The good news: most Conservative leadership candidates are discussing lower taxes.  However, the best way to cut taxes is to reduce expenditure and grow the economy*.  Good luck with the latter two in what is an ageing population.  It can be done, but I fear how the world is shifting: more tax for all!  What fun (not). 

I do quite like receiving a food delivery from Ocado (OCDO). It is not cheap but the quality is good and it is certainly better than going to a restaurant or something like that. However - as I last detailed HERE three months ago - it is a “good job I prefer Ocado’s food delivery to its shares”, especially as the nearly £6 billion market cap company has felt the need to raise nearly £600 million in an equity raise. What is going on?

About three months ago, I noted that, before I bought back into the shares, I needed to see a >10% fall in the then c. 265p Tesco (TSCO) share price. We are not there yet, given this morning's 248p price, but what did its Q1 update say about the tricky path ahead?

An "excitable" Monday on the markets! I see that it has helped pull the FTSE 100 back to a small loss year-to-date. Well at least it is a lot better than peers in all the rest of the developed world. Meanwhile, did you see the headline that “Asda and Morrisons drop prices to help struggling shoppers”. So what does that mean for names such as Tesco (TSCO), J Sainsbury (SBRY) and Ocado (OCDO) among others?

Hello Share Toters. This old punter is downsizing. That means selling stuff on eBay. That was very profitable in the lockdowns as ordering by mail boomed. Now far fewer folks are buying my tasty gear. Latest figures on online buying bear me out. According to the Office of National Statistics, retail sales fell by an unexpected 1.4% in March. And February's sales figures were also revised down. Most of this decline being due to online selling.

Hello Share Placers. I sang the praises of Tesco (TSCO) recently. But I also rate the chances of Sainsbury (SBRY) improving its share price. Like Tesco, it did well before Christmas with trading better than expected by the City. My local store has had a few gaps on the shelves caused by the general transport supply problems, but it’s not too much to worry about as customers will find alternatives.

Hello, Share Chasers. There may be glittering prizes around for some folks holding some shares. I refer to the craze among foreign private equity outfits for eyeing up British companies, some of which are household names. A reasonable stratagem then is to buy shares in likely targets. But what are the best bets?

Hello, Share Crunchers. With the battle for Morrisons (MRW) still going on, one is tempted to look at the other big British supermarkets to see if they too will become targets. There’s been some speculation about Sainsbury’s (SBRY). One possible buyer has even been named: US buy-out outfit Apollo.

I believe there is a football game at 8pm later today (sorry Italy, but someone has to lose) but – helping to make sure the family has a range of nice things to eat and drink whilst watching the game – Ocado (OCDO) is dropping around at the house in a few hours time. It might describe itself as ‘a publicly-traded company that develops software, robotics, and automation systems for online retailers’, but specifically in the UK it has switched from working with Waitrose to now working with Marks & Spencer (MKS).  

Hello, Share Fans. Over most of my long share writing life I’ve cautioned against investing in the big British supermarkets. This is mainly because of the constant price warfare which erodes profits. But the times are a-changing. The pandemic has shown just how vital supermarkets are to general living. Furthermore, we are now going to have far more homeworkers. And that gives workers more opportunity to buy food to cook in their own kitchens rather than eating out or buying from sandwich shops at work.

Like a complete geek I enjoyed earlier this week having our shopping delivered by Sainsbury’s (SBRY).  I was not the only one demanding such a supply and in today’s third quarter update, Sainsbury’s mentioned that it now has more than eight hundred thousand weekly house sales.  

We review monthly the performance of the top shorted London-listed shares as at the start of each year. For 2020 the final review is HERE and, from the FCA’s spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, we now have the top shorted London-listed shares as at the start of 2021 (those in bold remain from 2020)…

A rare one for you today as I wrap myself in a red flag and criticise a company juxtaposing a special dividend with job losses. The company in question is Sainsbury (SBRY), where I am actually a loyal shopper and would heartily recommend its online delivery capabilities – which I have tapped for the first time in recent months. However for all its capabilities there, I think it has bogged up with the combination of the announcement of necessarily high profile job losses at the Argos division and the announcement of a special dividend…

Do you believe that British Land (BLND) has everything under control after announcing earlier today that it had collected 88% of office and 36% of retail rent due to it for the June quarter? As for what is still owed to it, it is engaging on a 'case by case basis'. You bet it is... As I wrote in late May, 'I guess anyone can get a high rent collected metric if you fudge through deferral, forgiving it or moving it to a different schedule...that still sounds like a future day of reckoning to me'. The shares are lower than when I wrote on the stock above and suggested shareholders should be selling at above four quid a share and that non-investors should not bother…

Hello, Share Crispers. With the markets closed it give me another chance to cheer up those who take part in our beautiful game. Though I expect you have higher hopes for your portfolio than you had two weeks ago. There’s light in the tunnel. The government health advisors tell us so. As I write, the Footsie is up 3.5% Here are some other reasons why our at least some of our shares could soon rise a lot more than that.

