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Ian Pollard – Page Group #PAGE UK impacted by Easter, Germany 28% record growth
Page Group plc PAGE delivered a record first quarter with gross profits up by 12.3% after strong global rises everywhere except for the UK where the fall of 7.1% illustrated the abysmal state of the UK economy. – sorry perhaps I should not have said that, the real excuse for the UK apparantly, was the timing of Easter which leaves one wondering how the Germans which share the same dates for Easter, came out top with a record quarter and growth of 28%.
Tesco plc TSCO announces another year of strong growth for 2017/18. Despite challenging market conditions profit before tax leaping by 769.7% from £145m. to £1.208bn.The year also produced the 9th consecutive quarter of growth and a final dividend of 2p per share is to be paid, making a total for the year of 3p. Group sales rose by 0.6% or 2.3% at actual exchange rates.
BCA Marketplace plc BCA updates that it has traded ahead of market expectations and the positive outlook referred to in Novembers interim results has continued. The outcome is that profits for the full year have grown strongly and net debt is lower than market expectations.
McCarthy & Stone plc MCS claims that underlying trading in the half year to the end of February remained resilient despite a substantial 15% rise in the average selling price from £260,000 to £298,000. Legal completions showed a fall of 12% and not surprisingly profit before tax did not look very healthy with a slump of 52% and earnings per share more than halving from 3.3p to 1.5p per share. Net debt more than doubled from £30.4m to £75.9m. The interim dividend is tweaked upwards but the best that could be afforded in the circumstances was a rise from 1.8p per share to 1.9p.
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McCarthy & Stone – Divi Raised 80% As Profits Slump
McCarthy & Stone MCS blames the referendum for its poor performance in the 6 month to 28th February but doesn’t even attempt to explain why it should have been so badly affected. On the face of it, the ludicrous explanation makes it look as if management is scrabbling round trying to find excuses for its own weakness. Revenue for the half year fell by 5%, completions were down by 6% and profit before tax slumped by 25%. Net debt surged nearly fivefold. Management is however, perhaps wisely, determined to look after shareholders and is maintaining its “progressive” dividend policy with a rise in the interim dividend of 80%.
The total order book over the last 5 weeks is now down only 1% on a year ago which the company describes as ( please try not to laugh at this ) “an increase in sales momentum”.
HSS Hire Group HSS is basically a tool hire business but it looks like management took its eye off the ball so that its core business in 2016 lacked both growth and momentum. The aim for 2017 is to try and restore that momentum. Revenue for the year to 31st December grew by 9.6% but on a statutory basis last years operating profit of £6.8m was turned into a loss of £2.7m and the reported loss before tax rose by some 25%, reflecting, the company says, a year of investment. As is proper in these circumstances, the dividend remained unchanged at 57p per share.
Gooch & Housego GHH reports good trading in the 6 months to 31st March, helped by positive market conditions and favourable currency movements. The order book is now 70% up on a year ago but this is reduced to 17.2% without the benefit of currency movements.
Telford Homes TEF has gone into built to rent in a big way. Now there is only one reason a housebuilder will do that, namely that building to sell has become less profitable. A stark warning if ever there was one, for the house building industry. record revenue and profits are forecast for the year to 31st March and profit before tax is expected to be slightly ahead of market expectations. The non prime London market remains robust. Taken as a whole, this is definately not the sort of news expected from housebuilders. And if buyers are leaving the housing market how long will it be before investors start doing the same. Hands up any one who knows what a de -risked forward sale is ? Its a rental ! You have been warned.