Hello Share Smokers. What with worries about China, Ukraine, supply problems et al, you would expect the Honkers Bonkers bank (HSBA) to be up against it. Not so, according to the latest half year results. HSBC’s big cheese said ‘We are confident of achieving a return on tangible equity of at least 12% from 2023 onwards, which would represent our best returns in a decade.’

 Not content with giving shareholder democracy a good shafting today, Ironveld (IRON) and its directors stand accused of making defamatory statements about GM Requisitioner Richard “Nobody likes me and I don’t care” Jennings who tells me that his lawyers are now working on a defamation action.

Headlam Group (HEAD) has announced a “pleasing” half year performance and that it “remains on track to meet market expectations for the year”.

Describing itself as “the global leader in sustainable LED lighting for industrial applications”, Dialight (DIA) has announced half-year results emphasising “revenue growth of 27% at constant currency over the prior period comparator… profit doubling to £3.1m… order book, 4% ahead of last year and marginally ahead of December 2021”. So what of a share price currently up to 295p?

Provider of software and services to the publishing industry, Ingenta (ING) commences a trading update with that it “is pleased to confirm that trading in the six-month period to 30 June 2022 has shown a return to revenue growth” and the shares have currently responded up to 90.5p. However revenue is vanity, so what about the valuation?

Seraphine Group (BUMP) has announced results for its year ended 3rd April 2022 including that it “has continued to follow its purpose to be 'with mums for the journey', providing fashionable, affordable, sustainable and innovative clothing and products for expectant women and parents… Our innovative product range, international reach and strong underlying economics put us in a robust position to focus on returning the business to profitable growth”. So what of a current 27p share price?

If the bird on the right, and I assume she is a bird but who knows these days, is a fashion expert than I reckon I am qualified to translate Peer Gynt from the original Norwegian into  Somali. I digress, in the comments section below feel free to supply either a caption or ,perhaps, more usefully to explain what this bollocks is all about and how any investor can make money from it. I defy even Jimbo to master that one.

Today’s GM at Ironveld (IRON) was a farce with Chairman Giles Clarke (Rugby and Oxford so obviously a  scholar and a gentleman so beyond reproach) refusing to take any questions and showing an utter contempt for democracy.  There were 4 attendees.

I start with a defence of the privatised water companies on leakage but then discuss their debts and the debts of others, consumers and corporates and how they will cope over the coming year as base rates go from 1.25% to 3.25%. Then I look at La Willingham's Nightcap (NGHT) and what it is NOT saying as it opens another bar for posh a'hole Oxbridge rejects at Bristol University. Then onto Procook (PROC) and Wildcat Petroleum (WCAT).

The Mrs and I have worked hard this summer on upgrading our luxury Greek mountain retreat with pool but a late cancellation means that it is still free to rent for three weeks between now and the end of the swimming pool season. Full pictures and booking via AirBnB can be found HERE but as a reader of this website if you want to book contact me direct and we can cut out the middleman.

Another busy global corporate earnings season week awaits. I am looking forward to the thoughts of Greggs (GRG), Taylor Wimpey (TW.), Rolls-Royce (RR.) and Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) among many others later this week, but today a few thoughts on Cranswick (CWK) and James Halstead (JHD).

Hello Share Carriers. Oil jumbo Shell (SHEL) remains one of the few shares still left in my bag after a dash to cash a month or so ago. That’s because the bubbly oil price can only translate into bigger profits for the black stuff boys. Net profit for the third quarter was 26% higher than last time at $11.5 billion, thanks to those chirpy oil prices and post Covid demand.

A little under three years ago, I first wrote about Smith & Nephew (SN.), which “designs and makes technology that takes the limits off living, and we help healthcare professionals to achieve the same goal”. All good stuff, but - as shown by the 70% fall in share price since October 2019 - life for this sort of business has got more tricky.  And the then-CEO did not listen to my advice: that he needed “to focus on performance and not pay”. Unsurprisingly, he has left, chasing more money… So, what about the new(ish) CEO and prospects for Smith & Nephew shares, now at a five-year low?

I haven’t written about Tintra (TNT) for some time.  Since I last did, it has continued to sort out its legacy business, seeking to build its new model from the disaster that was St James House (previously Boxhill Technology).  It has raised monies at high premiums to its share price, and appointed several impresing-sounding individuals to the Board.  The self-styled “rapidly innovating Deep Tech & Banking business” continues in a similar vein, with the following AGM statement:

What day is it when the City is about to depart on its summer holidays, the first day of the Commonwealth Games and England’s Lionesses are about to contest a final against Germany? It is, of course, a good day to bury bad news. And so, just as the Stock Market was opening and traders not on holiday had their eyes on the market, it was announced that fully-listed Finablr (FIN) was being consigned to the dustbin from the London Stock Exchange, with immediate effect. Blink, and you missed it.

Here are five long reads that have nothing to do with shares. Put the kettle on, find a comfy chair. You have the time, don’t you? 
 

The half-year results to April 2022 for AIM-listed holiday resort in Crete outfit Minoan (MIN) were released on Friday, at 1.55pm – just as the City, having tucked into a nice Friday lunch, was settling down to enjoy the Commonwealth Games. In other words it was no-one-is-watching o’clock – the offence compounded by it being deadline day too. Not a great start!

Grab a cup of tea, sit back, and test your knowledge against the other ShareProphets members. Write your score in the comments, there are no prizes, and most important of all – no Googling!

These are the most-read articles and most listened-to Bearcasts of the week. The most read non-Tom article is Fun (or not) at easyJet, Unilever and Rolls-Royce by Chris Bailey at number three or number eight if you include Bearcasts.

Red Rock Resources (RRR) has announced the issue of £0.623 million of convertible notes, and that “near-term positive financial developments may be anticipated” – can they be, though?