Hello, Share Crunchers. Several folks were filmed by BBC news last night trying to hold onto loads and loads of toilet rolls outside supermarkets which held special openings for the infirm and elderly. Why? Are silver shoppers confusing the virus with dysentery? This week I featured in this modest column the attraction of investing in Wm Morrison (MRW). It made a small profit increase even before the panic buying started. I argued that it should do even better now. I would like to extend that optimism to all four big British supermarkets...

A busy earnings Wednesday, so let us dive in…

I am travelling at the moment, so my routine is a touch different to normal but I had to smile at the disclosure from the British Retail Consortium in the early hours between yesterday evening and this morning, which showed that retail sales rose by 1.9 per cent in the five weeks to December 28th...

It was a mixed-up morning for me with some family and business obligations, so I was a bit less focused on today's regulatory news statements early this morning. Habits die hard however and after ticking off my other engagements, I am back at the desk piling through the rather lengthy list of company updates and musings today...I have got to start with luxury car perma-dog Aston Martin Lagonda (AML), which I last commented on at the time of its very expensive bond issue. Today's Q3 results are even described by the company as reflecting 'challenging trading conditions' and you can take your pick of exciting metrics…

Hello, Share Scramblers. Of all the British supermarkets, I suppose I have the least expectations of Sainsbury (SBRY). And I’m rather glad I dumped my shares a couple of years ago. A look around my local branch, while not being that reliable, doesn't inspire me too much. There seem fewer customers these days...

The last time I talked about the shares of Sainsbury (SBRY) I concluded that the results were 'truly all over the place'. After today's update I would say the data has actually got worse…

Hello, Share Triers. Sainsbury (SBRY) has been in the news lately. Unfortunately, that news was worthless in the end. The powers-that-be decided that food bills could rise if a merger went ahead with Asda. So all bets are off...

How was April for you? Well Next (NXT) had a good time as per today's trading update observing that 'full price sales in the thirteen weeks to Saturday 27 April were up +4.5% on last year. This was +1.3% ahead of our internal forecast of +3.2% for the first quarter. We believe this over performance versus forecast was mainly as a result of unusually warm weather over the Easter holiday period, which was particularly helpful to our Retail stores'…

Hello the global earnings season. This is a quarterly reality which makes my life periodically very busy...but what could be more interesting than zoning into the latest thoughts of a bunch of corporations around the world? Three in the UK market capture my attention today…

I noted last month that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) really did not help out Sainsbury's (SBRY) with its aim to merge with Asda and push back positively against some of the negative trends it is facing in today's UK food retail market, by asking for lots of store divestments (300 versus the 150 originally offered).  This is why Sainsbury's shares are skulking around a one year low. 

Like some of the other writers on ShareProphets I sometimes turn my hand to sharing a few pearls of wisdom with the younger generation at some of our Higher Education institutions.  As i only really know about one thing - finance and investment related matters - it will not surprise any readers the subjects i talk about.  It will also not surprise anyone that I try to refocus the students away from mathematical explanations to a broader palate of qualitative and interpretative insights. 

Another day, another bunch of trading updates to review…

Hello, Share Smoochers. A day or two ago, I mentioned three ships in my personal share bag which could come sailing in on Christmas day. Or before. Now let me pick three of my babies which are not my favourites in the hectic Yule run-up…

Hello Share Bashers. Though still holding shares in Tesco (TSCO) and Morrison (MRW), I’d rather I didn’t. Only inertia is keeping these unexciting shares in my bag. Yes, the share prices are generally on the upward march, but progress is oh, so slow.

Early this year we showed the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2018. How's the latest performance?...

Early this year we showed the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2018. How's the latest performance?...

Time for a food retail update.  I was slightly surprised by the purchasing hookup between Tesco (TSCO) and the French-listed behemoth Carrefour which was announced on Monday.  You all know how loved-up i have been with Tesco over the last little while and - reciprocating my passion - the shares have popped above 240p big technical resistance level in recent weeks as I had hoped (and mused upon here ).  Anyhow, Monday's announcement is no sector ball-breaker but rather part of a search for marginal gains.  

