Member Info for NigeCo

I suspect that Brexit won't happen. The pound will rise in advance of this possibility. The window of opportunity may well be closing for any cheap ITV bid.

ITV have content that rivals want/need.
Share price spiking now.
Bidders get in line.

I would agree Trent,

I would expect a low-ball offer to start with, it's then up to our BOD's to show what they're made of.
Interesting times ahead, I hope.

"Nigeco & co - except none of this comes from do gooders, retirement age of 75 comes from the rabid right wing."

Aus,
My point was referring to the governments of the UK, who choose to give away our tax payers money to other country's who's troubles we are only too pleased to step in and help them out financially. Money that we can no longer afford to pay out. We have enough problems in the UK without taking on the rest of the worlds problems.

Sorry that you purchased some at 270p Solley.

i don't see 270p without multiple bids.

Hi Trent.

with respect, a 140p takeover offer would be laughed at by the ITV BOD's, and quite rightly so.

I would think that any offer would have to be around £10 Bln.
- Net Debt of £1,080 = Gives a share price of 193p per share.

Anything less would be selling shareholders short. IMHO.

Agreed Jinja,

it's about time that we put our own house in order first. I feel for people who suffer through no fault of their own around the world, but feel that we can't be responsable for the worlds problems. This is not our problem. the gift that keeps on giving (the UK) should stop for the good of our own people.

"Media 'trophy asset' sporting huge back catelogue. Potentially of interest to mobile/broadband networks, Silicon Valley titans (eg Apple, Amazon, Netflix) and content owners (eg Disney, Sony)"

https://www.equitydevelopment.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/UK-plc-%E2%80%98going-for-a-song%E2%80%99-270819.pdf

The problem with this country is we have too many do-gooders who are only too happy to give tax payers money away, cash that we can't afford to give away. There only has to be a disaster anywhere in the world and we'll be first in the queue, with our Billions to give to them. It's time that we stopped doing this generous gift, that the country cannot afford. When we have a NHS on it's knees, our own people sleeping rough, and now talk of increasing the state pension age. It's time for the UK to put its own people first and stop giving our cash away.

https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/companies/news/901859/has-itv-found-an-unlikely-friend-in-brexit-901859.html

ITV has often blamed Brexit for holding back ad revenues, but the government’s £100mln splurge on the ‘Get ready for Brexit’ campaign could help the broadcaster to beat full-year expectations.

Brexit could actually help ITV PLC (LON:ITV) to top expectations with its full-year results, according to analysts at Liberum.
The FTSE 100 broadcaster has often maligned Brexit and the uncertainty it has created for causing its major clients – retail, travel and leisure companies – to hold back on their advertising spend. But the government is set to spend £100mln over the next two months on a public information advertising campaign ahead of next month’s departure date, encouraging the public to be prepared. City broker Liberum expects around £30mln of that budget to be spent on TV ads, and they argue ITV, given its dominant position as a public service broadcaster, should be in line to receive a decent chunk of that.

“We see traditional media such as linear TV & Outdoor claiming the majority of the total spend given the need for extensive reach, and thus highlight ITV & JC Decaux as main beneficiaries,” said the analysts in a note to clients.

“For ITV, this will increase the chance of a TV advertising revenue growth guidance beat both in Q3 (-1% to +1%, with the rugby world cup also helping on comps in September) and in Q4 and the FY with advertising spend in October.” The note added: “Most importantly, given the timing of the announcement, this spending won’t be in guidance for either of the companies.”

ITV shares were up 0.5% to 116.5p on Monday morning, valuing the company at £4.7bn. Shortly before the Brexit vote in 2016, the stock was trading at almost double that.

Hi Trent,

I take your point and agree to a large extent.

The reality is there may not be a predator waiting in the wings. However, I keep coming back to why does Liberty Global who own close to 10% of ITV. What are their intentions? I don't see them wanting to be shareholders indefinitely, do you? Either LG have intentions at some point to bid, or they think that ITV will be took over and at this stage they will cash in their chips.

At some point the ITV share price will recover one way or another, bid or no bid. JMO.

Fleccy..."Is everyone in shock at the share price going up?"

The doom and gloom brigade have gone quiet? Lol

I absolutely concur Trent,

I can only think that any potential predator is hoping that we leave the EU without a deal, this could result in further weakness in the ITV share price, and also the UK pound against the US dollar. With signs of life in the ITV share price this week, maybe now would be the ideal time to strike a deal.

