which the bank could not cope.

In Silicon Valley, or any tech centre, the the risks are high but so are potential rewards. SVB proved too small to handle the situation, and perhaps it had become complacent as some claim. HSBA has the size to avoid the same liquidity difficulty and hopefully the expertise to deal with the UK tech scene.

The fiasco has also raised awareness at government level of the importance of the UK tech sector. This has to be a good thing, especially under Stanford educated Sunak rather than F**k business, F**k the USA, F**k everybody Johnson.

The way the SP is heading, Autostore might soon find the cheapest option is to buy OCDO.

The failure to create an environment for tech companies in the UK is going to be a huge problem for the country going forward. We simply don't have the investor commitment that is enjoyed elsewhere and it is a long-standing tradition for UK companies that have value to be sold to overseas investors(like our housing stock, utilities and so on).

There are clearly buyers waiting for DARK and they don't want to pay any more than they have to. Hopefully the EY report will give them a nasty surprise.

Just have to hope the NI deal improves the UK's economic prospects.

"Segro revealed on Monday that chairman Andy Harrison had acquired 115,379 ordinary shares in the FTSE 100-listed property investment and development company.
Harrison, who was appointed to the role in June 2022, purchased the shares at an average price of 861.11p each, for a total value of £993,539.14.

Following the transaction, Harrison holds an interest in 231,694 ordinary shares in Segro."

https://www.investments.halifax.co.uk/research-centre/news-centre/article/?id=12400946&type=bsm

Just in:
final div 18.2;
xd March 16;
paymt May 04.

If, as is claimed by some, Darktrace products are "snake oil", then where is the trail of successful cyber attacks on its customers? We know that DT is unable to name its clients, for obvious reasons, but if any such client suffered a serious breach, would they not drag the incident out into the daylight, claiming compensation from DARK?

Plenty of companies are hit by hackers but none that I know of has claimed that DT let them down. If DT's offering is snake oil then their customers would be easy targets for cyber attacks.

If, as is claimed by some, Darktrace products are "snake oil", then where is the trail of successful cyber attacks on its customers? We know that DT is unable to name its clients, for obvious reasons, but if any such client suffered a serious breach, would they not drag the incident out into the daylight, claiming compensation from DARK?

Plenty of companies are hit by hackers but none that I know of has claimed that DT let them down. If DT's offering is snake oil then it'd be blood in the water for the cyber-sharks.

"TODAY marks Safer Internet Day, 24 hours dedicated to keeping ourselves from harm while online.

It's incredibly important for all of us as individuals, particularly those more vulnerable than others – but there's also good reason for businesses to be on their guard as well.

We are only weeks into 2023 but already there have been countless cases of cyber security breaches at major organisations right across the UK – and the costs to those impacted could be vast."

https://www.irishnews.com/business/2023/02/07/news/safer_internet_day_is_a_reminder_of_the_perils_of_cyber_attack-3036905/

Arnold Clarke (one of the biggest car dealers in Europe) got hit 23 December. They kept it quite and just started telling affected customers a few days ago! They face a large fine for failure to disclose the problem immediately.

Their IT provider thought the system was safe and now they are rebuilding it.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/technology/arnold-clark-cyber-attack-customers-warned-as-car-giant-loses-data-in-cyber-attack/ar-AA170ocT

Gettagripe do you think I take your sort of unverified information seriously?

You must think I was born yesterday LOL

Marconi was brutal. Dark is no Marconi although the shorters would like us to think so.

Expect a roller coaster ride:

"absent a new defence strategy, will the company find any lasting relief? Not according to the Stifel analysts, who say “quirkiness” will keep making Darktrace “an easy target for shorts”:

“[W]e believe the company has failed since its IPO to alleviate concerns emanating from the market. While we believed time and strong operational results would help heal the company’s wounds, we are now of the view that the company, its Board and its management need to take more proactive and tangible measures. Among others, these could potentially include: 1) replacing part of the management and middle-management teams, 2) electing more independent Board members, 3) electing a new Chairman of the Board (current Chairman Gordon Hurst, while independent, is also Chairman of the Board of another company backed by Mike Lynch’s VC fund), 4) implementing an auditor rotation, and 5) launching a forensic audit run by another audit firm. Until material measures are taken, we believe more unpredictable hits are likely to affect the company’s share price in the future."

Results day will be interesting but the buy-back was good to see.

It's trading. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose.

If, as I believe, DT has a good product then my recent buy was a good opportunity to get in at a low level, so they may have done me some good. I can choose how long I hold for.

Publishing erroneous and misleading information purely to downgrade the stock is what I think should be illegal.

back in today.

It's a gamble, I suppose.

"Specialist distribution group Diploma (DPLM) can deliver growth even when the market backdrop is tough, says Hargreaves Lansdown fund manager Steve Clayton.

Diploma last week reported a strong first quarter, with group sales up 30% in the three months to the end of December generated by organic growth, recently acquired businesses and currency movements.

Clayton said he held Diploma in his £298m HL Select UK Growth fund because it ‘has a long track record of delivering growth even when times are tough’.

‘We won’t see too many businesses sounding so confident in their prospects in the current economic conditions, highlighting Diploma’s position as one of the UK’s highest quality industry companies.’"

https://citywire.com/funds-insider/news/expert-view-cheap-barclays-could-re-rate-fullers-hit-by-train-strikes/a2407352

I so want to believe them!

A dramatic rise in the share price. Sell everything else you have got and pile in to Topps. What could possibly go wrong? ;-)

May I just mention that the meeting is an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and not an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

In other words, don't panic!

In fact, I am thinking of Topping up before the meeting.