Blog

ShareSoc Blog

This blog gives you the latest topical news plus some informal comments on them from ShareSoc’s directors and other contributors. These are the personal comments of the authors and not necessarily the considered views of ShareSoc. The writers may hold shares in the companies mentioned. You can add your own comments on the blog posts, but note that ShareSoc reserves the right to remove or edit comments where they are inappropriate or defamatory.

There is more news given in the News page of our web site and more analysis of news is provided in our monthly newsletter for members – see the Newsletters page.

If you would like to be notified about new posts to our blog you can opt-in to our Weekly Wrap-Up Email service. If you are a member of ShareSoc select the “Weekly Wrap-Up Email” option here. If you are not a member select the “Information and Education Services” option here.


Guide to ShareSoc’s new Events Page

As part of the redevelopment of ShareSoc's website, we have enhanced our directory of events. Our aim is that it should be the "go to" place for investors in the UK wishing to find out about interesting events relating to investment. We therefore list not only our own events, but any worthwhile investment related events from 3rd parties (subject to our editorial control). If you know of any upcoming event which we have not listed, please let us know. The main body of ...

Grenfell: Lessons for the Investment Community

  The Grenfell Tower disaster shocked and saddened the whole of the UK. It leaves questions about how such a tragic series of failings, which led to the disaster, were allowed to happen. It is to be hoped that the forthcoming public enquiry will shed some light on this. A recent article in the Financial Times, however, may offer some clues. And I believe that some of the failings have parallels that the financial services industry could learn from. The article reports that building ...

ShareSoc’s and UKSA’s joint response to the FRC’s consultation on the enforcement procedures sanctions

ShareSoc’s and UKSA’s joint response to the FRC’s consultation on the FRC’s enforcement procedures sanctions: Click here

Enormous Management Fees at British Smaller Companies VCT

British Smaller Companies VCT (BSV) has been one of the more successful Venture Capital Trusts in terms of fund performance – it is managed by YFM. The NAV Total Return has been 106.9 over the last ten years according to the AIC (i.e. investors have doubled their money), beating the sector performance for generalist VCTs of only 64. With high, tax-free dividends being paid, investors have probably been happy. But back in 2009 the managers performance incentive fee was changed to be ...

Levelling the Playing Field

One of ShareSoc's objects is "to ensure equal treatment for all shareholders". We are therefore rather disappointed when, as happens all too frequently, companies issue announcements like the one from Crest Nicholson today: http://www.investegate.co.uk/crest-nicholson-hdgs--crst-/rns/analyst---investor-day/201706270700022028J/ The announcement was issued at 7am this morning and announces an event for analysts and investors taking place on the same day. It is clear that this event is not open to ordinary individual shareholders. Selected analysts and favoured institutional shareholders will undoubtedly have been invited well in advance. ...

ShareSoc announces its new improved website

PRESS RELEASE 95 22/06/2017 ShareSoc announces its new improved website www.sharesoc.org This is part of ShareSoc’s plans to grow its membership and develop its range of services provided to individual investors. The new site has been funded by donations from members and companies. Modernised look, more appealing to new members. Clearly laid out website and information is easy to find. Blog, with the ability to subscribe to each post to keep you informed of key topics, as soon as posts are made. https://www.sharesoc.org/category/blog/ Mark ...

In Memoriam, The ShareSoc Web Site Replaced

Just a few words to welcome the new ShareSoc web site - still at www.sharesoc.org of course. The old one was basically knocked up by me using the Serif WebPlus software in a few days when ShareSoc was first founded at the end of 2010 and it has lasted a lot longer than could reasonably have been expected. Although quite a lot of content was added over the years, the structure and functionality remained pretty much unchanged. So it was certainly time for ...

New Website Launched!

  After almost a year of development, we are proud and excited to announce the launch of the new ShareSoc website. I would like to thank  all those members who donated generously to fund this development. I would also like to thank Mark Bentley for volunteering a huge amount of his time to manage the project. Mark was ably supported by our developers Chillibyte, and my thanks also go to them and to Angela Watt, for volunteering to transfer much of the content of our ...

RBS Shareholder Committee Campaign Update 5

This note has been issued to the campaign supporters. Thank you for help and support so far. I am writing to update you on progress, which is very disappointing. I expect some of you will not read all of this long post and quite understand if you only read part: for those who wish to, I have included my full report on the RBS AGM below. RBS refused to put our resolution on the AGM Agenda. Mark Northway, ShareSoc Chairman and Cliff Weight, ...

How To Make Money on Losers, and the Monitise Bid

After the takeover bid was announced yesterday for Monitise (MONI) at 2.9p per share (valuing the business at £70m when it was once worth £1 billion, I thought I...
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