BOWOOD
23 Mar 2018
Re: RNS Yes at least the current CEO is having and has made a positive impact since he arrived and it would appear that the current year and 2019 will see the benefits of his endeavours. On another note are you still with KLN? Results out to day and it looks as if they are going forward well.
broomfielder
22 Mar 2018
RNS Newer, better located, more business focussed and a lot cheaper into the bargain. etc....not often you get all that from moving offices in Central London. Lets hope we are not being blinded by any element of Rent free period which can often be negotiated with a new longer Lease for the cost savings.Anyway, I shouldn't be churlish - we almost got a trading update here.......'The ongoing reinvention of the Norman Broadbent Group is progressing well'Well, lets hope they can reinvent Losses as Profits!Details are of course needed, but it could just be a hint of much better things to come (at last) for the Group.B
BOWOOD
06 Mar 2018
Re: Share Sales Activity I think the trades were a sale and purchase of the same holding - family transfer but through the market perhaps. Looking for the results of KLN first to see how they did in their more active and profitable second half.
broomfielder
05 Mar 2018
Share Sales Activity Don't think I will ever fathom how the SP works in NBB's case.A few weeks ago, a moderate disposal of c.47k shares immediately knocked 3p off the selling price. That was a huge drop.Today, with more than 300k of shares sold - which is a lot for NBB - and not so much as a flicker in the SP. And there was no rollover or uncrossing trades in evidence either.Not that I'm complaining as I certainly wasn't looking for any further regression in selling prices.Anyway, the continual drift in the SP is however hardly a surprise. After all, existing shareholders and potential investors are never given any insight into the Group's progress outside of the required twice yearly accounting reports.As time goes by, I am more and more convinced that the 2017 Full Year Results will either be outstandingly good or................!B
BOWOOD
10 Jan 2018
Re: SP Yes very interesting and I am wondering if it is some of the new talent joining. Market looks to be short of stock so lets hope a seller of size doesn't appear. No news expected as far as I know unless MB wants to give an end of year update ahead of the results.
broomfielder
10 Jan 2018
SP In the usual absence of any updates (outside of the Half year and Full year Results), the relatively modest buying activity today itself is somewhat unusual.It seems thus far to be having a very positive effect on the SP so long may it continue.News immininent? Who knows.It certainly doesnt seem due to some positive performances being disclosed within NBB's Sector (given thus far everyone is benefitting from a stronger European market as oppose to a weaker UK position).So, just perhaps there is a positive story being written here behind the scenes......finally.B
BOWOOD
11 Dec 2017
Re: Way Ahead Yep, I read the article.
broomfielder
10 Dec 2017
Way Ahead It looks like J Moulton's deteriorating investment record (with substantial losses across a number of Companies) rather confirms our own suspicions and that his exit in whole or in part from NBB will be advanced during 2018.Wouldn't it be nice if shareholders were updated on progress re the Group's restructuring ahead of the full year's figures - that in itself would demonstrate a break from the past and reflect a more confident Executive/Management.We are either on the cusp of success or absolute failure.It would be nice to know.B
BOWOOD
02 Nov 2017
Re: RNS - H1 Results/Major Client If it's all working as we are lead to believe then a pre close update would be welcome in December.We will not make a profit this year but if we can be told that during the second half has shown a month on month surplus and the loss has been reduced from the half year figure, then there is a good chance we will see a useful return to profit by December '18. If not then MB may need to fold his tent.
broomfielder
01 Nov 2017
Re: RNS - H1 Results/Major Client If it transpires that NBB's major new client (former FTSE 100) emerges as Privident Financial as we suspect, then todays and promised future appointments announced should hopefully be reflected in our Group's improved Trading in the full year results.Speculation, I concede, but wouldn't it be nice to get some sort of update before next May /June?B
broomfielder
05 Oct 2017
New CFO/COO New appointee seems to have a reasonable enough cv (subject to the usual caveats I always apply to these sort of things), so looks on the surface to be a positive appointment and with a handover period from JW its definitely the right approach to take.Now the hard bit.NBB are going to have to 'go something' to not only cover their hefty up front costs of the outgoings and incomings of all the new, expensive staff but also to so by driving growth in a challenging business environment beset with political risks for the Group and their many clients.I would love to see their Business Plan/projections for this re-launch to get closer to their assumptions and what 'sensitivities' etc. they have applied to the various base/best/worst case scenarios. These are usually illuminating from many angles, not least determining the mind set of the Exec and key Management team.Probably, precisely why mere shareholders are never privvy to this sort of info (although no doubt under the guise of shielding sensitive info from the competition etc).B
BOWOOD
01 Oct 2017
Re: RNS - H1 Results Massive fanfare for the 100 company that sent the sp up - now the reality of a lower league enterty. Surely MB has been around long enough to read a companies Balance Sheet and should have seen a potential relegation! MB needs to sharpen up a bit.
broomfielder
01 Oct 2017
Re: RNS - H1 Results B - As for the trumpeted (now former) FTSE 100 client - can see only Royal Mail or perhaps more likely, Provident Fin as candidates here. Latter is a basket case for its employees so NBB will have their hands full. Could be quite profitable if Prov stay in business.As for NBB's turnaround, we are looking for signs to support the Executive actions - these should be evident by the FY end in my view. It will of course be quite anither thing to stem losses and hit break-even etc.Part of my disillusionment stemmed from the style of H1 Report - the remarks came nowhere close to being sufficient for this stage in the recovery of a Public Company and especially one passing the hat around (unespectedly) for the second time in just over a year. Such was the bland commentary, it could almost have been cut and pasted from any of the past Management reports.They were upbeat on Q1 performance and ahead of Managements budgetted figures according to MB in June. So whats happened since? Are they still ahead of Budget or have they plateaued in Q2?To be blunt, the Exec have either under estimated their own Recovery plans or worse still, they have under estimated the business/marketplace in which they operate. What else could explain Placing Version 2?They simply cannot continue as they are and desperately need to deliver the planned turnaround.I did say it was a high risk strategy NBB was adopting when the first Capital raising and latest restructure was announced in 2016.This was simply underlined by the H1 performance.B
BOWOOD
01 Oct 2017
Re: RNS - H1 Results PS - I note that in July NBB was awarded a 3 year contract with a FTSE 100 constituent. According to the half year figures this company has been down graded to a FTSE 250 constant. Do we have any idea which one it could be?
BOWOOD
01 Oct 2017
Re: RNS - H1 Results In the 2016 Interims and in the report for the year end I was encouraged by the "out look" comments that the benefit of investment in consultants and restructuring would been seen during the second half of 2017. Interestingly there was no mention of the second half of the current year in the interim statement! Since September 2016 there has been some £4m raised including £300k by way of Loan Notes that will cost £36k in interest and be repaid in August 2018 - unlikely as it will either be rolled over or converted into shares. The m/c at 10p is only £5.3m suggesting that the financing of losses is the on going need. As you say b there is clear support from those closer to the table who continue to fund the business so they must see something. MB drip feeding cash into NBB looks bad for a man of vision who should have raised all the money needed for however many phases there may be.Will we see progress in the second half figures? I doubt it as there will be continued trading losses that did not simply cease at the end of June and the revolving door of consultants that need to be bedded in. 2018 will of course be different as there will be the cost of moving and the under provision of returning the current offices to the landlords spec. 2019 may be different though as MB will have found the revolving door.To conclude I feel that we have the next two reports, one final and the interims to June 2018 that will determine if NBB has the confidence of its major investors and as a major brand in its sector is able to recruits and retain its consultants.