I think that Brexit is already priced in the share price .
A EU deal would start a BIG rally in a lot of under performing stocks like ITV.
Any potential ITV predators must be tempted at this valuation?

TV share price: where now after stock falls 30% over last 12 months
The British broadcaster has struggled over the last 12 months with its share price losing close to a third of its value, but its stock seems to have stabilised this summer as it looks to diversify its revenue streams. Over the last 12 months, ITV has seen its share price fall by almost 30%, with the prospect of a no-deal eroding businesses willingness to spend, weakening demand for TV advertising and hurting the British broadcaster’s revenues.

ITV recorded a 7% decline in total external revenue to £1.48 billion in its half-year results, driven by a 5% slide in advertising sales. Meanwhile, adjusted EBITDA and earnings per share both fell 13% to £327 million and 6.2p a share respectively.

ITV shares find support
While its stock has lost close to a third of its value over the last 12 months of trading, since May its share price has finally found support, with it not dipping below 104p a share over the summer trading period. Over the last five days, its stock has traded 5% higher sitting at 117p a share as of 15:25 GMT on Thursday, with the broadcaster looking likely perform better over the second half of the year.

ITV on track to deliver full-year guidance
In its fourth quarter, ITV is set to launch its new streaming service BritBox in the UK, which could provide it with a lucrative new revenue stream if it is able to grab the attention of consumers in an increasingly competitive market. BritBox already has more than 650,000 subscribers in the US. Over the remainder of the year, ITV plans to deliver £20 million in cost savings and remains on track to deliver double-digit online revenue growth. ITV also remains committed to delivering its full-year dividend commitment of at least 8p a share. However, economic and political uncertainty continues to impact demand for advertising, with total advertising forecast to be in a range of -1% to 1% in its third quarter (Q3). ITV will release its Q3 results in November 12.

IMHO, the over due re-rating of the ITV share price is on it's way.
Is the market about to wake up to the true value of ITV?
130p short-term target. JMO

QUESTOR
Richard Evans
Which bombed-out British stocks will be next to fall to takeover bid?

Suddenly takeovers are all the rage. A string of London-listed businesses have attracted bids in recent weeks, as the weak pound and a sluggish stock market have combined to make British firms cheap, and Questor is wondering who will be next.
Already sold

The firms tipped here that have been bid for over the past year or so include Greene King (at a premium of 78.4pc to our tip price), Sky (89.1pc), Cobham (24.5pc), Manx Telecom (0pc), Merlin (18.2pc), Zoopla (42.5pc), Dairy Crest (2.5pc), Premier Technical Services Group (21.8pc) and SafeCharge (91.9pc).
What do buyers look for?

Businesses likely to attract takeover interest tend to have moderate debts, a record of cash generation, backing from assets and a strong competitive position, all of which reduce risk for a potential buyer. Sectors already consolidating and the presence of “activist” investors are other positive factors. Naturally, a share price that has fallen heavily will appeal to price-conscious buyers.

Target No 1: ITV
Questor has consistently noted ITV’s strengths, such as its valuable back catalogue of hit shows, but the shares have still lost 34.1pc since our first tip in October 2016. Sky has already succumbed to a bid and the American billionaire John Malone owns 10pc of ITV.

Bought volume £29 mln
Sold volume £12 mln

https://www.lse.co.uk/SharePrice.asp?shareprice=BT.A&share=BT

BSspotter,

I don't see ITV being the white knight for ETO. With the weak ITV share price, it would have to be an all share deal. If the ITV share price was at 200p maybe yes. But, I honestly don't think that ITV are in a strong financial position with ITV having debt of over £1billion.

Rob, if you click on the link enclosed below, you will see that the share price showing trades at 15:15, I would think that the LSE website hasn't updated the correct trades to the end of trading, hence the wrong shares price.

https://www.lse.co.uk/ShareTrades.asp?shareprice=ITV&share=ITV

Entertainment One, the film and TV production company behind Peppa Pig, became the latest listed company to reveal that it will fall into the hands of foreign buyers last week as it agreed to a £3.3 billion takeover by American toy maker Hasbro.
The deal to buy out Entertainment One’s shares at £5.60 each in cash helped the share price spike 31 per cent on Friday.
However, they ended the day at £5.82, which is comfortably higher than the offer price.
This suggests that investors feel a bidding war for the company could yet break out.

Could a rival bidder come out of the woodwork this week?