Mothercare Discussion Board http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion http://www.iii.co.uk/icons/logos/uk_logo.gif http://www.iii.co.uk tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9215873 Daily Mail | 27-Jan-2012
http://bit.ly/zdN2i5 By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9215873&action=detail Fri, 27 Jan 2012 07:44:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9191212 By GEOFF FOSTER
9:46 PM on 20th January 2012
http://bit.ly/xRY68r By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9191212&action=detail Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:20:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9184155 Thursday, Jan 19 2012 by ExpectingValue
http://bit.ly/xxnlK2 By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9184155&action=detail Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:27:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9169772 By GEOFF FOSTER
10:01 PM on 16th January 2012
http://bit.ly/zQTQyu By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9169772&action=detail Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:31:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9153073 Thursday's most followed: Red Emperor Resources, RBS, JD Sports Fashion, Thorntons, Halfords Group, Mothercare, Booker Group, Cape
http://bit.ly/x9SPzb By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9153073&action=detail Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:32:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9150514 http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9150514&action=detail Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:18:00 GMT superleeds80 tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9106996
Rubbish share

Who would want to buy so they can get 2p dividend next week (4th january!!)

Lol buy in now and price under 150p on ex dividend day and slow fall to 130-140p!!

Anyway good luck holders dont say I didnt warn you........ By Starhero ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9106996&action=detail Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:09:00 GMT Starhero tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9064911 http://bit.ly/sLZ31j
Tuesday, 13 December 2011 By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9064911&action=detail Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:29:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9061552
.. And the rest -): By hopefull2 ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9061552&action=detail Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:56:00 GMT hopefull2 tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9060170 Nick Fletcher
Monday 12 December 2011 17.08 GMT
http://bit.ly/vRflTa By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9060170&action=detail Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:39:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9055346 Paul Mason is in the frame to lead Cinven’s break-up bid for the troubled baby goods chain, which could see UK stores jettisoned
Ben Marlow and Kate Walsh Published: 11 December 2011
Recommend (0) Comment (0)PrintFollow Business Paul Mason could spearhead a buyout which would see major changes for Mothercare (HO)
Cinven, the private equity giant, is plotting an ambitious break-up bid for Mothercare, the struggling baby goods chain.

The buyout firm wants to team up with an experienced retail executive to spearhead its plans. The favourite for the job is Paul Mason, chairman of Cath Kidston, the homeware and fashion retailer. He has worked with Cinven several times in the past.

Although the plans are understood to be at an early stage, Cinven is looking at a complicated deal that could see Mothercare’s troubled UK stores jettisoned so the business can focus on its betterperforming overseas operations.

Mothercare has 352 British stores, employing 7,500 people, and nearly 900 outlets across continental Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The retailer also has shops in China and India.

Cinven’s move is opportunistic. Mothercare has joined a string of retailers whose profits have been hammered this year amid the worst high street conditions in recent memory. Earlier this month, Alan Parker, the chairman, admitted the group had lost its way. It plummeted to an £81m loss for the half-year, from a small profit in 2010, as it struggled to absorb the costs associated with its £85m purchase of Early Learning Centre in 2007.

A private equity takeover of Mothercare would see it leave the stock market, bringing the curtain down on nearly 50 years as a publicly listed UK company. It is believed that several private equity houses are weighing possible bids for Mothercare, but Cinven’s plans are the most advanced.

Last year, the private equity company and Mason tried to buy Netto, the discount food chain. They were pipped at the post by Asda, one of Mason’s previous employers. He has about 30 years’ experience in retailing with a string of high street names.

His career started at Mars and he has held senior posts at B&Q, Asda, Matalan and Somerfield.

Mason also teamed up with Cinven in 2004 to try to buy the Safeway supermarket chain, which eventually fell to a takeover from Morrisons.

Since it was founded in 1977, Cinven has bought various retailers. In Britain, it has previously owned Allied Carpets, Hamleys and Peacocks. At €6.5 billion (£5.5 billion), its last fund was one of Europe’s biggest.

A bid for Mothercare will face several hurdles. Although the company’s stock market value has slumped 74% this year to £136m, Cinven will still need to raise financial backing. Private equity firms enhance their returns by buying businesses using debt.

However, with the world economy in tatters, nervous banks have significantly reduced their lending in recent months. Convincing any institution to support a risky takeover of a UK retailer is likely to prove particularly challenging.

The number of big British retailers struggling to handle the appalling high street conditions has surged.

Last week, Blacks Leisure admitted it was looking for a rescue bid, as revealed in The Sunday Times the previous weekend. A day later, the Barratts shoe chain collapsed into administration.

HMV, JJB Sports and Thorntons have also struggled in 2011. Analysts say more will follow in the lead-up to Christmas, the most important period for many retailers.

