megastream
20 Dec 2017
Re: the curate's egg Vimto along with a poke of chips - takes me back to my youth ( a long time ago).I don't think modern day Vimto taste exactly the same, but then my taste buds are a bit older. So I have a sentimental attachment to Nichols, and I'll be sticking with them.
valeite
19 Dec 2017
the curate's egg trading is very good to be fair/well outpacing the median in the soft drinks market/exporting is good /divi up 10% but yemen/Saudi arabia is a blow certainly next year with Ramadan .....this could go on a bit as well . input costs on the rise too .the market is merciless at the moment to the slightest bit of bad news so I think it's a hold for me.....it's still a good business methinks
II Editor
19 Dec 2017
NEW ARTICLE: Is Nichols profits warning an opportunity? "Vimto maker LSE:NICL:Nichols has long been the toast of investors thanks to its progressive dividend, strong balance sheet and geographic diversity. These qualities are why the AIM company's share price surged to a record high in the summer and ..."[link]
glasgowboy
25 Sep 2017
Nichols Hi PieSeen no news today and used the opportunity to top up a small amount , long term hold for me solid steady share in my view and will keep holding for long term
PIE-EATER
25 Sep 2017
??? ok.....so 5%+ drop but not seen any news. Nichols can be a bit volatile but this is slightly out of the norm with nothing obviously new floating around...thoughts anyone?Thanks in advancePE
tejo
21 Jul 2017
Variety of tastes Although sugar free is important here, the important Middle east consumers enjoy the sugar content and could even be a reason for its popularity around Ramadan. Excellent company with a good future imho.
valeite
21 Jul 2017
NICL avoids sugar tax NICL rejigged less sugar formula &sugar free drinks seem popular/extended price promotions keeping vimto sales healthy/international sales growing /some margin pressure/healthy divi increase......I do like this business!
valeite
26 Apr 2017
people like vimto growing @3.4% v the market @1.2% .well done NICL .i get my vimto from home bargains 25 per can.....well you've gotta support your company
valeite
13 Apr 2017
Whitman Howard note.... ....reaffirms buy and sets target price @ £23
Bill1703
09 Mar 2017
Re: numis has a rethink "just 2 months after suggesting sell (£13.65) now saying hold ...target £16.2 .i sometimes think analysts only exist to make weather forecasters look good "I won't defend the analysts here too strongly, looks like a classic case of share price chasing.But I have some sympathy with them with this one... now defying gravity yet again, pushing £18.50 today!Not that I am complaining, of course, but difficult to rationalise... up to 28x actual P/E now (c.26x forward), over 20x EV/EBITDA, and yielding well under 2%, even on the somewhat accelerated payout. I would imagine, merely some marginal buying interest - against a loyal shareholder base (why wouldn't we be?) which ain't selling! For the most part... At these vertiginous levels I may have to bring forward my next top (sic) slicing manoeuvre. But only a slice, of course....
In the dark yet again
08 Mar 2017
Re: numis has a rethink Analysts have never existed to predict future share prices, they rarely have more clue than a pair of unbiased dice or a blindfolded man in front of a dartboard. The sole reason for their existence is (and always has been) to try to generate some interest in any particular share; buy, sell, it doesn't matter as long as it generates some activity, i.e. commission for the broker. So any excuse to come up with any old mumbo jumbo is fine as long as no one can prove they are actually lying.... which no one ever can.Current day rules say they can't simply say buy everything, they have to put some sell indicators out there so a share that has a relatively small market cap and has come a long way fairly quickly is always going to be a likely candidate. Why smaller cap shares you might ask? Because the analysts are very unlikely to get any fees from these companies (unless they already do so) so it doesn't matter upsetting them that much with a sell recommendation. Doesn't cost them anything and they can save a buy for someone who is giving them so sort of fee.If you can get an analyst's recommendation actually on paper then as long as that paper is soft and absorbent, there is one decent use to which you can put it. Otherwise they are a complete waste and anyone who believes one is (IMO) a fool.Regards,ITDYA
valeite
08 Mar 2017
numis has a rethink just 2 months after suggesting sell (£13.65) now saying hold ...target £16.2 .i sometimes think analysts only exist to make weather forecasters look good
Bill1703
05 Mar 2017
Re: DIVIDEND "... with £40 million in cash and a dividend of of just under 2% would it be sensible if they were to give us some of that back by way of special dividend? Just a thought "Yes, as per my previous post, I think the case for something along these lines is getting increasingly compelling.It would be churlish to criticise them for failing to manage their shareholders' capital effectively, given the returns they have delivered. But still, to be picky - they are currently earning only around 0.5% finance income on the cash balances. Difficult to put up a defence for hoarding shareholder's money at that level.There is a nod of acknowledgement in the full-year DPS increase of 15% vs EPS up 10% - in recent years they have been too stingy in even ordinary dividends IMHO. But this £40m is nearly 4x the current annual dividend, which in any event is more than comfortably covered by FCF (of £16-18m pa. in past 2 years). They clearly want to retain firepower for further bolt-on acquisitions - but these have generally been pretty small scale, and of course, making acquisitions just because you have the cash on hand is one of the worst reasons for doing so.FWIW I would like to see them return at least half of the £40m, most likely by way of special dividend - more difficult to justify a share buy-back at the current SP, though this would still be value accretive IMHO, given the balance sheet structure and current returns on cash. And to see them, at the same time, sustain the trend of DPS growth > EPS growth for the foreseeable - they do not need the current very conservative cover levels (2.3x EPS, 1.7x FCF), notably above market averages in both cases.
glasgowboy
04 Mar 2017
DIVIDEND I have held here for a few years great share good solid business , however just a thought with £40 million in cash and a dividend of of just under 2% would it be sensible if they were to give us some of that back by way of special dividend? Just a thought
Bill1703
04 Mar 2017
Re: nichols delivers again "What struck me about the latest results is the enthusiasm shown by the CEO for the biznay, and the fact that they are clearly clever about using social media, including the trendy Snapchat thingy, to access the yoof market."LKH - yes, they haven't put a foot wrong for some time now.But it's been an interesting trajectory. When I bought in, some 15 years ago or so, they had done nothing for a while - would'ya believe, I bought them as a 'value' / high-yield micro-cap play! They then continued to do nothing for a couple of years, before taking off - never to look back, at least hitherto. Who knows why, just a bit of judicious marketing oomph perchance - or maybe they just got lucky? I certainly did - I'd probably be lying if I pretended other... "It's too dear for me to get in now, especially with such a high proportion of sales being in Blighty where growth is hard to envisage, but I shall follow developments with interest."Quite - I am the last person to buy a 26x P/E, and I continue to use them as a source of funds for multiple investments elsewhere... investments which, in all probability, have failed to keep pace with what the Vimto team would've done with it. C'est la vie - that is why they are there and I am here, I suppose...I keep on expecting them to hit the wall, all good things etc... and aw' that. But they haven't yet - after a few years of stellar growth, things have matured somewhat in recent years, but as I say it is the consistency of current delivery which demands respect (and the premium rating) as much as anything. My recent approach has been to sell a tranche ahead of full-year trading updates, just in case the chaps either side of the Sahara have suddenly stopped buying the stuff, and I will likely do the same again as long as it continues. No-one ever lost money taking a profit, as Uncle Warren keeps reminding me, but there is also the "run your winners" thing ringing in my ears. Good job there is an investment adage to cover all bases....
