Is the market looking forwards or backwards?
If it’s looking backwards, it’s not looking very far… Shares in the typical UK company cost 15 times median earnings over the last ten years. That looks a pretty fair [...]
Frustration
One month in the life of the Thrifty 30 November was such a frustrating month. Every new idea crumbled into dust. The result: £7,500 of the Thrifty 30 portfolio in [...]
Casting (some) doubt on Castings
Paragon is leaking cash One of the things that attracts me to Castings is that listen to the doomsayers, it oughtn’t to exist. It’s a British manufacturer of iron castings [...]
Happy birthday FW Thorpe
Luminaire extraordinaire It’s the 75th anniversary of FW Thorpe and by far its biggest division, Thorlux. It’s also the first anniversary of the company’s inclusion in the Thrifty 30 portfolio. [...]
Outlook more cheery for International Greetings
No gain without pain The Christmas lights are on in Cambridge and I’m thinking about gift wrap, stationary, and card company International Greetings. It makes 50% of its profit in [...]
Smith & Nephew out on a technicality
Screens well… I’m fed up of companies that screen well but don’t stand scrutiny. The latest is Smith & Nephew, which looked like a shoe in, but, having painstakingly plucked [...]
Oh French Connection
On loosing faith Thursday’s trading update upended French Connection’s recovery credentials. The problem is its shops and department store concessions in the UK and Europe. There were 128 of them [...]
Shipbrokers and the long shipping cycle
lessons from economic history I urge you to read this *lecture (pdf) to the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, given by Dr Martin Stopford of shipbroker Clarksons two years ago. [...]
The meaning of Braemar’s diversification
Welding together non-broking business Having just profiled Clarksons, its impossible not to compare fellow shipbroker Braemar Shipping Services. Both provide a wide range of services, but primarily they broker deals [...]
Sailing into the future with Clarksons
A question of trust Judging by the stats, Clarksons is a no-brainer. But to add this company to the Thrifty 30 portfolio I must overcome two massive prejudices of mine. [...]
Sailing into the future with Clarksons
A question of trust Judging by the stats, Clarksons is a no-brainer. But to add this company to the Thrifty 30 portfolio I must overcome two massive prejudices of mine. [...]
Smith & Nephew needs transplant
Half hidden, half champion In its third quarter results last week Smith & Nephew reported shrinking margins in its Orthopaedic division, the result of tightening healthcare budgets in developed countries [...]