Shorty By shorty3 ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9055346&action=detail Sun, 11 Dec 2011 09:52:00 GMT shorty3 tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9055015 DANIEL JONES
By James Quinn
9:30PM GMT 10 Dec 2011
http://tgr.ph/vFDj2n By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9055015&action=detail Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:19:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.9027014 ')" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/2011/12/02/shares/directors-deals/directors-buy-ahead-of-a-market-rise-YC1rpLs1eB4olccrAkej2L/article.html

Directors buy ahead of a market rise
By Robert Ansted, 02 December 2011

We don't always agree with the directors decisions to buy their companies' shares and this week we highlight one very good example of this - the transaction that took place at Mothercare. We also take a look at a topical renewable energy company.
Whalley wades into Renewable
The chief executive of onshore wind developer Renewable Energy Generation , Andrew Whalley, has shown his confidence in the business by splashing out £38,400 on shares just over a week after fellow director David Crockford was also in the market for shares.
Mr Whalley’s move comes in the wake of changes to the government’s incentive scheme for renewable power generation, the Renewables’ Obligation. This reduced support to onshore wind by 10 per cent, threatening smaller scale installations but, according to the company, not greatly affecting the larger capacity projects in its pipeline. Earlier in November, REG received its final C$3.76m (£2.34m) tranche of deferred payment from the sale of its Canadian wind assets for a total realisation of £57.5m.
This money is being ploughed back into the business during its current cash hungry development phase. In the year to June REG received consent for 25.3MW of wind farms, followed by another 10MW since the year end. Another 100MW is expected to be submitted to planning during the current financial year.
Graeme Davies
Parker expects better times
Mothercare chairman, Alan Parker, has taken advantage of the plunge in the children's retailers share price to boost his holding. Mr Parker - who since the departure of former chief executive Ben Gordon last month will be running the retailer on a day-to-day basis until a replacement can be found - bought 150,400 shares for £202,000 in two separate transactions. So far his faith has been amply rewarded, with the share price climbing 22 per cent in the week since. We wouldn't chase the shares though. Although Mr Parker has wasted no time in implementing a much needed strategic view, analysts suggest it may not go far enough in addressing the significant short-comings in the competitiveness of the loss-making UK business. Against a backdrop of fierce supermarket competition and the increasingly challenging task of persuading hard-up UK families to part with their cash, we believe the shares remain a sell at 163p.
John Hughman
Director buys
Company Director Date No. of shares Price (p) Value (£)
Admiral Manfred Aldag 10 Nov 11 1,919 870 16,695
African Barrick Gold Derek Pannell 24 Nov 11 7,000 493.61 34,553
Ashmore Nicholas Land 21 Nov 11 14,000 318.4 44,576
BCB Peter Gaze 25 Nov 11 30,000 17.25 5,175
British Land Stephen Smith 24 Nov 11 50,000 457 228,500
Burberry John Smith 24 Nov 11 518 1141 5,910
Carillion Andrew Dougal 28 Nov 11 5,000 291.9 14,595
Carphone Warehouse John Allwood 24 Nov 11 6,500 303.9 19,754
Chemring Sir Peter Norriss 24 Nov 11 1,000 395 3,950
Close Brothers Bruce Carnegie-Brown 24 Nov 11 10,000 615.9225 61,592
CLS John Whiteley (cfo) 24 Nov 11 201 555.88 1,117
Devro Simon Webb (fd) 24 Nov 11 4,000 247 9,880
Elektron Technology Keith Daley (ch) 18 Nov 11 100,000 22.89 22,890
Elektron Technology Keith Daley (ch) 22 Nov 11 300,000 21.25 63,750
Equatorial Palm Oil Geoffrey Brown 25 Nov 11 31,171 13.45 4,192
Europa Oil & Gas Bill Adamson (ch) 22 Nov 11 150,000 6.7 10,050
Feedback David Barton 23 Nov 11 200,000 1.05 2,100
Fenner Richard Perry 23 Nov 11 856 356.457 3,051
Ffastfill Keith Todd 25 Nov 11 48,780 10.25 5,000
Ffastfill Hamish Purdey 25 Nov 11 100,000 10.5 10,500
Ffastfill James Oliff 25 Nov 11 29,268 10.25 3,000
Ffastfill Nigel Hartnell 25 Nov 11 29,268 10.25 3,000
Gable William Dewsall (ceo) 22 Nov 11 300,000 22 66,000
Great Portland Estates Nick Sanderson 23 Nov 11 16,694 327.5 54,673
Hampson Ind By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=9027014&action=detail Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:38:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.8994100 ')" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/54178570-1673-11e1-be1d-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1ehu8oaQi

Last updated: November 24, 2011 10:47 pm


By Bryce Elder and Neil Hume
Mothercare rose 15 per cent to 149½p, helped by vague talk that the troubled retailer may be a takeover target for an Indian retailer. By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=8994100&action=detail Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:21:00 GMT SpikeyDT tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.8993211 TOBY GREEN FRIDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2011
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sharewatch/market-report-is-mothercare-taking-baby-steps-towards-future-sale-6267667.html

Is Mothercare taking baby steps towards future sale?

Is adoption the next step for Mothercare? Investors in the mother-and-baby retailer were hoping so yesterday after the struggling high street stalwart bounced up the mid-tier index following rumours it may be attracting the attention of private equity.

Despite it hardly being a fresh idea, the vague speculation – which suggested a possible price could be in the region of 200p a share – prompted Mothercare to shoot up 19.5p, or 14.99 per cent, to 149.6p.

Although talk of potential bid interest from private equity has been rarely far away, the idea has been given new impetus by the crash in the group's share price. The retailer has issued three profit warnings in 2011 alone, leaving it more than 75 per cent lower than at the start of the year.

Not everyone was impressed by the mutterings, with dealers playing down the takeover talk by pointing to recent director share buying. Meanwhile, others in the City were dismissive of the idea that a potential bidder would be interested in the retail sector given the well-documented woes facing shoppers. By SpikeyDT ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:MTC.L&display=discussion&id=8993211&action=detail Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:09:00 GMT SpikeyDT