Early this year we showed the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2018. After the latest month, how's performance?...

It is undoubtedly too early to congratulate the newly married couple as you don't put two of the big four food retail names together and get it through the competition authorities without some strife, but Sainsbury (SBRY) and the Walmart-owned Asda are doing the right deal for themselves and the other big food retailers. Of course for employees some will unfortunately lose their jobs.

There is only one story in the financial papers today - the advanced stage talks between Sainsbury (SBRY) and Asda owner Walmart about merging the two UK operations. I discuss what any marriage, a marriage born of desperation, would mean for staff, customers and shareholders.

Hello, Share Cats. For many years I’ve held shares in the Morrison (MRW) supermarket empire. I am still about 10% down on my choice. I also hold Tesco (TSCO) and Sainsbury (SBRY), but I save my highest hopes for Morrison. In fact, my Tesco and Sainsbury shares should have been sold years ago.

In Greece in a couple of weeks they will celebrate Easter with real eggs dyed a range of bright colours. It was, as it happens how we used to celebrate here as well. I remember my mother preparing such eggs on our hippy dippy self sufficient homestead in 1970s Northants. We did it at Easter to celebrate the re-birth of Jesus, the idea of new life bursting out. Don't tell kids today but that is why we all have eggs at Easter.

Hello, Share Peckers. I’ve just recently named three of my shares I have high hopes for. So to balance the boat, I’ll now nominate a trio of not-so-hopeful members of my portfolio. Three shares that I plan to sell as soon as the market indicates the best time.

Hello, Share Trudgers. Following my less-than-enthusiastic article on Morrisons (MRW) yesterday, I now turn a jaundiced eye on its rival Sainsbury (SBRY).

We review the performance of the top shorted London-listed shares as at the start of each year. For 2017 that review is HERE and, from the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, we now have the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2018...

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, we previously updated the top shorted London-listed shares HERE. The following is our Autumn update...

Once again Tim Martin of JD Wetherspoon (JDW) is the hero of the day exposing the lies, for that is what they are, spouted by big business and the dishonest media on the subject of Brexit. Martin lets rip in his company's latest trading statement. A true hero writes:

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, we previously updated the top shorted London-listed shares HERE. Post Tom Winnifrith offering his top four short-able shorts in London and approaching the final third of 2017, the following updates...

Hello Share Peggers. The latest set of figures from Sainsbury (SBRY) show that sales in the last four months improved by 2.3%. Which is not too bad, considering the huge challenge from the competition these days.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, at the start of the year we showed the ten top shorted London-listed shares HERE. The following updates, showing those with a current reported short position of +7%...

Hello Share Pullers. Sometimes we keep shares due to inertia. There are some less than great performers in my bag which have been there for years and so have the status of being a bit hard to trade. I have this illogical urge to get all my money back first.

Hello Share Shellers. Some of my formative years as a broadcaster were at BBC Radio Leeds. It was in the centre of that fair city in a shopping paradise called the the Merrion Centre. Happy days!

Yesterday I revealed a series of 74 "interesting" transactions on the Teathers Financial (TEA) company credit card and some curious payments on the Teathers pre-payment card belonging to Nilesh Jagatia the company's former FD. There is now a very real suspicion that Teather's poor shareholders were paying for Jagatia's domestic shopping at his local Sainsbury's in South Woodford and that he was making withdrawals from the company's account for personal use. I have thus written to the new CEO flip flop Ben Turney who, of course arrived in the coup that saw Jagatia fired. The letter is below.

Hello Share Grinders. As I write this, I’m aware that wise Shareprophets commentator Wildrides will be sharpening his pencil to disagree. And I am not at all sure about supermarkets myself - though I still have shares in the big three home-grown ones. Looking at Morrison (MRW), Sainsbury (SBRY) and Tesco (TSCO), I think the last named is the most likely to bring us the most money from our owning the shares.

Hello Share Pingers. For the last few years I’ve poured scorn on investing in most retail chains. This is because of the encroachment of on-line shopping. But I’ve changed my mind. For one thing the big retailers have built up blistering on-line operations of their own. They are putting up a strong front of competition to long-time on-line specialists like ASOS (ASC).

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following shows the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2017...

In today's late bearcast I relay a stressful experience in the Post Office and the discovery of ouzo in my local Sainsbury. Is it just for me do you think? Cloudtag (CTAG) was caught telling porkies AGAIN, this time by Nigel, and I discuss that. I discuss React (REAT) shares in which we own. Then I look at Servision (SEV) and finally note Drunken Sailor's revelation on United Cocao (CHOC). And there is news about what is in store between now and Boxing day.

