Member Info for courtier

Thanks for an interesting comment, Tune, and no I did not know about Gerry Grimstone's new advisory role. The loss of 139 jobs is sad additional news. I hope that Standard Life have organised thes redundancies better han some companies I have read about. People do matter.

Interesting 1BigRob. I bought RSA at about the time your broker suggested. and it has gained 9%, and the dividend is 9% on the price I paid. That puts them on a par with my Standard Life holding over that period, BUT if you were buying now the dividend yield on Standard Life would be only 4.47% so perhaps your broker might have had your best interests at heart. Opinion above is buy for either share but who am I to say...

I have to admit that one reason I bought Shanks was a desire to add some socially useful companies to my ISA. I do think that many of their objectives are important for people. Waste has to be dealt with and Shanks seem to be trying to do this in a responsible way. They are growing steadily and pay a small but fairly steady dividend, so I keep my buy rating in spite of an up and down share price so far. One problem with analysts is that they don't measure 'goodness'. I think 105p by the summer is realistic ... hopefully.

So there are other people who like boring but sound companies, tune. Of course SL have moved with the markets especially in their first year, when they reached record highs, as is the often the case with new shares in a strong market. My holding has doubled my investment over the years since demutualisation, but remember we were given a good member price in the changeover. Not many of my buys do that well. My opinion would be buy if the price wasn't at a five year high and rising, so I'm not sure..

Thanks for the link Pabloiom, I am thinking just the opposite. Here we have a proactive company whose managers buy their own shares. They are obviously adapting to the market they are in, which is probably changing as fast as any. They are commited to a mature dividend policy which should bring 5% in the sensible future. I do not have any spare cash at he moment but if I had they would be on my short list still.

Standard life was the first share in my ISA, bought when they demutualised. Although I promptly removed all my accounts, into a mutual, I kept the shares and reinvested the dividends. They are so consistent and just rise and rise.

This is the only share in my ISA that I feel indignant about. I have held it for nearly four years and watched it slide continuously. Why the indignation? It is the continuous stream of buy recommendations from analysts. I can find none that say even overweight let alone hold. I continue to hold only because I am quite deeply in (by my reckoning) and because if I add in the great dividends I have received I am not so badly hit. The dividend is about 9% at current prices, which is great. Why, oh why, do analysts continue to rate these a strong buy?

That does seem a rather large sale by Daniel Dayan but at least Malcolm Coster is buying. I am still optimistic about the company and amhappy with recent decisions. We will see... I am hoping to invest a little more if the price continues to drop.

Period ended 30th September 2012 compared to 2011 Revenue: reported down 18% to £94m Revenue: continuing down 17% to £90.7m Adjusted operating profit down 30% to £13.9m Dividend stable at 1.3p Net borrowings down 12% at £28.3m Cash generated from operations down 68% to £5.4m Order book reported down 5% to £138.3m Order book for delivery in the next 12mnths down 5% to £113.5m Order book 12mnths excluding disposed businesses down 2% to £112.5m

The interim results are due 8th November. I have a feeling that the market will react quickly to any good news here.

The £2 hurdle seems behind us now, buyers are seizing opportunities above £2 now. I still think SMDS is a buy but am not sure how far there is to g over the next year. Since the takeover of SCA has gone well I think further acquisition is likely. I also think that any share price drop should be regarded as a buying opportunity.

Thanks for the link. I try to look regularly at the latest news. One of the delights of this share is watching the constant development of the technology. It is one half the reason I purchased them, the other is that they are local to me and I know people working there. Added interest...

I discovered Vectura in January this year. After a brief dalliance they have risen continuously and are today 50% up. They do not currently pay a dividend but the latest report states, " The remaining balance of £52.7m has created a retained profit in the Company balance sheet and will enable the Company to pay dividends in future periods. The Board does not currently intend to pay dividends." I briefly wondered whether to sell when 50% up but mention of dividend planning, the pipeline of products, and re-reading the post by Lostbattlenotwar on this page, decided to add instead. I do not understand how this share stays so hidden, or do I not read the right papers?

Some very useful and interesting posts. I still hold and have even added to my holdings. I really think some of the politics are beyond me and have decided to stick where I am and hope for he best. The management certainly have their hands full, lets hope they continue to cope. I do think the potential here is very good...

Nearly four percent as news of he grant spreads. See previous thread from james3thomas.

Thanks for your more expert review of the pipeline at Vectura. Much drug talk goes over my head, but even I understood enough to buy the shares. Your more expert views are elcome comfirmation.

I first alighted on this share because I try to have a number of local companies in my ISA and live close to the Maldon Factory. The company has a dividend policy that is currently to offer 30% of earnings each year. They are shifting from the hygiene ranges that were a major factor in the business toward the high tech materials used in modern building and towards filtration of air, water, etc. They seem very solid on the management side where Daniel Dayan(CEO) and Kate Miles(Finance) seem determined to keep all options open, use the link below to hear them. I do not think any extra dividend is likely as they both seem to be saying that balance sheet cash, pension liabilities, and development will need any extra investment available. http://cache.cantos.com/webcast/static/ec2/4000/5275/6662/10385/Lobby/default.htm

Thanks FMCA, that RNS of 1st October passed me by. You may be right. It is all a bit woolly-worded but it does look as if RSL had no choice really. Lets hope he new board manages as well as the previous setup, which I never really understood anyway. Always the declared aim was to produce a new major Life business and they are now 5th in the UK. The boys ave dun good.

I have topped up at £4.71 but my average is still a difficult £5.37. If I add on my dividends over a few years I am very nearly in the black, but small comfort really. However I am happy to continue to add when opportunity and cash coincide as I do want a bank in my ISA, and I honestly prefer one that is paying a good dividend. I also like the fairly international nature of Banco ith assets in South America that are of proven value.

This is a buying opportunity... famous last words. If you doubt the forward thinking of E2v click on 'here' at the end of this page: http://investors.e2v.com/strategy I can't decide if setting up in the USA is risky or brilliant. It is a large part of their market. Shares have recovered three percent today, so perhaps others agree with us.