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.

Just Eat – Capital Markets Day

I recall other ShareSoc Members complaining about how some companies publicly announce “Capital Market Day” events on the morning that the event takes place. This ensures that private investors are excluded as only institutional investors are given advance notice. A very good example was that for Just Eat (JE.) yesterday. Given in an RNS at 7.00 am in the morning, with the event commencing at 9.00 am.

Usually such announcements say something like “no new information will be provided”, or in this case it said “no update on trading will be provided”. But in fact there was obviously very significant new information provided because the share price fell 7.1% on the day, mainly in the afternoon.

There was a webcast provided and I tried to listen to a recording of it in the evening but it kept breaking up so I did not hear anything of interest. The Financial Times reported this morning that “management comments about costs and profitability jolted investors”, and that “investment levels in the coming years would remain elevated and margins were likely to flatline at its marketplace business”. Consensus forecasts were likely to fall it suggested. There was no announcement this morning from the company clarifying what was said or why the share price fell.

This debacle follows a similar sharp fall in the share price following an unexpected statutory loss due to exceptional write-offs in the annual results in March. It is also clear the market for food delivery is changing rapidly with new entrants in addition, meaning the sector is getting more competitive and more investment seems to be required.

I did previously hold a significant number of shares in the company but sold the remainder today. Just too many unexpected events at this company. I hate unpredictable companies and lack of clarity in management statements (or no statements). When confidence in a company and its management evaporates, it’s always time to sell in my view.

Roger Lawson (Twitter: https://twitter.com/RogerWLawson )

2 Comments
  1. Michael Dennis says:

    Fully agree with you about the selective access given to analysts which results in price movements. Its a sham to say that “there will be no new information disclosed” when we all know that, if this was the case, why do analysts bother showing up at all? Clearly the show up because they hope to learn more about the company which will enable them to make better investment decisions. Well, isn’t that what retail investors also want? Isn’t it time the UK had a “Fair Disclosure” regulation like they do in the USA – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation_Fair_Disclosure ?

  2. rogerwlawson says:

    Mike, absolutely agree with your comments. Another example of defective regulation from the FCA.

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