Member Info for Racing_Green

Voted against.

RG

Cyber is right. This board has certainly had its share of rampers (remember matlot anyone?). And historically the nay sayers have been correct. But that doesn't mean they always will be. I've cautiously bought back in at a very modest level at 112 this morning.

RG

Huzzah. It's been a while...

RG

When interest rates were on the rise some here thought that that would be the silver bullet Metro needed. Others said rising interest rates would have no or negligible effect. Now rates are falling, those in the first camp seem to believe that's not going to adversely affect Metro, while those in the second camp think it will be disastrous for Metro. Perhaps, after all, in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king

RG

I agree lti. I took remember predictions of a return to £6/share being imminent. Matlot anyone?

Metro are pursuing a contrarian strategy by being branch-led. There is always space for a contrarian approach for sure, just don't expect the herd who have rejected your business model to be knocking at your door with generous buy-out offers. The SP will improve only when profitability is proven and consistent. That can't happen overnight.

RG

I hesitate to put my foot into an ongoing exchange of views between two posters, but I seem to recall that it was less than year ago Cyberdoggy was predicting the SP would stay static for the foreseeable at - from memory - about 110p. That looks outrageously optimistic in hindsight so maybe unfair to accuse them of always being negative. Just a thought.

RG

I think the problem jamrock is that the NHS has become sacred. It desperately needs root and branch reform. it's manifestly not fit for purpose. But no politician can dare criticise it. Every conversation has to start out with statements about how wonderful the NHS is etc. It isn't. It's a great concept that is malfunctioning. Let's stop putting it on a pedestal and have a grown up conversation about it

RG

Hi JJ

I think Theosus closed his account a year or more ago.

RG

So my prediction for the SP a week after H1 results was for a modest 10p increase to 130p. I got the amount right, just the direction wrong. I suppose - and anyone who has been with MTRO for a while will be familiar with this - it could have been worse! I still think we will see better this year. No dramas, no bagging. Just a gradual rise. But hey, what do I know?

RG

I think it would be fair to say that H1 results haven't boosted the share price. Slow burn would seem to be a good way to describe this share.

RG

Surely the point of a discussion board like this is to allow an exchange of views. None of us actually know what is going to happen in the future, with this or any other share. So everything we post is just a point of view. We can agree or disagree with others' views, but none of us can know with certainty who will be proved right in the long run. There was no rational basis for MTRO running up to £40 or so a few years back. Yet it happened. Someone, I forget who, suggested that the SP might hit 150p later this year and was promptly told that was ridiculous. And yet the SP had already been to 150p earlier this year. With more positive news since then, it's not unreasonable to suggest it might happen again. But even if it is unlikely, if your view is that it will happen then that is your view and I will respect that. It's no more or less relevant than mine.

For what it's worth, I'm a mixture of enthused and relieved by the results. Direction of travel is good, even if I do think we are on a slow train rather than an express. 150p at some point later this year? Maybe. Hope so as I have 28,000 shares here. If you believe it will happen, good for you. If you don't then good for you too.

Let's all just enjoy the ride together.

RG

I'll take the Pepsi challenge and punt for 131p close of business Monday 7th August, a week after results.

Of course, I could be way off.

RG

Yes and no Cyber. You are right regarding timing. The question is, is the reduction because those now in charge at Odey don't see any profit to be made from holding on, or because they are winding up generally across the board. Even in the latter scenario, they'd still be choosing the most advantageous timing within their target time frame. Closing now suggests to me they see a bump in the SP after the H1 results. Whether the bump is sustained is, of course, a whole different question. I remain of the view that we will see a slow upward direction of travel over the next year or so as MTRO's business performance improves.

RG

I have to agree with LegalBeagleUK. As the old adage goes "one Swallow does not make a Summer". It will take more than a couple of decent quarters to sway long term sentiment. Of course they're good news and of course it shows that MTRO is going in the right direction. But a way to go yet I feel. I'm expecting a slow but (mostly) steady upward trend in the SP barring unforseens with the economy as a whole. No fireworks. No multibagging.

I also agree with Cyberdoggy that any effect Odey had in the past has probably now run its course. At some point they'll buy back their 2% but it will be done in such a way that it has little if any effect on the SP. Much more important is if/how MTRO generate profits in the future.

RG

Couldn't happen to a nicer chap.

Sadly I doubt it will hugely affect MTRO but here's hoping..

RG

I completely agree. One for the longer term.

RG

Cyber is right. If they'd wanted to buy then they would have. Metro is ploughing its own furrow with its approach to retail banking. That's great for consumers but does mean it's not going to be an obvious takeover target anytime soon.

That said I added this morning. Not that my punt will shift the SP. I expect a modest, slow recovery in the SP for the rest of the year. No dramas. No takeovers. But what do any of us really know?

RG

I've either held shares or been tracking this for at least the last four years. In that time I don't think there has been a single month where someone hasn't predicted that this will be taken over, someone hasn't predicted it will nosedive and someone hasn't predicted it's about to take off. Probably all correct. Eventually. If they keep saying it for long enough.. Just not all right at the same time.

RG

I have to agree with you Cyber. Of course, there has also been a steady stream of posts giving reasons why its about to tank - remember matlot and his nonsense? Metro is on a gradual recovery path. Current wider banking issues aside, its SP should slowly move upwards to reflect this. No dramas.

RG

There seems little reason, other than latent distrust from previous experience, that this isn't back around the 220-250p mark. But previous bad experience always lingers longer than it should so I don't expect we will see that sort of number for a while. Positive 1Q numbers, positive 2Q numbers etc will chip away at the bad sentiment and assuming results continue to improve I think we will see 200p+ this year, but not this month or next. I'm not going to follow the advice of a previous poster to take profits now though he may be right in a very limited, modest sense short term, but then I have always had a longer term outlook with my investing.

RG