As I will publish one day as ‘Chris Bailey’s guide to reading regulatory news statements’, rule 354 is ‘worry about any retail company that starts talking about the price of their products in a RNS’.  Normally such price disclosures highlight desperation and hence Sainsbury’s (SBRY) musings earlier today that…

The June edition of UK Investor Show magazine is now live featuring Sainsbury v Tesco, Brexit or in, Tom Winnifrith vs Darren Atwater, 4 buy share tips and 3 sells to 0p from Tom Winnifrith, Q&A with Alexander Mining and more. You can download your free copy below.

Two hard days in the pizza business gave me a roaring headache on Friday, so I crossed Clerkenwell Road to the Sainsbury's for some pain reliever.

Hello Share Pickers. You don’t need me to tell you that shopping habits are changing. Yes, the days of going shopping are still with us. The great British public regard it as its number one hobby.

Hello Share Pickers. Whenever I consider tonic water, I always think of, well, you know who. But they're not the only people to make this vital addition to a small gin.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, we recently detailed the most shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2016 - see HERE. Is this worth paying some attention to? The following reviews the 2015 performance of the most shorted such shares as at the start of that year (those in bold also on the 2016 list), completing our review of 2015 (which has included of the ShareProphets writers share tips of the year HERE, the China AIM 'Filthy Forty' HERE, the AIM shares shorted HERE and the 2015 UK Investor Show bear calls HERE)...

If you want me to analyse a stock for you just drop me a line at sqmir@hotmail.com - Today I look at shares in Bacanora Minerals (BCN), Polo Resources (POL) and J Sainsbury (SBRY) setting share price targets for all three stocks.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the disclosed most shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2016...

It is not what Fitbug (FITB) says in its year end trading update which is alarming but what it does not say. Mr Market was not fooled by this hogwash and the shares are off 20% at 0.9p. That makes the shares still overvalued by circa 100% but the final demolition of this POS, which was ramped so disgracefully by certain folks, can wait for 2016.

Hello Share Squirters. About six years ago I bought some shares in Morrisons (MRW). And I immediately regretted it. And that was before all the hoo-ha about Lidl and Aldi taking the customers of the big British supermarkets.

Hello Share Monkeys. Good old Morrisons (MRW). It has decided to spend £40 million pounds to boost the pay of 90,000 shop workers to £8.20 an hour. That's a tasty improvement on the present rate of £6.85.

Which of the following do you believe is more important as a guide to Tesco’s (TSCO) corporate well-being?

I want to draw your attention to the absurd affect that the trouble in China is having on British shares. One of the biggest fallers has been ITV (ITV). This company makes it money by advertising British companies, like Tesco (TSCO), Sainsbury (SBRY), WM Morrison (WMR) and loads of other very familiar products in the UK.

Well hello again a 225p Tesco (TSCO) share price.  Friday’s trading update still has plenty of grim headline news contained within it (-1.3% UK like-for-like sales performance and a general food retail market that is ‘still challenging and volatility is likely to remain a feature of short-term performance’) but Tesco shares had a better day.  

As expected for results snuck out as attention focused on the General Election result, Fitbug Holdings (FITB) reported an increased loss for the 2014 calendar year. The following updates with the company though emphasising a “transformational year… successfully capitalising on the rapidly growing B2C market for wearable technology”. Hmmm…

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by net short position %) and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by net short position %) and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by net short position %) and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by net short position %) and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by total net short position %), if this total position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE and the performance in 2015 thus far...

As Tesco (TSCO) shareholders celebrate the return of a share price that begins with a ‘2’ what should we think of the turnaround plan rolled out by the company’s newish CEO Dave Lewis?

Yesterday 12 journalists were murdered by those who deny free speech. Today on the LSE asylum others who do not believe in free speech are at work. They may not be murderers but they are no less despicable. I start with that matter and Quindell and move on to cover Kenmare, Global Energy Developments, Tern, Igas, Sainsbury and Tesco, Touchstone Gold and Northwest Investment Group.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the disclosed most shorted shares at the start of 2015...

Well this article certainly has made quite an impact! I can let you know that before it was even published I had a writer who I like and respect contact me telling me I was wrong to say it. This was solely from reading the title of the article on Twitter.

Christmas is over. On my weekly visit to supermarkets on Saturday both Morrisons (MRW) and Aldi were noticeably less busy. Morrisons in particular- about four weeks ago there were around double the number of shoppers in store. Huddersfield’s ‘nightlife’ was quieter on Saturday too, significantly. Some clubs didn’t even open.

