Member Info for MaryBr190

If the US futures hold up the SP at the open it might cap the move.

Guess the 4p won't help. Maybe Mr Market will shoot up the price 🤔 to confound us all.

Underwhelming for sure. Shocked by the op loss. Ageas could well walk away here.

Will buy on weakness though as I like jam.

Have just cancelled my Privilege policy as it was up 80% from last year. No thank you.

Shock operating loss, lucky for the fireside gain on the disposal.

Ageas should move today. Popcorn ready.

4p only, lower end.

This is key for me. The white flag is up. Investors are done waiting.

More jam than Hartleys !

While the picture has improved, we need to do more to drive performance and we have identified immediate actions we can take in 2024 to create value, including substantially reducing our cost base, driving claims excellence and optimising pricing capabilities whilst returning us back to higher quotability levels.

Lucky the markets are positive this am.

In many ways ... especially the King's X noticeboards and London. Woke n broke.

The bull case is...

It looks increasingly likely that Ageas will come back with an improved offer after it appointed Deutsche Bank to work alongside its existing list of advisors on the bid.

Any bid would need to be made by 27 March, six days after Direct Line’s results.

The set up...

UK

Direct Line takeover speculation still rife as results approach

Published: 11:58 15 Mar 2024 GMT

Direct Line Insurance Group PLC (LSE:DLG)’s final results on Thursday, 21 March come hot on the heels of its rejection of a takeover bid from Belgium’s Ageas last week.

Indeed, “investors will be keen to hear thoughts from management and details on ‘further initiatives’ supposedly coming” in the results, according to Hargreaves Lansdown’s Matt Britzman.

Ageas’ offer had valued Direct Line at £3.17 billion, comprising of 120p in cash and one new Ageas share for every 28.41107 Direct Line shares.

“There’s still plenty hanging in the balance,” Britzman added, with speculation around takeover deals propping up the share price.

Aside from takeover talk, motor insurance price hikes will likely be a key point of contention in Direct Line’s update.

That said, “Direct Line was slower to raise prices than the wider market which means it’ll take longer to feel the benefits than peers”, Britzman commented.

Any commentary from new chief executive Adam Winslow on plans to improve margins will therefore be awaited, he added, with Direct Line still facing a “long way to go” in regaining investor confidence.

Per DLG. ... a lot riding on the presentation today. Let's have a good one.

The Board is confident in Direct Line Group's standalone prospects given its strong strategic position, powerful brands, and robust capital position. Adam Winslow will take up the role as CEO on 1 March. He is tasked with refreshing the strategy and operational focus of the Group with the clear objective of returning to a sustainable level of operating profit over time.

The 14p ship sailed long ago, however that would be a gamechanger is reinstated. (100% hope 1% likelihood)

A ship steadying is the order of the day, not a slalom through the rapids.

Last Sept this was a half year the commentary...

Direct Line soars as insurance deal with Intact overshadows losses

By Radhika Anilkumar and Khushi Mandowara

September 7,2023

Shares up almost 15% after Intact Financial deal

Sept 7 (Reuters) - Shares of Britain's Direct Line (DLGD.L), opens new tab soared 18% on Thursday after it agreed to sell its brokered commercial insurance business for 520 million pounds ($648 million) to bolster its capital as it struggles with financial losses.

The sale to Canada's Intact Financial (IFC.TO), opens new tab announced late Wednesday would help in increasing the company's solvency ratio on a pro forma basis by about 45 percentage points, Direct Line said.

"This transaction makes strategic and financial sense, despite there being a tail risk of the run-off of the commercial back book reserves," Peel Hunt analyst Andreas Van Embden said in a note.

Shares in the home and motor insurer, which have fallen more than 30% this year, rose 15% to 173.4 pence, as the deal overshadowed results showing it fell to a first-half loss.

Direct Line has had a tumultuous time as high inflation and supply constraints due to the war in Ukraine and the pandemic pushed up motor costs.

Its CEO stepped down in January.

"First-half earnings are clearly not at an acceptable level yet," acting CEO Jon Greenwood told Reuters.

"We have been taking significant pricing actions, which are starting to take effect."

In its results statement, the company said it would reviewing its motor business.

"The improved Motor margins now being achieved should provide a platform to support an improvement in operating profit into 2024," it said.

It logged an operating loss of 78.3 million pounds for ongoing operations in the six months ended June 30, compared with a profit a year ago.

"The weakness of Direct Line's motor insurance arm remains a concern although, again, the firm is taking steps to bolster its performance," analyst at trading and investment platform eToro Mark Crouch said.

"However, it is far from being out of the woods."

The dead cat strategy, also known as deadcatting, is the strategy of deliberately making a shocking announcement to divert media attention away from problems or failures in other areas.[

The kitchen sink is a phrase that refers to the many activities and tasks that need to be done. The phrase can be used when someone is overwhelmed with work and needs to get things done as quickly as possible.

Over the next weeks...

He can deliver a better, puts off the bidder, bidder withdraws, shares tank, buy the dips....

OR

Could we be presented with an agreed £3.30+ offer and be done ✔️

Hard to say as they seem clueless 🙈.

Can they make it worse? Even if they try to make it better will Mr Mkt agree.

Still believe the idea was to throw out the kichten sink.

A deadcatting move. Hopefully not as that would mean we are being distracted from much worse.

Shock and awe coming up.

The man with the plan, better have a great one.

Warriers lol

It makes me smile when I read about keyboard barriers in their echo chambers.

Always be positive and courteous to others, even those who disagree.

What I post is usually fairly live info to inform, spotting some things before others are aware. Many others do the same. When someones asks a question, I respond when I notice it. Anything posted is never advice, but what is posted is honest.

My snooker racking works on the whole well. If others choose to pick holes then it does not really matter.

Why don't other make trading suggestions if they are so sure and successful? The Boards would be interested and could ignore the post quite easily.

Above all the abuse of others on forum threads can sometimes surprise me by the venom.

I do not do spats.

As always, take care and gl with you positions.

Mx

Unfortunately the economic clouds which have hung over the likes of China more recently have had a detrimental effect on the share price for Prudential, if not for its long term prospects. The shares have fallen by 23% over the last year, as compared to a rise of 4.5% for the wider FTSE100 and have now dropped by some 49% over the last three years in a painful reminder of the ground which needs to be recovered. Nonetheless, this lag in the share price has seemingly strengthened the resolve of bulls of the stock, who remain highly confident of the group’s longer term prospects, as evidenced by a market consensus which continues to come in as a strong buy.

Ok how so? 🤔

Roll on 7am

Powell's chat atm sending US higher, should help the opening.

50k here 150k there. Good high rollers. Best of British.

Hope for a pop that last longer than 15 mins like PRU and ABDN and SN. of late.