Member Info for JohnLewis79

Latest odds confirm that the remain camp are solidly odds on (3/10) to win the vote. Brexiters are 11/4 despite some recent polls favouring them. Bookies are rarely wrong in their odds making in this type of event, except of course in the last General Election when everyone called that one wrongly! So having been a staunch Brexiter I'm slowly coming to the view that to remain is best for British business. As my main investment is in a Co who hopes to do most of its business in Europe leaving our main market does not make sense when I don't know how that will effect our future. Will tariffs be erected, will there be hidden costs will new regs be issued to non EU countries.....lots of imponderables that could have a detrimental effect on my investment and I sure don't want that! I'll probably chicken out and go with the do sfa camp as the pound in my pocket is my main concern.

The sp was 63 before the HC ruled in favour of SPO so we're pretty much back there now at 64. Delays of this sort are always bad news for sp's as holders get twitchy and start imagining all manner of possibilities and the Barrow boys can have a little tree shake at our expense. Of course the up coming referendum will be unnerving investors with reports of the Brexiters gaining ground that must have spooked some. Last I looked it was 1/3 on the remainers but it shouldn't have much effect on us whether we stay or go. Naturally the jobbers will have a great excuse to manipulate the market to suit their book....leave or stay. Watch and wait methinks till the great British public have spoken!

Surprised you sold out. Mind you until clarification of Zamhatch may be the best policy as it's not as if the stock is going 10+ anytime soon!

Morning comeonvog. Depending on the terms I would consider supporting a RI or placing to settle. However my experiences of RI's has been dreadful. I cannot recollect one that has increased in value.... indeed most have fallen by 40%+. Perhaps this might be different? I'm sure the bod will put a good spin on things. Underwriting should not pose a problem should we go this route. Makes a change to see the sp rise on results let's see at close if gains.... albeit small can hold?

Half yr results out....looking good at first glance!

While the uncertainty continues the sp is heading south back into the low 60's. If your a believer that at some point in the next year the SC will deny yet more time wasting.by HMRC...for that is all it is, as two courts have now ruled this is a good top up price area. Unfortunately I cannot av down as am in much lower however i am prepared to av up from low 60's in theknowledge that all my trades would be increasing in value or should do so. I really think it's long overdue that the bod update shareholders on the Pools situation. It's 6 months since interest was shown by others in acquiring the business where Hogg seemed to be the preferredbidder. The time has come for Hogg to show us the money or be told 'to do one'. I'm assuming that it is Hogg dragging his feet and not Penrose being deliberately evasive. Pretty sure Hemmings is pulling the strings in the background---- as to whether his interests align with ours is debateable. Whatever don't expect any activist type ii to rock the boat.

HMRC will appeal and Spo will file an objection. Decision expected in the fall so sometime in Sept or later!

Don't think the referendum decision has any consequences for Spo as our eyes and trades are steadfastly pointing westwards. Probably a good position to be in because should the people vote to stay out the market will have a severe case of the wobblies and Europe trading cos will be targeted which of course is exactly what the traders want and what they want they get! Seems 50:50 atm but gut feeling the remainers will just squeak it. Is the decision binding if won or lost by a single vote? Unlikely i grant you but what if its a couple of thousand? That would hardly be an endorsement, just an embarrassment. Possibly the saving grace will be the lack of passion one way or another the British have a very phlegmatic outlook on life and we sure wont beat ourselves up on some European vote! Heh there are more serious things to worry about.....like will Wales beat England at the Euros?

Closed 5 down on week on small volumes and bargains. I guess those interested are already invested and newbies might wait for the SC decision before risking their cash? Risk/ reward very much in Spo favour and I'd be shocked if this fell sub 70 pre vat ruling! If the SC grants an appeal this will fall back to 50 or worse (as happened last time) that's very much a worst case scenario and imo off the scale of probability. If I really thought there was any chance of that I'd be out long ago.

Small lot selling continues mostly on profit taking and a bit of nervousness ahead of the SC/HMRC decision. The odds certainly favour a good outcome for Spo so selling now risks losing out on a poss 12-15 rise from here and then the Pools sale which would have the 'green light' for the sale to complete which could see the sp at 115 ish. I'm prepared to wait another 3 months for a possible 60% rise from current and an outside chance of a bid for the whole Co at a premium to that.

That's all we need for HMRC to have an escape hole to ECJ! It's unlikely to happen but the way this case has travelled I would not rule out any eventuality however absurd. Cannot see the SC allowing this nonsense to continue. Kybosh it once and for all! Good find bags1.

Are we selling the bloody Pools or not? Mid Jan final bids were submitted and not a dickie bird since! Convenient excuse to say we're waiting for the vat outcome but what if the SC grant another trial? Will we still be waiting 2 years down the line for the bod to make their minds up? A bit more urgency is required Mr Penrose.

I would not worry about the sp down from 82 on small lot selling. Good opportunity to add if your a lth most others are unaware of the Co or recent events, preferring to focus on Vodafone's penny rise. Excellent opportunity to add, I would but I'm loaded up and concentrating elsewhere. Current sp includes c45-47 of vat monies or 60% of current sp. If that's not a bargain I don't know what is and I have not factored in c £12-15m g which gives us c 76% of current. In effect the co ex vat...ex 2015 ebita is valued at £37m. Go figure as they say! I hope we don't sell the Pools. ...we'll be worth zilch!

I would say it confirms our position but others may take a different view? Whatever this ridiculous case gets dragged out to a denouement!

Good post bags1 and i wholeheartedly concur. Interesting to see if HMRC appeal directly to the SC and on what grounds? Surely the bone heads at the tax office realise the games up? Delaying the inevitable is pointless imo.

Given that the vat win equates to c 45pps which was 71% of the sp pre the Tribunal finding in Sportechs favour the subsequent rise to 80 (27%) might seem underwhelming! No doubt reflecting the possibilities of further objections by HMRC who can now go on holiday before deciding whether to appeal the sp looks ripe for profit taking. Longterm holders can afford to think on events 6-9 months down the line when we will be in a better position to assess Spo's future here or over there.

The shambles of HMRC continue with news out that waiting times increased to over 47 mins costing a whopping £97m to those attempting to file tax returns. Won't have any problem paying us will they?

So the uncertainty continues. Rank fell foul of the COA and Supreme Court both of whom ruled in favour of HMRC. Despite appeals i think Rank lost in the end? This was in ref to vat on gaming machines so hardly applicable to Spot the ball and it was for much larger sums of money, hundreds of millions I believe. This still remains a 50/50 bet. However should HMRC succeed in their submission to the SC then all bets would be off and the outlook for us would be distinctly cloudy .....again! Surely the SC won't over rule the COA and send this down the road for case no 4? I think everyone's had their fill of spb and the Higher Courts in the land surely have more pressing important matters to decide than where a cross is put on an imaginary picture?

Why allow HMRC until 17/6 to decide whether to appeal? Jeez keep this farce running! Outrageous waste of everyone's time and tax payers money. Will they turn it in?........Will they hell!

Delay...delay...by HMRC is the cause as we expected. Drift back...again waiting....