Member Info for mole_man99

VOD specifically is a problem child. I am not discussing what form of investing is best, just pointing out again VOD is not a good company with a nice safe dividend.

If divs are yer bag, find another stock.

Div reinvestment has not worked for VOD holders since 2011.

I agree with your points, if it is in the correct company. VOD is not a good company to be doing it in.

If you are relying on a div stock for income, the risk is always there the div gets cancelled, and you then find yourself in the situation of having to sell to buy some other income source, but your pot is cut in half as the sp has fallen, so your income from the new income source is probably half or less.

I started posting again when the covid fall happened as I saw people touting the nice safe dividend. If you need a dividend for income, VOD div is never safe. Too much debt and poor financial management.

If you are only interested in accumulating, then the total returns is key, and including divs, VOD is back to 2011 levels. Just because it pays a div, it’s not safe.

The risk of holding this time is same as covid. SP drops to a new low, but doesn’t take part in recovery to previous levels.

Buying back shares diverts capital away from investing in the business, and it’s left VOD as an indebted husk open disruption.

Sell

Dan, 33% voted for labour, so I update statement to , if enough vote for change in the inner city seats that have an uneven impact on our voting system vote for change.

66% of us don’t want Labour.

Politics does have a place here because VOD, and every other UK listed company, has fallen victim to international investors opinion of the UK. Without them investing, UK assets shall weaken. UK investors need to be aware of this. Politics.

You can see it in the London commercial property market. REITs are being valued 50% under asset value. The once shining star of the world is considered a third world hole to be avoided.

They are desperately scrabbling for cash as they have none left, or some way to keep the grift going.

Whatever they come up with, it won’t be good for shareholders.

Dan I’m a small time pleb with no power. I can’t make changes happen so as an individual investor I must go where is best for me, and it’s not the UK market anymore.

Will keep an eye on it to see if enough UK citizens vote for change, but maybe I’m the only one who sees what is happening.

Shall I summarise the mini budget of doom?

Growth to be well below inflation up to 2029, so uk will get poorer in real terms.

Rachael stands no chance of hitting self imposed budget constraints, so is tapping the sick and disabled and cutting 10000 government jobs, which won’t save all the billions needed.

UK 10yr is highest of any developed country. The bond market doesn’t want to lend to Uk.

Meanwhile 300 to 500 new benefit claimants turn up on a beach near Dover, every day.

I love the UK, but we are finished economically. Invest elsewhere.

Rachael from accounts coming out to prove UK is doomed today. Doomed I tell yer.

Germany big time doomed on its current path of socialist stupidity, though AFD are gaining fast so that may change.

Meanwhile tech growth companies are taking over, and annoyingly they are all US, cause who would invest in UK right now?

Doomed.

Massively overbought last week by investors who thought US growth was over so hunted around for divs.

Yesterday the Trump tariff threat subsided as companies fall over themselves to invest billions into manufacturing in USA. Hyundai, Nvidia SoftBank all investing heavily in US manufacturing, to name a few. Billions of capital rotated back to risk on US stocks.

We are in a global market and little old UK is not interesting to the big money that moves markets. We will endlessly suffer until an economically competent government is in power.

The merger was always a minus. It’s VOD publicly admitting they can’t invest in their own infrastructure due to high debt levels, and they could reroute cash from divs and buybacks into investment, but then that would reveal the divs and buybacks are a mirage.

They are looking at other routes as a placing can’t raise enough now. Be amazed if they find any other form of lending that doesn’t wipe out holders in this climate.

Once unlisted, you then have no way to cash out really because Hornby is not in good shape and will just continue to struggle. Maybe they come back to market 10 years later, but the actions they took while unlisted probably diluted you to such an extent that your holding is worthless.

Don’t get trapped in an unlisted company, especially one with tough prospects.

There is a tiny chance they’ll buy your shares off you after delisting to tidy up the register, but I doubt it will be for any more than you can get today.

Sell up, learn lesson, move on is what I would do.

How about the optimism from 20 years ago?

Cost to extract thinly spread gold dust with Irish wages, $3001

Always been the problem.

Tesla is doing fine for me. Back in the buy more zone for sure, but it's a good comparison for what I'm saying. $40bn in the bank and increasing, but no buybacks or dividends, because they have too many exciting things to hold back the cash for.

VOD should be accuulating cash. Long term that type of company will do better for investors. It's down 27% inc divis since our gentlemens bet started. Tesla is flat but will accelerate with nutty 2026 and 2027's lining up.

Invest in companies doing great things for long term outsize returns.

Find gold raise money spend it. That is the business plan here.

Sell while you have something left. The next placing will be brutal.

A sad day. Think they won PLC of the year in 2004 then downhill all the way from there. Just consistent bad management.

The truth is, majority phoenix have protected the few individual holders left who will at least get something, as it is headed for bankruptcy with loss of all shareholder value.

Ask any Hornby retailer. They will confirm.

Sure thing.

Buybacks are for dying companies and selling assets to pay a div is unsustainable. Discuss.

Bond yields rising as they are across the globe is not going to be good for VOD. German 10 year at pre financial crash levels.