Historically, Ashtead (AHT) has benefited from its exposure to the US construction sector, boosted by the construction credentials of President Trump and reconstruction efforts in the wake of hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. As such, pre-tax profits were up by close to a quarter in the three months to July.
But the share price has started to fall steadily since the start of October, and is now trading close to the 12-month low. It seems non-executive director Ian Sutcliffe has taken advantage of this, buying roughly £250,000-worth of shares.
Equipment rental companies are highly cyclical, making them vulnerable to large share price shocks when the cycle changes. Business cycles are difficult to predict, too, which makes these companies particularly vulnerable to 'herding' – when investors react to the behaviour of other investors, rather than market fundamentals.
Buys | |||||||
Company | Director | Date | No of shares | Price (p) | Value (£) | Holding (shares) | Holding (%) |
Ashtead | Ian Sutcliffe | 26 Oct 18 | 13,933 | 1794 | 249,958 | 13,933 | 0.003 |
CareTech | Karl Monaghan | 29 Oct 18 | 6,700 | 369 | 24,723 | 41,484 | 0.038 |
Domino's Pizza | David Bauernfeind | 31 Oct 18 | 8,000 | 279.099 | 22,328 | 8,000 | 0.002 |
Elementis | Nicholas Salmon | 25 Oct 18 | 5,000 | 203.4485 | 10,172 | 17,500 | 0.003 |
Elementis | Paul Waterman (ceo) | 26 Oct 18 | 10,000 | 1.96 | 19,600 | 379,830 | 0.065 |
EnQuest | Laurie Fitch | 29 Oct 18 | 70,000 | 26.1 | 18,270 | 70,000 | 0.004 |
EPE Special Opportunities | Heather Bestwick | 31 Oct 18 | 12,500 | 180 | 22,500 | 12,500 | 0.044 |
EPE Special Opportunities | Geoffrey Vero (ch) | 31 Oct 18 | 12,500 | 180 | 22,500 | 136,214 | 0.481 |
EPE Special Opportunities | Clive Spears | 31 Oct 18 | 12,500 | 180 | 22,500 | 125,105 | 0.442 |
EPE Special Opportunities | Nicholas Wilson | 31 Oct 18 | 8,333 | 180 | 14,999 | 120,894 | 0.427 |
Essentra | Paul Forman (ceo) | 29 Oct 18 | 20,000 | 370.5 | 74,100 | 240,000 | 0.091 |
Everyman Media | Adam Kaye | 30 Oct 18 | 27,500 | 199.44 | 54,846 | 5,162,182 | 7.272 |
Gateley | Nigel Payne (ch) | 29 Oct 18 | 16,819 | 147.9 | 24,875 | 55,926 | 0.052 |
GlaxoSmithKline | Philip Hampton (ch) | 31 Oct 18 | 2,867 | 1,526 | 43,750 | 51,157 | 0.001 |
Grafton | Susan Murray | 30 Oct 18 | 1,500 | 706.66 | 10,600 | 1,500 | 0.001 |
GVC | Jane Anscombe | 30 Oct 18 | 3,763 | 929.522 | 34,978 | 5,169 | 0.001 |
Hargreaves Services | Gordon Banham (ceo) | 29 Oct 18 | 73,000 | 340 | 248,200 | 2,632,575 | 8.200 |
Hargreaves Services | Roger McDowell | 29 Oct 18 | 300,000 | 340 | 1,020,000 | 300,000 | 0.934 |
IG | June Felix | 30 Oct 18 | 17,000 | 608.41 | 103,430 | 17,000 | 0.005 |
IG | Andrew Green (ch) | 30 Oct 18 | 8,174 | 608.59 | 49,746 | 15,055 | 0.004 |
International Public Partnerships | John Le Poidevin | 29 Oct 18 | 32,550 | 152.5 | 49,639 | 97,883 | 0.007 |
International Public Partnerships | Michael Gerrard | 29 Oct 18 | 55,739 | 152.5 | 85,002 | 55,739 | 0.004 |
ITE | Andrew Beach (cfo) | 25 Oct 18 | 33,500 | 59.7 | 20,000 | 74,750 | 0.010 |
