Member Info for jamesmaggs

Cheers for the links. Not much changed here on the SP I see. Hopefully the next update won't add more misery! Seem to remember profit warning no.1 creating a welcome spike last year,who knows where these will end up!

Difficult to grasp the 'value creator' element but who knows, if they don't frighten all the negs off maybe they'll flog a few and get their act together. Many moons ago I recall a dressing down for not hitting fs targets to accompany a record sales month and how demoralised that felt yet gave me the motivation to move to what was in those days the most uncorporate of the corporate brigade prior to indie land. Times change but sticking with these for now in the vain hope of recovery(SP) potential mainly as I'm sitting on a paper loss tbh! GLA

Crikey,they've gone uber-corporate by the looks of it. Perhaps we need to present ourselves as consultants and charge them a small fortune with suggestions on greeting the punters and showing them houses and similar bizarre ideas! Might help to mitigate my current paper loss!! Lex,only recently out of the game but found we surprisingly embraced the internet but perhaps too much reliance on portals to do the job in some quarters methinks.

Thanks for the links,always good to see all views. Most agents down our way busy on instructions and generally busy,don't have much of an inside view on the corporates but glad to see the SP creeping up a little here since I'm stuck with a load of them. Anyone know dates on the next divvy announcement?

Thanks again for your comments here. I hold these as a small part of a diversified basically income p/f and in simple terms if they were a quid higher I'd reduce and if they dropped below say 150, I'd be tempted to add a few more depending on what else is around at the time and if I had any confidence on the dividend side of things going forwards. As far as a business, I cut my teeth in the 'corporates' but spent most of my time with my own show as an independent so view most of the corporate earnings in fs,legals,referrals even lettings to a degree as a detraction from the earnings potential of the basics of selling houses,chain building and doing deals at a local level which is where I made my stash. I see this business as off track on expansion ahead of growth but also viable and in terms of SP probably on a par with foxtons,lsl and winkworths and therefore with recovery potential. Turnover irrespective of profit backs up that recovery potential but my concern subjectively is based on the dividend policy ongoing as a paper loss is far more palatable with divvies coming in than not!

Good points but still view as good recovery potential and as bonkers as the(shares) market is, the market has given a positive verdict by the looks of it!

Trading Statement Fri, 13th Jan 2017 07:00 RNS Number : 0777U Countrywide PLC 13 January 2017 13 January 2017 Countrywide plc Trading Update Countrywide plc ("Countrywide" or the "Group") (LSE:CWD), the UK's largest integrated property services group, issues its trading update for the year ended 31 December 2016 ahead of its results announcement on 9 March 2017. Total group income for the year was circa £737m (2015: £734m) with income for Q4 of £179m (2015: £196m). EBITDA for 2016 is expected to be in line with the current range of market expectations. As anticipated, the underlying level of market transactions in Q4 continued to run below 2015 and we continue to expect full year 2016 market volumes to reflect a drop of circa 6% on 2015 levels. Commenting on the Group's performance, Alison Platt, CEO said: "It is pleasing to report modest full year revenue growth against the backdrop of a challenging residential sales market. Our Retail and London divisions were impacted by the lower market volumes which were partially offset by a strong performance from our Lettings business. It is encouraging to note that both Financial Services and Surveying reported profit growth notwithstanding the external environment. "We continue to focus on delivering cost and productivity efficiencies across our business which will mitigate the impact of a 2017 sales market which is expected to show a reduction on 2016 volumes. The roll-out of our digital proposition remains on track and we continue to see performance in line with our expectations. As set out on 15 December 2016, we are currently underway with a strategic review of our Lambert Smith Hampton business and further announcements will be made as appropriate."

Looks like we caught a cold on the foxtons update delaying that slow clamber back! Instructions better down this way although probably too early to judge overall.

Looks like it's going to be a slow climb back up in terms of SP but all indications are pointing towards improving stock levels relative to last year so if they get their act together on fees and service etc who knows it should help the balance sheet and stem the flow of seasoned players. Interesting chats with folks outside the game who seem to think the Internet is taking over from estate agents whereas I'd say we embraced it,perhaps too much in some respect. It'll be interesting to see where we end up with the yield which at the current SP implies a higher SP or a reduced divvy.

Interesting they're having a go down under where the system is more like the states,Canada etc. Wary of anything based on sentiment and potential not substance or track record but time will tell. Mail order didn't close all the shops and nor will online although I think our industry might drift more towards offices above high st shops rather than in them over time but due to the subjective nature of the beast,I doubt the hands on approach will be lost to the click of a mouse and the call centre. Let's hope the corporates don't miss the opportunities being created here and chase the on liners down the low fee abyss!

As long as they maintain some kind of dividend policy I'm happy to hold as it's essentially a recovery share having fallen so far. Where,if and when are the great unknowns but in the meantime looking forward to the next divvy and vaguely reassured by the passport contract renewal and the visible presence out on the roads! GLA

My reading of the clip and today's update from purple bricks for what it's worth,firstly however bad it looks at least she's doing something and as far as the online brigade goes I'm mystified that the good agents are letting them get a foothold and lowering the bar on their own charging structures. Never been a fan of poor service being rewarded and running businesses at a loss is just madness! Lack of stock seems to have become the norm but when that changes the agents that can actually put deals together will prevail.

I like the one about the Southampton/Northampton referalls query! Interesting points there and I'm inclined to agree on many of them but how these realities relate to the SP over time remains to be seen as we know the market is such an unpredictable beast!

A highly motivated sales team whether amongst other similar teams or indie that are free of the constraints of recommending in house factory conveyancers/FS targets/dilution by lettings in the same office works better if incentivised from the top down was at the dawn of many of the members here and I always remember knuckles wrapped at a managers meeting for not doing enough FS referrals against a record sales period donkeys years ago which was demotivational but also the final straw to go it alone so maybe this lot need to get back to basics and let the sales lead rather than lettings etc etc dilute if that makes sense.

Just from my own experience I think when agents focus on the short term income stream from lettings they lose the bigger picture which is all about putting deals and chains etc together with repeat over time and I'm speaking as an indie really that they seem to be rushing to dilute the sales potential much as many leapt on board the easy endowment/FS income back in the day. Lettings works better as a separate office and the crossover of negs doing both doesn't produce the bigger revenues in my experience. As far as the corporates are concerned income generation from bolt on sales has always been a risky one as has losing continuity of staff etc but still think this drop overdone!

All I can say is it's a shame we didn't get a SP spike as we did the last time we had a profit warning! Bumping along a lower bottom now and the obsession with estate agents wanting to become letting agents continues apace. Interesting the reaction to tenant reference uplift fees as always looked at them as a conflict of interest when the landlord is supposed to be the client!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38065249

Still bumping along the bottom I see. Hopefully sentiment will change towards the sector soon! GLA

Correct. Payable mid December. 1.5p. In theory the SP will clamber back up over time in anticipation of the next one but there are so many other factors that can effect the SP in general terms so there's no guarantees as we know! GLA

Shares bought on/after the ex dividend date are bought without the entitlement to the dividend hence the drop although it's never an exact science since other factors weigh on share price movements.