Monday 7 February 2011

Seriously, It's Cruel To Laugh

I've kinda giggled a bit at Punch 'the smoking ban is a huge opportunity' Taverns in the past, on more than one occasion. So by way of update, here's a bit more hilarity.

Future of Punch pubs in balance

The UK arm of Ambac, a bond insurer, has hired debt restructuring experts ahead of a battle over the future of the indebted pubs group Punch Taverns.
Just as a reminder for those who don't investigate all linked text, let's reproduce this graph of their share price I first published in 2009 (click to go large, as per usual).


As Rolf might say, d'you see what it is yet?

In contrast, some busineses are doing extremely well right now.

Tobacco stocks have returned more to investors in the last decade than any sector in the IMA universe, a new study from Financial Express has revealed.

The FTSE 350 Tobacco has returned 539.43 per cent in the last 10 years, outperforming the FTSE All Share by 495 per cent. The best performing IMA sector in this time period, China/Greater China, has returned less than half of this figure to investors.
Talk about backing the wrong horse, eh?

H/T F2C


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, the gargantuan Elephant in the bar ?

Mr A said...

They're idiots, aren't they? The decline started almost to the month of the ban. Yet still they will do nothing to fight to repeal it.

Got what they deserve, IMO.

Anonymous said...

I have known for some time that the pubcos are in trouble. I have been waiting for some such announcement.

Some people might say that their problem is with their property portfolio, and that is correct. But the problem is that their pubs are not earning enough to pay the interest on their debts. That is why they need to 'restructure'.

I have also been hoping for this because the pub cos might just be able to exert some pressure for an amendment of the ban. It seems that the 'level playing field' has worked wonders - The level playing field is getting smaller and smaller. Soon, there will be no playing field at all.

Sure, they should sue dirty, filthy fag ASH Lil for leading them astray - and their backers, the drug companies.

Antipholus Papps said...

Sure, they should sue dirty, filthy fag ASH Lil for leading them astray - and their backers, the drug companies.

And this would surely be immensely useful! People are utterly brainwashed by the relentless propaganda. Here in Vancouver, I've even been told off for smoking under the eaves of a house while it was raining. In the West End heart of the city, my cigarette is still somehow the threat to their heath! They need to be taken to task.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Mr A said...

They're idiots, aren't they? The decline started almost to the month of the ban. Yet still they will do nothing to fight to repeal it.XX

Either the decline in pub visits was planned as part of the ban, OR it is a usefull "added bonus".

We all know they would love nothing better than to bend RIGHT over for their Saudi mates and ban drinking all together (Except for the clubs that are full of pissed up Saudis, every night, of course).

So, whether purposefully part of the policy, or a convienient "unintended consequence", NO one is going to "fight to repeal it".

Furor Teutonicus said...

Follow ups to....

JuliaM said...

It is indeed cruel. But I'm going to, anyway! :)

Cazzy Jones said...

A nice echo of the article on unethical investment in last weekend's Telegraph, with BAT and Imperial flying high.

Slightly O/T but I have just posted this by way of comment on the latest call for the ban on cigarette displays, all in the name of - wait for it - protecting the children. Calls for expansion of the nanny/bully state continue regardless.

http://cazzyjones.blogspot.com/2011/02/save-children-ban-tobacco-displays.html

Mark Wadsworth said...

No it's not cruel to laugh, it is almost mandatory.