60 Seconds on Restaurant Group, Marstons, and Greene King

The scene is set… The market responded well to Restaurant Group’s first half trading update last week, with shares up c10% (338p). Confidence is growing in Restaurant Group’s turnaround but its sales trend is negative at a time when its industry is oversupplied and facing cost pressures. Management itself says: ‘like-for-like sales and margins will…

60 Seconds. Actions Speak Louder than Words…:

Demand softer & economy is slowing; why so little comment? Data shows construction, industrial output & manufacturing output fell in Q2 Car production is lower year to date & GDP targets may be undershot Big ticket spending (see e/ms) may bear the brunt House transactions, furniture sales & car sales are slowing but holidays look…

60 Seconds on the Ongoing Consumer Squeeze

You gotta eat. So where will spending be cut? The Backdrop: The Brexit vote drove Sterling down & food prices have risen We now find ‘essentials’ are taking a larger share of disposable income Already-constrained consumers are having to adapt to these unwelcome changes Real wages are falling and, whilst borrowing has risen, this is not a…

60 Seconds on Game Digital — a desperate evolution

Transient Tech Technology is darwinian and physical video games are facing extinction. MP3 files heralded the decline of CDs. Now, Game Digital (GMD) can’t shift physical video games. Although GMD is moving towards a growth area in esports, this is because its hand has been forced. GMD: Short leases & Esports Operationally, GMD is in…

60 Seconds on eSports and the leisure industry

The rapid rise of eSports: eSports has become somewhat of a sensation in the last few years, reaching an audience of 191m global enthusiasts according to Newzoo. Professional gaming teams will fight it out in the competitions, which have prize pools well into the millions of dollars for the biggest games. The competitions span the globe with…