Sainsbury’s (SBRY) is more upmarket than any of the other ‘Big Four’ supermarkets, Asda, Tesco (TSCO) and Morrisons (MRW). It leaves German upstarts Aldi and Lidl in the dust in terms of the range of products. And if you’re into ‘Fair Trade’ bananas... well it’s the place to go!

I shopped in Aldi today and it was packed! Arrived just after 8am and there were already plenty of people already shopping there. Probably there was a queue of people, waiting in the cold at the door before it opened. Arrived in Morrisons (MRW) a bit earlier, as it had extended its opening hours due to ‘Christmas’ which I’m convinced more and more is just a way to get people to spend more money, and there were relatively few people.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by total net short position %) and if this total position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE ('Position Holder''s in bold appear in the table more than once).

Fitbug (FITB) is a company that I’ve been watching with interest ever since its meteoric rises in October and November. I could sort of see why the rise from less than 0.4p to over 5p could be justified to some extent by the news that its ‘Fitbug’ was to be extensively stocked by Sainsbury’s and US giant Target, especially with Thanksgiving and Xmas on the way.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by total net short position %) and if this total position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE ('Position Holder''s in bold appear in the table more than once).

Hello Share Shooters. When I said we might have another go at Tesco (TSCO) recently, there was a volley of opposition among the comments which followed. Hardly anybody agreed that it was worth giving the supermarket giant another chance.

Hello Share Punchers: Let me go out on a controversial limb and suggest you look at 95-year-old Tesco (TSCO) once more.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following details the most shorted shares (by total net short position %) and if this total position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since a previous analysis HERE ('Position Holder''s in bold appear in the table more than once).

Having seen its shares rocket in a ramparoonie special  from 0.375p prior to a 22nd October announcement that “the US retail chain Target Corporation and UK supermarket J Sainsbury plc will stock Fitbug products in their wearables ranges from November 2014” to approaching 8p, Fitbug (FITB) has updated that, noting the recent move in its share price, it “wishes to announce that it continues to trade in line with the board's expectations” before a couple of hours later seemingly being made to further announce that “it knows of no reason for the move in its share price other than its agreements with Target Corporation and J Sainsbury plc to stock Fitbug products in their stores”. Now at 6.22p, capitalising the company at £10.5 million, what is the outlook from here?

The Tesco (TSCO interim results have proved to be such a large dog’s breakfast of awfulness, that it is hard to know where to begin in attempting to describe and understand the situation. 

For quite a while, I believe that Morrisons (MRW) has lagged behind the competition in the supermarket sector. It’s been years behind Asda, Sainsbury’s (SBRY) and Tesco (TSCO) in terms of online shopping.

Let’s talk about Sainsbury’s (SBRY). My article about it was the first I wrote on this site, feel free to check it out HERE. You’ll notice what has happened to the share price since then is... not pretty.

My father originally advised me that Sainsbury’s (SBRY) was a good buy at 315p. “In the long term they’re good value at this price.” I did my own research, saw that the PE was low and the yield attractive. I didn’t have any shares in the supermarket sector and never had, so it was good from a ‘diversity’ view I guess. I bought the share.

So I’m looking at my Sainsbury’s shares now, feeling quite sad. They’re currently trading at 275.1p. I first bought my original batch at 315p. I think it’s important for share investors to be as honest about their losses as their gains.

So supermarkets have been in the news a lot lately, with Tesco (TSCO) slashing its dividend by 75%. All of the supermarket shares took a battering on Friday, with worries that Tesco’s rivals could also cut their dividends. Just on an instinctive feel, I don’t think Sainsbury (SBRY) will cut its but I do feel it may be effected when Tesco start to cut prices- it will probably have to follow suit to an extent.

Shares in Ocado (OCDO) have become somewhat volatile of late. Last year this was hardly the case: the shares simply rose every day to everyone’s general bemusement and in many cases, my own included, considerable financial cost. 

Hello Share Persons. Stay away from supermarkets. I don't mean you should stop eating. But think long and hard before buying shares in them. 

The results from Sainsbury (SBRY) for the year to 15 March were far from being a disaster; which was good news given the cloud the food retail sector has been under from those drat German price discounters, who seem to have learnt how to compete on both price and perceived quality. Sales were up by 2.8% - not bad even if the ‘like for like’ sales from the stores that had been open a year or more, were up by a mere wisp at plus 0.2%. The company retained its market share in the year to March 2014.