Member Info for KNIGELK

Sorry but Brexit has OBVIOUSLY made a negative contribution to high street spending - some people are worried about their jobs (not just Debenhems employees) - a sudden recession - or currency changes. I want to leave the EU but acknowledge there will be a hit and I am sure some of the public have held off spending or cut back on spending - why else would retail LFL sales be DOWN on the prior year when we have wage growth and ultra low unemployment? This is factoring in online as well.
Of course Debenhams have other factors to consider - restructuring its debts - the legacy rental issue - too many stores - but Brexit has played its part imho

No worries - and I won't bang on about it in future. Most of us have made a wrong investment decision or sold out at a loss - it's not easy to let go or to not continue to monitor the company in case you decide to reinvest. I am coming round to the idea that a CVA will happen - there just seems to be too many guns pointing at the BoD now - the banks - the landlords - competitors - online - MA... I believe the company will survive .. I am just not sure about the format (share issue wise)

It would just be nice to see the odd post on a different subject. Debenhams cannot be the only retailer struggling to pay business rates and/or rent. I presume you work in this sector hence your interest - if so, I am surprised you ever invested here since this has been an issue here for years. It's only the switch to online and falling margins / sales plus the increasing rent that has put this into focus. If the sector was performing well it would not have been a current issue imho. MA involvement also is muddling the waters..

Don't forget it could be a terrible outcome for employees too.

Sains, it's definitely uppermost in your mind lol

New Look... Carpetright... shall I go on? The point is that in SOME circumstances a retailer can have a CVA and remain listed - the CEO acquired shares 1-2 months ago - he obviously felt the shares will remain listed !! (perhaps before MA latest antics).. most here agree Debenhams will need surgery to remain afloat .. at 3p either all the bad news ex admin is in the price or it is not ... there has to be a bottom eventually....

I believe it has been discussed here a few times ... Mothercare is one...

No hearts - the planet were other retailers have gone though CVAs and are still listed!! Dead parrot? It still makes an underlying profit - the issue is the rental terms! As for compromises - the landlords will know that no other retailer will accept 25 year leases with annual inflation fixed increases now - so either kept the retailer you have and agree new terms or have an empty property especially as some of these stores are over 5-6 floors. I personally cannot see why trading cannot recover - it has countless times in the past because retail has cycles (!!). Get Brexit sorted and people will spend again. I do question the posters (mostly new) who keep saying game over - I wonder why?
We know the risks - we know debt will be restructured - we know there is an asset that can be sold - we know stores will be disposed of - we know MA is aiming for the company - I still believe Debenhams will be trading in one form or another this time next year - but of course shareholders might be diluted ...

I think most of us here will agree business rates are too high and imo a rebalancing between bricks and mortar and online will have to happen on the tax front at some point.
Re 20% short position - is there a cap/limit to the percentage of shares that can be out on loan?

Well the Brexit vote went well (not). 100 point drop for FTSE tomorrow?

Well all I can say is that there must be a few unemployed people on here - twenty or thirty posts in the afternoon - a few from new comers - tells its own story. Not all Newcastle United FC fans as well are we? :-)

Also I did not realise Debenhams had planes that fly in the sky and need petrol etc. Flyb does not sell perfume ot bed linen... different companies.. different sectors.. different issues... btw as far as we know Debenhams still makes an underlying profit - has a year to restructure its debts - and has a big asset it can sell - and online sales are increasing - and has a long term plan to cut costs including store closures.. so why should it go into admin again in the near future???

That's fine to say but you don't always know a company is in trouble - FLYB seems ok for a long time .. CAKE didn't have accounting issues... I could go on.. the reality is that it depends on your risk/reward appetite ... if you go for shares at historic lows .. you might get a multi bagger or it might go pear shape.. the trick is to have a spread of investments so its not the end of the world if one of your investments goes bust.. of course if you like safe but dull shares .. fine.
I see M & S are closing another 17 stores (see Telegraph online) including Weston Super Mare near me .. NO RETAILER appears "safe" atm

Last point - retail is a sector that has a cycle. Remember how Tesco was hit with profit warnings a few years ago? It recovered. Eventually Brexit will be sorted and people will start spending again - the retailers that survive - and have a decent online operation - will benefit. If Debenhams can present a decent recovery plan to the banks - it will succeed in its restructuring - of course the risk is D4E etc. I do believe most of us investing here are well aware of the risks - we don't need the constant reminders thanks

Hensun - this company was a FTSE 350 listed investment and worth over 20p (indeed 60p) not that long ago. It's not a dodgy AIM share or a junk share - its one of the largest retailers in the country with over £1.5 billion turnover and it was making over £100 million in profit not long ago. So get your facts right.
Of course no guarantee it will recover - no guarantee the banks won't pull the plug - but I invested in Next at 10p back in the late 1980s - best investment ever. I see some of the same here - bombed out share price - could go bust - we can all agree on one thing - it will either go bust OR recover. I respect your view - please respect those who are INVESTING here ok?

RogueRiver - welcome - yes it is painful for us shareholders to see the constant negative posting as well - it works both ways

It's clear some investors are reducing while others may be adding .. obviously SPD cannot increase their stake .. but have not reduced.
BTW I wasn't pointing the finger at any individual re negative comments - indeed some of the ramping (15p next week) is just as misleading and OTT - at the end of the day we all should use BB comments as one tool in our research when investing. As for the future - I doubt any material changes will happen over the next few weeks - Debenhams do not (yet) have to panic re securing new lending terms or reducing debt - Q2 at the earliest imho

Sorry but when you get comments like "receivership/admin first quarter" that's unfounded and a scare tactics imho

Agree - it was past owners/management who signed up the lease agreements. Noted Boohoo trading update today - I thought they had a profits warning a while back?

Sains, all your points were relevent when you held the shares!?
MA seems to want to buy the high street via any method possible. I fear it might all end in tears for him if he isn't careful