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Agree it looks good. And would I be correct in thinking that the FCA Review has finished / is coming to end with a positive outcome too?

Agree, that the update appears positive. And would I be right in thinking that the FCA Review has concluded in a positive way too?

https://www.globalcapital.com/article/b1lv0w3pkm2dlj/direct-line-blows-out-in-sterling-with-rare-tier-two

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ask-your-bank-to-pay-for-cancelled-trip-says-insurer-direct-line-c5khp3rq7

https://www.stockopedia.com/articles/why-direct-line-insurances-dividend-is-looking-safe-to-me-80458/

https://www.sharesmagazine.co.uk/shares/share/DLG/broker-views

https://www.fool.co.uk/investing/2020/06/23/dont-know-what-stocks-to-buy-id-buy-cheap-ftse-100-shares-in-an-isa/

Now, Direct Line Insurance Group (LSE: DLG) isn’t on the index of Britain’s top 100 shares. It came within a whisker of being promoted from the FTSE 250 in the most recent FTSE 100 reshuffle, however. And it could still be elevated to the prestigious blue-chip index before long.

I reckon the insurance giant is a top value share for both growth and income investors. As well as a forward P/E multiple of around 11 times, Direct Line has a monster dividend yield just shy of 9%. It shares the same sort of near-term protection as Glaxo in that insurance demand doesn’t tend to falter significantly during economic downturns. In fact, in the case of motor insurance — the company’s single most important product segment — it’s something that we are legally obliged to buy whatever the weather.

But this isn’t why I’d buy Direct Line shares today. I’m encouraged by the huge investment it’s made in marketing its brands, a strategy that helped total gross written premiums rise 5% in the first quarter. And I like the insurer’s intense cost-cutting drive to create a leaner earnings-creating machine in the future.

CNS shares shot up 50%+ on Friday alone because they happened to mentioned in a report on the growth potential in cybersecurity by a US market research website, and it's made me wonder whether BMN may one day end up in a similar position if there is similarly influential research done into shares due to profit out of VRFB technology and the like.

Also, as a comparison, CNS has not made a profit in 10 years, so if BMN were to be tipped in a similar manner when we're already a profitable company you could see an even bigger rise than 50% as a result of the tip alone.

It's only a matter of time...

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/922864/corero-network-security-rockets-after-profile-in-ddos-report-922864.html

Well done Clones & Somtam for getting over the 1m shares mark! You clearly have a bit more down the back of the sofa than I do haha!

Oh yeah, I had forgotten about APC but think Riddler convinced me to invest a few hundred in there back in 2014, and yes I lost most of it! Felt v silly!

V interesting - I'll do some research and take a view when the dust settles.

Congratulations Jolly - you've clearly picked a winner here! :)

What has caused this sudden 50% rise? haha

HaleSpur, Completely agree - Bushveld continually seem to fail to play the AIM RNS game.

I find it infuriating waiting months between RNSs and then the RNS is excellent news but super long-winded and difficult to digest unless you already know a lot about the company already.

This is something they really must improve upon.

https://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/shares/2020/06/25/bushveld-production-up-prices-down/

from 3.05% to 4.26% of Direct Line

Hahaa sounds like a silly day trader

That's an interesting point and probably correct - why should the BOD make buys to signal they know the share price is too low now to the AIM market only when they can wait to signal it to both AIM and the JSE at the same time?

Brilliant post, Daisydog. Don't think I've ever seen one post get recommended 56 times haha!

Completely agree. I'm a longterm holder since late 2013 and truly believe BMN will trade at 100p+ but I must admit it's taking far longer than I ever anticipated for Bushveld to trade at anything remotely close to its fair value

For the record, I've never even sold a share even at 48p because I've always believed Bushveld was worth far more than what it has traded at; and - after such a long wait - I'd hate to sell myself short or sell too early and watch it continue to rise upwards.

So, even though I have made money here (being honest), I have found it a rather frustrating experience being invested here, and yet I love the company and am continually impressed by their progress, and so I find the idea of selling shares a really difficult thing to get my head around.

Yet, as you've alluded to, one day I will have to push the button, and it would be nice if it was at least just slightly undervalued rather than ridiculously undervalued.

Hahaa blimey, I've been humbled very fast there! In hindsight I probably should've taken a punt

Well done all :)

Surprised to see this fall when it was already at a discount to its peers (Admiral, Hastings, etc). Hastings has actually risen about 9% this week, which makes it all the stranger the market has cottoned to the fact that Direct Line is undervalued yet.

Having bought in at 279p and 274p I'm sitting on a small loss but I'm still as bullish as before, having done plenty of research both into the company, the reason why the dividend was suspended / why it's likely to be restored, how this share compares to others in the sector, and about the fall in the amount of driving (look at how fuel duty has plummeted) and reasons why motor claims will have fallen in frequency and perhaps also in terms of severity.

Once DLG bring back their dividend and probably give a special dividend on top, you'll have loads of yield-seeking income investors and funds pile into this share. Once that happens the share price will soar to much higher levels.

The Prudential Regulatory Authority put pressure on DLG (and all insurers) to suspend their dividends but once the Direct Line evidences to the PRA that they're actually having an incredibly profitable year, they'll start making announcing their intention to give it back. It's only a matter of time but I strongly believe we're onto a winner here.

FY Results out today and they're in line with what they had already advised so no surprised in there really, with revenue and profit down yoy as a result of political uncertainty slowing down the housing market during 2019 and the final few weeks being affected by covid.

The money they have decided to invest in the DigitalMove system etc are already looking v smart in today's world.

If I expected the housing market to grow I would invest in the company today because I do like what they're doing and the shares are fairly good value based on the results coming out now (PE of approx 12 and EV/EBIT ratio of 10). But, as already said, I believe the housing market will fall and so I expect ULS's revenues and profits to fall further in the current financial year ending March 2021.

I could be proven wrong because it is possible for a company like this (small and innovative) to grow whilst the sector contracts but the safer option is to continue sitting on the sidelines for now. Will instead invest in DLG for the time being.

Good luck all.

RedNinja, thanks for your response.

You're right, things are easing up, and that will help the economy etc. And you're 100% right about the money that ULS could make out of all the people remortgaging to take advantage of historically low interest rates etc. My concern is that the money made from remortgaging will not be nearly enough to make up for the reductions elsewhere.

I haven't done tons of research into this company though so I could be completely wrong.

Let's see what they say in tomorrow's RNS. Best of luck to you.

TheCarto -

I completely agree with you. I believe BMN will be 100p+ one day. I just try to avoid saying it because I know it sounds rampy, but I genuinely do believe this, and have done for a very long time!

* another share I like but wouldn't invest in right now is called Volution (FAN) who seem to be a fantastic company producing all sorts of different ventilators and things to improve indoor air quality but are sadly really quite overvalued in my opinion too. Just thought I'd mention it if anyone disagrees? haha