Join our community of smart investors

Next chairman tops up

The high street chain is up against a tough final quarter, but its chairman has faith
November 23, 2017

High street retailer Next (NXT) is heading into a difficult final, and festive, quarter. Last Christmas was good, but that means the group is up against tough comparative figures this year. That’s a tall order considering Next has struggled to pep up flagging sales for much of 2017. Recent weather patterns have made clothing sales somewhat volatile, and rising inflation is putting significant pressure on household incomes this year and beyond.

IC TIP: Buy at 4,373p

Regardless, it seems chairman Michael Roney has confidence in the group’s future if his recent share purchases are any indication. Spread out over two separate transactions Mr Roney spent just north of £216,000 on an additional 5,018 shares, taking his total stake to 0.016 per cent.

Buys
CompanyDirectorDateNo of sharesPrice (p)Value (£)Holding (shares)Holding (%)
Aeorema Communications Richard Owen14 Nov 1730,000309,00080,0000.884
BlueRock Diamonds Adam Waugh (ceo)10 Nov 171,714,0001.7529,9956,566,2734.696
Capital & Counties Properties♥Charlotte Boyle10 Nov 1710,000256.9425,69410,0000.001
Capital & Regional Lawrence Hutchings (ceo)10 Nov 1738,71051.2519,83938,7100.005
Essentra Paul Forman (ceo)14 Nov 1720,000502.54100,508120,0000.046
Essentra Ralph Wunderlich14 Nov 175,00050525,25047,3000.018
Essentra Ralph Wunderlich15 Nov 175,00050025,00052,3000.020
Fiske Gerrard Luchini10 Nov 1714,000709,80068,9900.597
Fiske James Harrison (ceo)10 Nov 1731,2087021,8462,312,01020.000
Galliford Try Peter Ventress (ch)13 Nov 176,3241,179.6774,60210,5740.013
Inmarsat Abraham Peled10 Nov 174,000544.007621,76024,0000.005
Inmarsat Abraham Peled10 Nov 175,000540.203327,01015,0000.003
Inmarsat Abraham Peled10 Nov 175,000544.007627,20020,0000.004
Inmarsat Abraham Peled10 Nov 176,000540.203332,41230,0000.007
Inmarsat Andrew Sukawaty (ch)10 Nov 1719,260519.21100,0001,172,3520.256
Inmarsat Rupert Pearce (ceo)10 Nov 1719,260519.21100,000920,6230.201
Land Securities  Robert Noel (ceo)14 Nov 1718,365933171,345293,8480.040
Mattioli Woods Carol Duncumb10 Nov 172,520792.519,9718,8000.034
Mattioli Woods Ian Mattioli (ceo)10 Nov 1763,080792.5499,9093,299,23512.790
McCarthy & Stone John White (ch)14 Nov 17100,000157.68157,6801,750,1920.326
McCarthy & Stone Rowan Baker (cfo)14 Nov 176,552151.479,9247,6640.001
Mucklow (A&J)  Ian Cornock09 Nov 173,83850519,3823,8380.006
Next Michael Roney (ch)09 Nov 174054,313.5017,47019,4660.013
Next Michael Roney (ch)09 Nov 174,6134,313.59198,98624,0790.016
PROACTIS  Alan Aubrey (ch)10 Nov 1716,50015525,5751,119,8201.207
PROACTIS  Rodney Potts10 Nov 1716,50015525,5758,983,4279.682
PROACTIS  Tim Sykes (cfo)10 Nov 1716,50015525,575240,7350.259
Plus500 Daniel King14 Nov 175,323939.349,99924,1400.021
Restaurant GroupAndy McCue (ceo)15 Nov 1720,000277.7555,55075,6170.038
Restaurant Group♥Debbie Hewitt (ch)14 Nov 1717,996277.8349,99853,6380.027
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's Tr♥Jeremy Whitley14 Nov 173,0001,063.3031,89942,5000.139
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's TrJeremy Whitley14 Nov 174,0001,06242,48023,5000.077
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's Tr♥Jeremy Whitley14 Nov 174,0001,06242,48027,5000.090
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's Tr♥Jeremy Whitley14 Nov 174,0001,065.3042,61246,5000.152
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's Tr♥Jeremy Whitley14 Nov 177,0001,064.8074,53660,5000.198
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's Tr♥Jeremy Whitley14 Nov 177,0001,075.5875,29153,5000.175
Scottish Oriental Smaller Co's Tr♥Jeremy Whitley14 Nov 1712,0001,064.20127,70439,5000.129
Spirent Communications Bill Thomas (ch)09 Nov 1720,63396.9320,00046,1190.008
Spirent Communications Gary Bullard09 Nov 175,00094.66754,73330,0000.005
Spirent Communications Gary Bullard09 Nov 1710,00095.149,51440,0000.007
Ultra Electronics  Amitabh Sharma (fd)14 Nov 178231,2029,8921,7270.002
Ultra Electronics  D Caster 13 Nov 178,1601,21599,144308,1600.396
Ultra Electronics  J Hirst 14 Nov 172,0551,20424,7424,0550.005
Victoria Oil & Gas*Ahmet Dik (ceo)14 Nov 17199,36157113,6361,148,1100.791
Victoria Oil & Gas*John Bryant14 Nov 171,754571,00021,7540.015
Victoria Oil & Gas*Kevin Foo (ch)14 Nov 1787,7195750,0002,345,3571.617
XLMedia Ory Weihs (ceo)10 Nov 1730,00016148,3004,000,2401.958
Sells
CompanyDirectorDateNo of sharesPrice (p)Value (£)Holding (shares)Holding (%)
Fiske Clive Harrison (ch)10 Nov 17104,7927073,3542,080,03617.993
Fiske Clive Harrison (ch)10 Nov 17150,00070105,0002,184,82818.900
Hiscox♥Bronek Masojada (ceo)09 Nov 17100,0001,444.491,444,4903,062,9101.069
Hiscox Richard Watson10 Nov 1750,0001,449.97724,984593,1940.207
Intermediate Capital  Philip Keller (fd)14 Nov 17130,0001,007.271,309,451721,5310.249
Sophos  Kris Hagerman (ceo)14 Nov 17185,500585.0071,085,1881,226,2210.263
Sophos  Nick Bray (cfo)10 Nov 17135,756587796,888113,6630.024
Sophos♥Steve Munford10 Nov 17300,000587.91,763,7002,436,0590.523
Sophos♥Steve Munford13 Nov 17200,000582.87781,165,7562,236,0590.480
Sophos♥Steve Munford13 Nov 17250,000582.87881,457,1971,986,0590.427
*Placing/tender/open offer ♥Spouse/connected party