Member Info for mald

Sbuild 10.02 :- "Trump wouldn't put up with this crap". Most sensible educated people would not put up with Trump, matey.

arsenal58, You hint that the number of account holders is dwindling, thus the fall in profits. This is not the case as regards account holders. 2016, 14 million UK active account holders, 2017 14 million UK active account holders. I never said that Santander was the best, only that it was not the worst and still represented a reasonable deal. This born out by the number of active account holders in the UK holding steady whilst, presumably, Santander makes more profit off the back of it. Exactly what you should be looking for as a share holder in my opinion.

arsenal58, So far as I am aware there has not been a fall off in the number of accounts over the last 12 months. Although annoying and frustrating the cut in the interest on current accounts still represents a good deal at 1.5%. The fall in profits roughly equals the fall in the value of the � v the Euro post referendum, still don't blame me I didn't vote for it!!!!!

in my opinion is the political situation in Spain, but far more relevant than this, the fall in profits from the "jewel in the crown", Santander UK, down 23%, a large fall by anyone's standard I sold the remains of my holding at �5.05 3 months ago, with the intention of buying back in at around �4.50. A lack of funds, thankfully, prevented this, and now I am unsure what my re-entry point should be. Think I will await the settling of the dust which may be as low as �3.25 to �3.50. At that point the divi, even with withholding tax at 20%, is still in excess of 5% if maintained at it's present level. From my privileged position I await the outcome.

Anyone know why the filter button no longer works?????

Based on what??????????

Well that was unexpected, a dividend of 5.4% at the halfway stage. Totally out of my calculations. The market would appear to unimpressed by the maintenance of the dividend and {for the share price] perhaps they should have started to make cuts to it now rather than waiting until next November when, if the trend continues, cuts will have to be made. Still I will bank the dividend and say thanks very much, whilst staying hopeful that the market has a re-think and the share price rises on the back of this, what must, at the present share price, be considered a gigantic dividend. You cannot but admire the boards positive outlook in the face of all this adversity.

The way I view the present share price is:- dividend halved to 4.9 pence [full year], would equal 8% at a share price of 61.25p [around it's present price]. That, I think is how the market, at the moment, views CNCT given the area they trade and their future prospects.. If correct, then on Tuesday 1st May when the half year figures are released the interim dividend would be circa 1.65p. Any more than this figure then, in my opinion, the price will rise commensurate with whatever more, percentage wise to maintain 8%, CNCT pay out. Any less and I am off to the loft with a piece of rope!!!!!!!!!!!. Next Tuesday will tell.

Taken from the RNS dated 22/01/2018, "mean that we now expect full year adjusted profit before tax for the continuing operations to be in the range of �42m to �45m, with current dividend expectations underpinned by a continued good cash performance". The closing share price on 21/01/2018 was �1.05 and the rns must have been written before the "great fall" of 22/01/2018, to .76p. If, as the RNS stated, "current dividend expectations underpinned by a continued good cash performance" are maintained then one would expect an interim dividend of around 3p.. Should this materialise in the half yearly figures due on 01/05/2018, then, with the current share price, [always providing the dividend is covered by earnings], one would think and expect a large rise in the current share price. One can only wait and see what that price might be, but must surely be a large percentage increase from it's present level. On this basis I would rate CNCT as a strong buy, bearing in mind the above caveats. All the above in my own opinion.

Orangetree, Connect Group will become a relic of the past. P.S. Long-term shareholders should avoid this stock. They have been saying this since it was spun off from W H Smith, [That, presumably, was why it was spun off]. Those that brought in when it was spun off have recouped all the money their shares cost through their divi's. How many shares can you say that about? You write them off at your peril.!!!!!!

