Anyone notice the exratordinary volumes yesterday? (10/5/2004)

48 million!!!

Many more buys than sells.

That and the price held out only losing a fraction of a penny.

No Easter Eggs in sight in my local store.

May be one reason but............

Any ideas people?

And another.............


All to help you make your minds up.

Shoppers out in force but not at Woolies
Guy Dresser, This is Money
4 January 2005
SHOPPERS returned to the High Street in the last few trading days of 2004, helping to ease fears that retailers were set for a dire December.

But Woolworths today confirmed fears that it had had a tough Christmas. The group revealed that in the four weeks to January 1, like-for-like sales in its main stores were flat against last year. This followed a weak November in which sales of entertainment products and toys were disappointing.


The company blamed a shortage of electronic games hardware for the lower-than-expected figures. It also said that key DVD releases had done much worse than expected. In toys, the overall market was difficult and the sales uplift in the Woolworths Mainchain did not fully reflect the increase in space given to them.


Chief executive Trevor Bish-Jones admitted that the sales performance had disappointed him, but added: 'We have made good progress on improving the gross margin and remain confident about the potential of Woolworths and our Entertainment businesses. Using our strong positive cash flow we are confident that continued investment in our stores will underpin future growth.'


New statistics from retail research body Footfall today showed the number of shoppers visiting stores in the six days to December 31 was up 7% on the previous year. The increase came despite a 5.9% fall in shoppers last Monday, the first proper day of the post-Christmas sales.


While the number of people entering stores does not automatically translate into sales, retailers will be relieved to see a rise in shopper numbers. Anecdotal evidence, however, suggests that the crucial Christmas period when retailers hope to make most of their annual profit has been tough. Many were forced into heavy discounting and pre-Christmas sales days to boost turnover.


John Lewis, the unquoted department stores group, last week revealed an 11% increase in sales during the first three days of its discounting clearance. And the next few weeks will see other listed companies update the market with details of their December trading performance.


Richard Hyman, chairman of Verdict Research, said he plans to stick with his prediction that the public will have spent a record 75.8bn over the Christmas period - a rise of 3.9% on last year on the back of cheaper gifts and wage growth.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=396774&in_page_id=2

Sw.ive done the leg work

Thanks for the updates - be interesting when the others start to report
on their Xmas periods - so who do we think is likely to post the
worse figs?

Well its over 38 to buy at the mo.

Well thats some volume at woolworths today!!!if one the tills took that amount.

cripes, I did not think it would get there 125 mil!

dave, are you sure you can be quiet for 3 minutes tomorrow?

I have a feeling that would be a first!

Worst figures have to be Sainsbury.

My local store was like a normal day this year on the run up to Christmas.

M & S will be close behind, they had nothing worth buying for me or my family, and they must be desparate to do a half price sale so soon after their pre Christmas sale.

Next looked very busy yet again before and after.......... don't know what the appeal is there though!

Sw,its the thrill of the retail sector,,my tills are full up and its been a great day.

Still a watching and a waiting.

Still a watching but not going to jump on the woolworths wagon yet.

Nor am I having liquidated before the drop, thanbk you footfall for the good info..

I will go on your 36 or less quote.

I have bought into UK's answer to Walmart. AKA Tesco. Long term hold and forget!

Good luck on Tesco SWW!!
:>)

Its only a short term long hld, I really want back in these, but with a trading statement this week from tesco, I expect a climb otherwise I would not bither.

Not sure wether to wait till after divi on wlw, to see how it looks then. There is a lot of support for WLW that is for sure or they would have dropped further.

I see my local brach is half price eveything at the moment.

Clear the sheleves and start again.

Good idea.

Sunday Express

Woolworths has been forced to cut jobs after tough trading in what has been described as the worst Christmas in a decade

Oh dear 35p may be too high then?

Lets hope not.

Going like a chad valley train set today,,choo choo.

Hmmmmmm I'm getting bored holding WLW now.....contemplating
bailing out :>(

Ok OK what's occurring?????
Now up 2p....
Is it like the car, you know whenever you get so pi**ed off with it
you say you're going to sell it, it stops playing up????

take over with a bit of luck ONLY JOKING WE WISH notice there are more sell than buys

It's all too bizarre!!
:>)

Are woolworths a target,i dont think so,talk on 20pence a few days ago.