Ian Pollard – Taylor Wimpey Sees Surge In Profits

Taylor Wimpey TW With profit before tax surging by 46.8% during the six months to the first of July Taylor Wimpey saw demand for its homes remain strong in the first half despite some wider macroeconomic uncertainty.The interim ordinary dividend is to be increased from 2.3p per share to 2.44p. The number of homes completed fell […]

Ian Pollard – Weir Group #WEIR, 50% rise in oil, gas & shale revenues

Weir Group plc WEIR performed strongly in its main markets and first quarter orders grew by 22%, with minerals up by 13%. Oil and gas led the way with a 50% rise after strong drilling and completion activity in North American onshore. Further success was encountered as it became the preferred provider to major shale […]

Ian Pollard – WPP #WPP, not a pretty year

WPP plc WPP “Not a pretty year” says Sir Martin Sorrell about his companies performance in 2017.Top line growth was flat and operating margins and profits were either flat or only marginally up. To add to the gloom, 2018 has had a slow start which managed to be above budget but in January like for […]

Unilever Ice Cream Sales Melt In Europe

Unilever plc ULVR Reports that emerging markets drove third quarter sales growth with underlying sales up by 2.6% and, over nine months, by 2.8%. Total third quarter turnover however was down by 1.6% after a 5.1 % currency impact. Developed markets were a problem and remained challenging, with turnover, led by of all things, ice […]

Lloyds Banking – Another Billion Pounds of Dirty Washing

Lloyds Banking Group LLOY claims it is transforming its Key Customer Journey and if you look at the additional billion pound or so compensation which it is being forced to cough up to customers whom it cheated over the years, it certainly needed transforming. In the second quarter it had to make additional provision of […]

Headwinds and Challenges Impact Reckitt Benckiser

Travis Perkins TPK The real truth about the state of the UK economy is beginning to bite. With like for like third quarter sales growth falling to 2% and an uncertain UK outlook, TPK is to close over 30 branches and 10 distribution and fabrication centres. In addition challenging market conditions led to Plumbing & […]

GKN – Headmaster’s Report; Can do Better, Must Do Better

GKN plc GKN The collapse of sterling was to bring a new dawn for what was left of British Industry, lied  Diddy David and the rest of his old Etonian clique of rulers. Well the truth is that it hasnt, at least not yet.  All it has done is help companies to mask performances which are […]