Member Info for Walkley

"We now have a very clear revised strategy and business plan, which is already being implemented. We have identified annualised cost savings of circa £18m, primarily from reducing overheads. These cost reductions will return Mouchel to profitability and underpin our long-term growth strategy. Our banks are supportive and have agreed further amendments to our facility agreements to provide flexibility in the implementation of our restructuring plans." The current management of Mouchel seem to have a clear sense of where they are going and we should end up with a leaner profitable operation - just how much of it we will own is the question.

Hope you are right - The market seems to have gone very quiet after the excitement following the Sunday Times non story. Two numbers to look for tomorrow - net borrowings (hopefully going in the right direction) and exceptional costs - as high as possible showing they really have taken action reorganise the company and to show a healthy underlying profit on which the company can be judged. I expect a rights issue and whilst thought it might come on April 2nd , it appears that April 2d meetings are internal briefings for the troops explaining the new strategy. I think for this to have any credibility the banks will have to have been promised their kilo of flesh so expect details of rights tomorrow. I have no inside info, all based on supposition. I still think that this business is worth more than £13m. Fingers crossed.

Another earnings enhancing acquisition. "IDOX has acquired Opt2Vote Ltd, one of the UK's leading providers of electoral managed services and innovative democracy solutions. IDOX will pay an initial consideration of £2.7m, with a further payment of £0.8m in 2013 dependent on the achievement of certain financial performance conditions. Opt2Vote reported revenue of £3.6m and operating profit of £0.5m in the financial year ended 30 June 2011 and on completion will have £0.6m of cash. The acquisition will be funded from IDOX's cash and debt facilities."

Yes looking a bit brighter but still tiny volume

Creeping up -last deal at 22p but only tiny volumes (£25,000 traded). Why the massive spread?

Touche, pikey. But they doubled their money in a month and still own 4%

If blaming the previous guy was an Olympic sport, British bankers would be a shoe-in for gold. That they still have 10% is OK by me. And Henderson have increased their stake to nearly 6%

Being positive, the fact that these Schoders shares have been overhanging the market but the price has risen is good news. Assume that the drift down before the results is due to understandable nervousness about what they will contain. Lets hope that Shearer and Rumbles have got the bad news out of the way already and that trading results and prospects are better than the market expects and that Goldman will work their (highly paid) magic to keep some significant value for the existing shareholders. £16m seems cheap to me for a company of this importance, but there is a risk.

On 7 April 2011 Schroders had 23m shares in Mouchel. They have been gradually selling them off and are now down to 12.2m. Mouchel has cost them a lot of money -I believe that partly as a result the guy running the part responsible has been replaced! Anyone with more than 3% holding has to issue a rns when move over a 1% boundary (either way) Schroders now own 10% previously they owned 11%. If you are new to a share it is worth reading old rnss.

and again another 3.5% up. Forgot to mention 9.25p dividend last year. Now increased to 10p!

Whilst I applaud your positive approach, Mr Meerkat, things have moved on since then. The key bit is in the November 30 preliminary results: "It is intended that a restructuring of the Group's balance sheet would take place prior to the end of the current financial year in the interests of the Group and its stakeholders. This restructuring may include the injection of sufficient additional equity capital to enable refinancing of the business or a change of control (the 'Restructuring'). If the Restructuring is achieved by 31 July 2012, then, depending on the timing of the Restructuring, either no restructuring fee would be payable or a fee of between £1.5m and £3m would be payable. In the event that a Restructuring is not achieved by 31 July 2012, an amendment fee of £8m would be payable. Such additional amendment fees shall be payable on the earlier of 31 January 2013 or the date of the relevant Restructuring. Pending the repayment of the Group's banking facilities in full, the restriction on dividend payments will remain in place." Realistically they have 4 months and rereading this I would expect a big rights which would dilute those who did not take it up considerably. The trick is deciding what he market cap of a £500m t/o company with minimal borrowings should be and then working out what share of it would belong to existing shareholders.

Nothing new that I can see. About 30p a share in cash. Plus some oil prospects and a team who have the resources to find more oil. Seems cheap to me but I am biased.

If you like Costain have a look at Breedon (BREE) - they supply crushed rock and in the Midlands concrete to build all these roads and other infrastructure projects.

Nice looking graph http://www.google.com/finance?q=LON:COST but unbelievably still 6% down on the year

Could is the operative word. The share price could soar. At the right price existing shareholders would support what is a basically sound company. It says the firm declined to comment. but as we have already heard they have commented internally . They really should be saying something publicly. They must know the figures that they plan to release next week. Putting them out early or at the very least issuing a calming statement would help.

At last some reaction - this company needs a good share price so it can take over the aggregates/cement world! I suppose someone has recognised that road building (to be announced in Budget) will benefit Breedon - lots of good assets bought from companies in administration. Last traded at 22.15p (+14%)

Do you have a point about the AGM if so tell us what it is and stop cutting and pasting stuff we already know. Are you shorting this share?

With 8m shares traded most at 14p or higher then buyers must be matching (or better) sellers and then trend is positive. I am basing my hopes on the underlying strength of the company, a £500m t/o company, properly managed, should have a higher market cap than this; even allowing for a possible rights issue. Latest price 14.9p

If this is an internal @mail within Mouchel shouldn't Mr Rumbles be making a similar statement to shareholders via the the Stock Exchange?

Ignore the Buys / Sells as shown on LSE. As an example two trades both at 14p, 9 seconds apart one shown as a sell the next as a buy - just because the "Ask" price had changed. I am sure the ST article was just a journalist coming late to the Goldman Saks story - they are the in the news at the moment - rather than a deliberate attempt by someone to lower the price for their own ends. I don't think you are allowed to manipulate prices are you?