JPMorgan Multi-Asset Trust | Sian Hansen | 26 Oct 18 | 11,898 | 93.0667 | 11,073 | 29,822 | 0.034 |
Lloyds Banking | James Lupton | 26 Oct 18 | 250,000 | 57.17 | 142,925 | 800,000 | 0.001 |
LoopUp | Barbara Judge (ch) | 25 Oct 18 | 9,000 | 330.5 | 29,745 | 42,754 | 0.078 |
Metro Bank | Craig Donaldson (ceo) | 30 Oct 18 | 10,000 | 2,176.25 | 217,625 | 170,342 | 0.175 |
MX Oil | Nicholas Lee | 29 Oct 18 | 49,000,000 | 0.1 | 49,000 | 49,000,000 | 1.768 |
MX Oil | Nigel McKim | 29 Oct 18 | 39,000,000 | 0.1 | 39,000 | 39,000,000 | 1.407 |
MX Oil | Richard Carter | 29 Oct 18 | 12,000,000 | 0.1 | 12,000 | 12,000,000 | 0.433 |
MX Oil | Stefan Olivier (ceo) | 29 Oct 18 | 53,000,000 | 0.1 | 53,000 | 63,000,000 | 2.273 |
Rotala | Graham Peacock | 26 Oct 18 | 125,000 | 51.5 | 64,375 | 2,916,666 | 6.073 |
RPS | Kenneth Lever (ch) | 25 Oct 18 | 30,000 | 148.64 | 44,592 | 70,000 | 0.031 |
RPS | Gary Young (fd) | 25 Oct 18 | 61,800 | 157.1 | 97,088 | 171,719 | 0.076 |
RPS | John Douglas (ceo) | 25 Oct 18 | 207,348 | 157.9669 | 327,541 | 207,902 | 0.092 |
RPS | Allison Bainbridge | 30 Oct 18 | 16,400 | 160.733 | 26,360 | 16,400 | 0.007 |
Safestyle UK | Michael Gallacher | 29 Oct 18 | 50,000 | 79.5 | 39,750 | 50,000 | 0.060 |
Spirax-Sarco Engineering | Geertrui Schoolenberg | 29 Oct 18 | 900 | 6,503.33 | 58,530 | 2,754 | 0.004 |
St Modwen Properties | Danuta Gray | 30 Oct 18 | 10,500 | 370.455 | 38,898 | 10,500 | 0.005 |
Standard Life Aberdeen | Keith Skeoch | 31 Oct 18 | 150,000 | 269.12 | 403,680 | 2,335,897 | 0.091 |
Standard Life Aberdeen | Martin Gilbert | 31 Oct 18 | 150,000 | 271.66 | 407,490 | 381,162 | 0.015 |
Royal Bank of Scotland | Ross McEwan (ceo) | 30 Oct 18 | 99,458 | 230.1 | 228,853 | 2,221,965 | 0.018 |
Royal Bank of Scotland | Howard Davies (ch) | 30 Oct 18 | 39,000 | 231.1 | 90,129 | 80,000 | 0.001 |
Time Out | Peter Dubens (ch) | 25 Oct 18 | 300,000 | 70 | 210,000 | 2,050,302 | 1.535 |
Time Out | Peter Dubens (ch) | 26 Oct 18 | 300,000 | 70 | 210,000 | 2,350,302 | 1.760 |
U and I | Richard Upton | 25 Oct 18 | 10,083 | 208 | 20,973 | 3,161,316 | 2.520 |
U and I | Richard Upton | 26 Oct 18 | 60,000 | 215 | 129,000 | 3,221,316 | 2.568 |
Wandisco | Yeturu Aahlad | 30 Oct 18 | 10,000 | 392.58 | 39,258 | 2,443,148 | 5.844 |
Wandisco | David Richards | 30 Oct 18 | 10,000 | 392.58 | 39,258 | 2,119,233 | 5.070 |
Warpaint London | Eoin Macleod | 30 Oct 18 | 150,000 | 120 | 180,000 | 19,445,208 | 25.336 |
Warpaint London | Samuel Bazini | 30 Oct 18 | 150,000 | 120 | 180,000 | 19,445,208 | 25.336 |
YouGov | Roger Parry (ch) | 29 Oct 18 | 7,500 | 384 | 28,800 | 102,461 | 0.097 |
Sells | |||||||
Company | Director | Date | No of shares | Price (p) | Value (£) | Holding (shares) | Holding (%) |
Produce Investments | Robert Johnston | 25 Oct 18 | 1,748 | 190 | 3,321 | 38,252 | 0.140 |
Produce Investments | Robert Johnston | 26 Oct 18 | 10,000 | 190 | 19,000 | 28,252 | 0.103 |
Produce Investments | Robert Johnston | 30 Oct 18 | 8,252 | 190 | 15,679 | 20,000 | 0.073 |
*Placing/tender/open offer ♥Spouse/connected party |