Richard Ratner
Richard Ratner
emergency heard managers meeting
We've heard there is an emergency managers meeting today.
clear lower margin
Inference is that margin will be lower because of need to clear stock.
business double five four huge next pity potential profits suspect
It would be a pity because we think there is huge potential in that business to double profits over the next four to five years, but if 40 pct of your shareholders want out, then I suspect that is what may happen.
although argued gone perhaps rather since
New Look has gone well since going private, although it could be argued that perhaps it is doing rather too much at once.
develop difference high operations putting sensible town whether
It's a sensible idea to develop e-commerce. But whether putting the whole high street/out of town operations under one fascia makes any difference is a moot point.
anyone bulls buy cling commit funds hope market poor thinks until
It's a poor (Boots) statement. The bulls will cling to the hope of a bid, but will anyone commit significant funds to buy a retailer until one thinks that the market has bottomed?
business clear indication looks thinks volition
It looks as if he is going of his own volition which is a clear indication of where he thinks the business is going.
additional bid looks management raise unable
This looks like a knock-out bid as the management, in our view, would be unable to raise the additional finance.
ceiling competition fierce million next pounds value worry year
We still worry about next year, with fierce competition at the value end of the market, and...still look for a ceiling of around 800 million pounds on (fiscal year profits).
cent fifty per unless
Unless it has fifty per cent off or more, it is not selling.
christmas people talking uk worse
We thought they'd had a worse Christmas than most people expected. They had a better Christmas, and they're talking about UK GAAP at the upper end of the range.
anyone bid question whether
We question whether anyone will bid for the company.
alan anyone bid doubt question run whether
The question must be ... whether anyone could run it better than Alan Giles. Thus, there must be some doubt as to a bid emerging.
below board group per price rejected share since surprised valued
The price is below our expectations, since we valued the group at up to 210p per share and so we are not surprised the board has rejected it.