"Woes at Woolworth". A BLOG (until sp hits 60p, for 30-consecutive days)

March2007 - Corbett goes.
Will he be missed? A good speaker at their AGM (-and no-doubt in front of institutions). Maybe it will encourage WLW to shed some execs and frankly you could cull half at random and nowt would change. He should ahve gone a year ago!
WLW is still a business that's plodding arround, trying to find its purpose...just about everything they sell... is sold better elsewhere.....Whilst the Red-Book (is it?) =their Web-based sales-offering is "probbly their best idea yet" (IMHO) - it is poorly developed, thin on information and hardly gets a viewing at my local store....Why is it so badly promoted? It could be they want to iron-out the wrinkles, but I suspect the real reason is General Incompetance...
Corbett, he of Railtrack and Woolworth - doesn't look good on a CV, huh!

Yes, yes, Company ann's are OK, but The Market is why we're here....and the Market doesn't like it. Therefore I don't like it - and as a shareholder it hurts me each time I go into Woolworths and see goods stacked on shelves with no prices - a whole JML display was without a single price and the Video wasn't working either.... Was it "lunch-time" was it heck!
Further round the store the Roses were priced: - dead ones in pairs at 1.99 (don't quote me on exact pricing) and deluxe dead singles at 3.99 - shouldnt two members of staff be in charge of "watering" - I don't know how long this display will last, but it looked fairly new, judging from the quantity - they are almost worthless stock which I wouldn't buy. If I was given them next week, I doubt I'd take them - planting would be a waste of my time.
The woes at Wollies go far further and almost any store will repeat this dire situation because (it seems) no-one really cares at the Top and this is filtered down, so new staff become despondent and adopt the Company policy....

Just 20p today, I wonder how much longer before a "silly" 26p-bid?
Has Bauger walked? Someone suggested (not here) they were reducing their holding....anyone know? If it drops to 16p thwen some will welcome the prospect of 26p - grief have these Execs no time to visit their stores?

Feb 2008 . . .. 11.5 pence ( recovered from 8.5 pence a few days ago! )
Woolworth Directors spend c. 82k on shares . . . is this a signal that we're in for some No-News intervals. . . .
FWIW these are -
Andrew Beeson -47,885
Anthony Page - - 20,000
Fru Haslet - - - - 50,000
Stephen East - 300,000
Stephen Lewis - 150,000
T B-Jones - - - 150,000
-DYOR -
Some are "modest" and some are their entire holding! Nothing like waiting for a good opportunity, eh?

I would have hoped we'd see some forward-Positive News, like refurbishing Directors and Stores, staff training, . . . . as I'vwe banged-on before.

For now, this will have to do.

results not too bad so I've decided to dip my toe in and tuck a few shares away---someone may be waiting to pounce on this old timer !

Pre-Chrismas sale of Woolworths at 1 . . . .NO, this isn't a massive stock-shift...it's a Store-shift....Buy the lot for 1....!
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Grief with all those expensive Execs can't they throw in a little more?
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Maybe gettinig the business "right" would help....it really rankles that Execs are earning so much for doing nothing . . . .their purpose is to run and improve the business . . . not to leave it alone and run with their wage.

Obviously, if the Co is sold fro a song ( Oh, is that side worth nothing?), then they haven't improved the Debt sufficiently and should receive wages in paper....real paper...not money.....since they have been idle whilst letting the ship founder. Each one must state publically they will not work again....please!.

Tonight on BBC2 the case for Lidl will be put...and there was a rumour that WLW would use some of its space for concessions, like LIDL - well I'm fairly sure Lidl would not be interested....
1)Few WLW stores have car-parks
2)Customers would not use the WLW store, so it wouldf be better used for storage, and retail shelving.

Can WLW emulate the likes of Lidl - well why not? IMHO the problem with WLW is they have nothing that I can't buy elsewhere. Hence I visit only when it's convenient and my "spend" is rarely more than a few pounds, whereas Lidl is typically 50, judging by the trolleys......I mean does ANY Woolworth need trollys?

Now we know why Directors were so shy in buying stock.