Member Info for SurreyCarrie

I see from the Shorttracker website that Mangrove Partners have a short position in DGOC equal to 3.75% of the company. They are the only shorter. The short was taken out on 15 May so the June acquisition lifting the shares 25% will have hurt like hell. They have not increased the short position since the acquisition. Shorters often short companies they think have aggressive accounting policies. Any ideas, guys, what these might be ? Alternatively, Mangrove might just be bearish on the oil price.

It is sinister that there are more sellers than buyers with the share price hitting new all time lows every day. If somebody knows something negative, the FCA will investigate recent sales as you would struggle to explain reasons for a sale on the current consensus forecasts in the market, unless you have inside information. Nobody has profits to realise. Could be a large institutional seller not disclosing (it does happen) although lord knows why they would be selling at this price. No known short positions are being built either - shorts are the usual bellweather of more bad news. Odd. Rising probability of either an activist, or a bid at this lower level given shareholder dissatisfaction. The CEO's strategy isn't working - opinion - and he's presided over serious shareholder value destruction - fact. But the Board looks cosy and dozy and looks like nobody's challenging the CEO.

MoD cutbacks mean very valuable technology scattered across several quoted defence companies with falling share prices. Most of these companies have both MoD and DoD accreditation. This sub-sector is now very ripe for consolidation.

Most UK retailers' shares have taken a hammering in recent weeks (Next, Bon Marche, N Brown, Ted Baker and Mothercare) on subdued trading on the back of consumers holding back ahead of the referendum and for fashion retailers, because of the cool weather. Carpetright hasn't reported a slowdown yet but the institutional investors are betting that it might on the basis carpets are bigger ticket items than clothes. Downgrades to forecasts are therefore being priced in. Carpetright shares are cheap if there is no downgrade to forecasts, but the stockmarket is canny and rarely gets these things wrong, in which case Carpetright shares would fall further. Meanwhile business rates are crippling most bricks and mortar retailers, but this is not new news.