Taken from RNS 25th April 2017 half year results. Full year results due 26/10 Continuing Adjusted results(1) Six months to 28 Feb 2017 Six months to 29 Feb 2016 Change Revenue �911.8m �916.8m -0.6% Operating profit �26.6m �27.8m -4.4% Profit before tax �23.3m �24.5m -4.8% Earnings per share 7.6p 8.0p -5.3% Statutory results Revenue �940.5m �948.4m -0.8% Operating profit �28.3m �30.6m -7.5% Profit before tax �18.1m �19.2m -5.3% Earnings per share 5.9p 6.3p -6.3% Interim dividend per share 3.1p 3.0p 3.3% Free cash flow �12.4m �18.0m -31.2% Net debt �149.9m �160.9m Hope that helps.

tony, how does selling a large chunk of your business equate to expanding your business. Perhaps, if you sell successful parts of your business in order to purchase less well performing business's, you might well make a fou-pah and finish up with a poorly performing business. This makes no sense to me unless the sale would raise more than the business is worth, and with the uncertainties of Brexit and all that that entails perhaps that is the case. Beware of what you wish for as this sale [should it ever happen] might be the precursor to a very big disaster for more than just one group of banks

Ryan air say that their business is a rostering error for annual leave with their pilots. As someone who had responsibility for the rostering of train drivers and their annual leave among'st other things, that would seem to be a very poor excuse if not a downright untruth. The most likely cause, in truth, is the rumor that 140 ish pilots had jumped ship [or plane] to Norwegian air and this would obviously make for massive cancellations in the order of that which we have seen. An annual leave problem would be over a few weeks not 7 or 8 months. Of course this could be a cover up for far greater problems within RYA and their business model. Either way, it would seem to not bode well for RYA share price over the longer term or, indeed, the shorter term. Perhaps now would be a good time to exit while some value remains. You pays your money [share wise] and takes your choice

Received a phone call from HSBC invest direct asking "do I wish to purchase my rights at 4.85 euros or did I wish to sell my rights at an unknown amount" No contest, opted to buy and increase my holding by 10% whilst [hopefully] averaging down and also will receive the 6 euro cents dividend on the new 10% on 2nd August.

I have watched this on a steady downward trajectory for almost a year. Anybody know why as I cannot find any particular reason for its steady decline.??

The last acquisition of a bank I remember was that of Lloyd's taking over HBOS, this to save the blushes of the then chancellor Gordon Brown who would otherwise have had to organise a government bailout. The chairman of LLoyds [Eric Blanc, aptly named] being a personal acquaintance of "Gordons". This really successful bailout resulted in the government having to bailout the, previously, only successful British bank who had, up to that point, avoided getting involved in the disastrous financial "trailer rental scandal" that brought so many banks down. This at the time of the 2008 financial meltdown with Lloyds shares falling over 90% after this "old buddies exercise". Excuse me if I am less than enthusiastic over this "opportunity" and I will be baling out of this as soon as the chance presents itself.

I used to work rostering people with zero hour contracts. They only made up a small percentage of the number of staff on the roster [about 7 or 8 out of 205] and all without, exception, had chosen to work that way as they liked the flexibility that the contract offered and none wanted a "proper contract " and the obligation that the contract would have put them under. Although not everyone wants a zero hours contract there are lots of people out there in the real world that do.

The share price drop is more likely to be the sale of the scrip divi shares. {see my post of 24th Oct page 3 of this board]. It makes sense to take the shares then sell them any time after the ex divi date, but see the post to make sense of it.!!!!

Crystal What you could do is work out your dividend [your holding divided by 87 = number of shares that you will be given on or about the 14th November]. As they are now ex divi you will get them no matter what you do now. You can now sell that number out of your present holding making it the equivalent of taking it as cash,but with an advantage. As an example,if you have say 8700 shares, you will receive 100 shares in November, then sold at £4 = £400 less your dealing costs. If you had taken the cash option you would then have received 8700 x 4.5 euro cents = 391.5 euros - 20% Spanish withholding tax = 313.20 euros divided by 1.14? [euros to the pound] = £275 ish. Quite a large percentage gain against taking Santandar's original cash divi.!!

I did the same [sold some at 3.6419, 11/10] brought back in at 3.5445 yesterday and sold again today at 3.6405. The hope being that when ex divi next Tuesday, they will fall [usually about 12 to 15p soon after going ex divi. Alternatively will buy back on Monday if they show a 10p fall and still claim the divi.