Member Info for dnalkr1k

It seems that almost every day we are seeing some company or other being the subject of an offer, more often than not involving an American offeror. Might LLOY prove to be a tempting takeover target? By historic standards they remain very cheap. Who might be tempted make an offer ... more to the point, who would be allowed to acquire them?

The fact that the sp has since risen to 158p, within spitting distance of the rumoured offer price of 160p, suggests the former. If the would-be bidders are really serious, it's time for them to put up or shut up.

I feel sure you're right, i.e. that dividend payments are being sacrificed to fund future growth ... disappointing in view of the otherwise very bullish comments about the prospects for 2022.
I wonder whether income fund holders are/will be rushing for the exit door.
Shareholders are maybe also worried about the clear and accelerating rush to convert RQIH into an American company. including the recent appointment of two additional senior executives of whom I had previously been unaware.

Further evidence of RQIH's becoming more U.S. came with the following statement, somewhat buried in today's results announcement:
"Change to financial reporting currency
We have been reporting our financial results in Pound sterling since our public listing in 2007. As we have grown, our asset mix has become increasingly US dollar denominated, with 72% of our investment assets at year-end 2020 in US dollars. This creates volatility in foreign currency translation in both our income statement and statement of comprehensive income. Therefore we have determined that starting in 2021, we will report our financial results in US dollars. "

At first glance, the results appear to be excellent and the prospects for 2021 even more so. But then, reading down the bullet points, the following caught my eye:
"Profit Before Tax of £30.2 million, a decrease of 21%, reflecting a reduction in net intangibles due to the mix of Legacy Insurance transactions"
Does anyone know what this means, and how this should have arisen amidst what are otherwise great numbers?

Today's announcement of the appointment of Robert Thomas as Group Head of Data Strategy and Technology, who is to report directly to the American-based new Executive Chairman, rather suggests that the future senior management of the company is being moved Stateside at a pace, which may or may not be a good thing. Let's hope that clarification on this aspect is provided within Monday's final results announcement.

The share price has slipped disappointingly over recent months and the new Chairman really needs to make a big favourable impression when announcing the Company's y.e. results on Monday. Much is expected of this company following a very active series of acquisitions and all the bullish comments we've been hearing about these. In order to regain the initiative, the SP really needs to head north of 200p in double-quick time.

On the face of it you're right, but then again for every buyer, there has to be a seller.

No mention of London whatever in the intro to today's RNS announcement. It seems that these days AIM shareholders count for very little in HCM's overall scheme of things.

What do others consider would be a fair/achievable take out price for EQN by Siris or a counter-bidder?

Simultaneous with the announcement of the company's preliminary results, is a separate announcement stating that the CFO is set to leave the company. Yet another reason for a would-be predator to pounce sooner rather than later.

A pretty uninspiring set of numbers and despite all the reassuring noises made about an anticipated recovery in its revenues, not to mention the boast about cash conversion, it seems there is to be no final dividend.
There is no reference whatsoever to any offer for the company either mooted or actual ... I just hope the BoD accepts that it can expect the same degree of loyalty if and when it is requested, as it has shown towards the company's shareholders.
Presumably, we're now expected to go back to sleep until the same time next year. Please God, let's hope this doesn't prove to be the case.

If an offer for the company is indeed to be announced with the preliminary results on Thursday, then the value of the final dividend of around 3.5p seems likely to be wrapped up in the deal, thereby,cosmetically at least, making it appear more attractive to the long-suffering shareholders.
That said, the distinctly soggy state of the share price just days before the announcement probably indicates that any such offer is distinctly unlikely.

If anyone can get close to understanding how the performance targets announced this morning are to operate then they're a better man than I Gunga Din ... absolute gobbledygook as far as I can see and btw which companies comprise the all too loosely defined group of "leading housebuiders" with whom eps performance is to be compared?

"The results will now be published on 1 April 2021, after Equiniti's auditor PwC advised that an additional week would assist it in completing its procedures and address timing constraints arising from the current lockdown. "
A not exactly overly convincing explanation. Is this auditorspeak meaning figures in brackets take longer to add up?

Arix has come back with the market over the past 2 or 3 weeks. Personally, I was very impressed by their CEO's grasp of events over the short period he has been with the company. He presented very impressively at interview a couple of months ago and having previously decided to sell my holding, which has significantly underperformed hitherto, I've decided to hold for at least the next 6-12 months in the hope and expectation of better things to follow.

Trading update today (12/01/21) confirms net cash at 31/12/20 of £154.8m, compared with £85.8m one year earlier. A truly staggering amount - what precisely are the RWA board intending to do with all this dough? Arrange a huge buy-back of shares, quadruple or more the on-going level of dividends? Arrange a souper-douper special dividend of say 100p per share to coincide with the eventual retirement of the eponymous founder? Why not he's responsible in very large measure for the company's extraordinary success. Why leave it to his successors to crow about?

Judging by the market's reaction with the share price closing today at a mid-price of 185p, coupled with the presence and active involvement of majority shareholder Sanlam, coupled with NUC's flotation price a couple of years ago, I imagine that its shareholders will be disappointed to be offered anything south of 220p and may well be looking for appreciably more.

tacly ... I notice that although you claim to know (along with just about everyone else) when HCM will start making profits, you are very careful not to share this knowledge with the uninitiated such as myself. I wonder if might just be because in all honesty, you don't have the remotest clue. Furthermore, if and when the company eventually becomes profitable, be it in 3, 6, or 10 years' time, it will be many, many years thereafter before it is able to extinguish the enormous past losses it has racked up which of course it must do prior to being in a position to commence paying dividends.

Yet another highly technical half-year announcement from Christian Hogg, around 90% of which i virtually totally unintelligible to mere mortals like myself and/or is a straight repeat of info we've heard many times before.
It would be good if, just once in a while, Hogg were to give us some sort of clue as regards if and when the company might actually be expected to generate a profit and, yes, be in a position to consider paying dividends. I can't help thinking that the ultra-tame presentation to the assembled analysts always appears to have been carefully stage-managed since there are never any key questions concerning HCM's likely breakthrough into profit. If I were a cynical doomster, I might at this stage be tempted to utter the dreaded two words "Emperor's Clothes".