After a disappointing start to its float, things are starting to pick up. Since the release of results in December, the shares have steadily increased from 147p to 161p.

The group has a strong and fast growing market share and should perform well.

does one assume that the reported imminent bid in mid June never materialised?

Hmmmm!

Down 30% + dead cat bounce Rumoured to be in breach of banking covenants, HSBC getting twitchy

what happened to the supposed t/o, or did the suitors take one look and run?

Doesn't look imminent now

I have lost a lot on selling this; although my own fault as I thought they were overpriced, but joined-in anyway. ! ah Ha!
Now though I read JSP is trying to rebrand itself, . . . . to demonstrate its advantages to shoppers.....and this might be the bit they forgot. For when digital customers turn-up they're unaware of all the earlier silver history - they wanted a snapper and out.

Therefore the price was the only consideration and that caused JSP some pain with models changing and deep discounts. The falling price of memory also means you need to be a volume-player (quick turnaround) - so your next delivery still shows a profit. Any shop with memory on the shelves is in "bad country", (er IMHO).
The impending credit squeeze will affect both business loans and customer spending...so I'm not sure this is the bottom yet. My remaining holding is of trivial value now.

hangon
I agree but it does look temping at this price.

Bought a camera from this lot online last night. Very pleased as the model is not officially out yet. Good one Jessops.

SECRUOSER
Yes but have you received it .

LOL. No, ordered it too late for next-day delivery (~10:30pm). It is due to arrive on Tuesday.

Good news - camera arrived this morning.

Presumably you're happy with the camera, but did you get a good deal on price - this is the nub of the problem for JSP - if the customers get good deals, they won't be ordering anything too soon - yet they are a bad customer as far as JSP profit is concerned. I wonder if they tried to sell you other stuff and whether they will be trying to clinch another sale fairly soon. My own experience was they gave in on price and two years later I've heard zippo! SO much for trying to keep customers and milk 'em. I agree it's a fine -line but if they need a new Exec, I would change the way the treat customers, so they become long-term buddies.

If there is a credit-squeeze, then 10p won't be the bottom.

No - camera was defective!

Taking it to the local Jessops store tomorrow night, lets see how it goes.

All sorted. Although I had to justify it despite my statutory rights and the obvious fault.

SECRUOSER, - glad to read yr camera is now OK.

As with items like disc-drives; I'm not a great fan of postal delivery - shocks to delicate innards ( OK less so for most digi-cameras ) - will not necessarily show up immediately - but shortening the life of a HDD means that what should be 10-years may end up being 2-3 - - - long enough to have lost the reciept and to have plenty of photos/letters/tunes on the disc.
- At that point you have to start arguing that YOU didn't give it a knock - in other words: you made a small saving, but pay for it in the long-run. I had one HDD delivered in a poor package and even that took ages for a refund. My data is more valuable than the small saving. Now, I buy at Computer-fairs looking carefully at the vendor's handling....


My own digi-camera, bought 2005 from Jessop shop, has image stabilisation ( a glass disc that spins) - so I think that is reason enough to avoid postal delivery.

For many parts, memory etc there is probably no issue....but then JSP isn't the cheapest source.

[[ Note I'm not suggesting a shop-bought product is superior to a delivered part - rather than shocks can be given without any evidence that would make you reject it.
Some while ago a co ( in USA) developed a shock-aware part - like a small glass tube - but somehow it never caught-on . . . . . such a device might help to reduce the possibilty of delivery-shocks. HDD's can withstand amazing shocks ( many G's) - but we are unable to relate this to "everyday" handling. When a HDD is built-in then the mass increases, so a bang to a PC-case represents a very small shock to the HDD. For the same reason a "portable" is still at risk from much smaller shocks. Ideally a portable HDD would be surrounded in soft rubber so it could be dropped safely from (say) 6ft - but most of the design effort goes into styling the case!]].

Cheers hangon.

The fault was actually a white dot/dots on the image, presumably a fault in the CCD sensor, so unlikely to have been caused by the transit.

When I bought the camera (Canon Powershot A720IS) in late August it was only available from Jessops website. The good thing is I found a 10% off web voucher code and in addition I got a 50 cashback from Canon. This means I ended up paying just below the price for that camera now on the cheap websites such as Pixmania etc, so quite fortunate really!

One thing I have noticed about Jessops is the massive difference in price of memory cards compared to online retailers. I bought an Extreme III 2Gb card from Play.com for 16 inc. P&P and the same card is priced at 69.95 in the Jessops store!

Secruoser, sorry for the delay in reply - have just looked at JSP after today's 20% rise ( tad lower, now), on large volume of Buys about 250-worth....can't see why - - - at least wait for the Post-Xmas Sales to start, eh?

(yr comments):-JSP memory is getting on for twice the best On-Line price - do they think all humans are stupid, or only those that come into their shop, oh dear! Are you sure your's is the genuine III-version? Yr price is competitive - but JSP(quoted) is way-off, IMHO.

Did you get an explanation about the white dots?
...If it was black dots I'd say it's dust, dislodged in transit ( presumably the camera was OK when it left the factory, etc.), still it may be you'll never know the full story as shop assistants can tallk the most dreadful c&b just to please the sap/customer.
However, I think yr experience reinforces my view that single items should not be posted! Even if you get a nice on-line experience from "who knows where" - at least JSP is just a bus-ride away! That's something they fail to capitalise upon.
I went into my local JSP today and whilst it was pretty with lights there were only the usual no. of customers. I looked to find a BBargain, but it seems they've sold-off much of their "tired" (my word) stock to 3rd parties........now this seems like dumb to me - when somweone buys a fancy camera JSP should give them a voucher to buy one of these ( older specs) at a discount, so the snapper gets one for themselves and JSP makes a very good friend. You could argue the cheapo-sale destroys another sale - but if the snapper is keen they'll soon enough want something better.
The trouble with selling-off is 1)JSP gets a poor bulk-price and 2) they fuel an argessive competitor.
-The sooner JSP management is replaced the better - If I was a mind to I\'d replace [WLW] Execs also - for both stores have the same "Techno" issues ( ie no USP ) ...of course WLW has plenty of domestic day-to-day sales also.
-Interesting that for "twice a JSP share" you can buy WLW and get an 11% dividend.....if WLW ever gets better ( or a Bauger T-O), that will look quite smart.....whereas I can't see anyone wanting JSP, other than a camera/printer manufacturer(but why not set-up their own?)........and unfortunately JSP has been very weak on computing/image manipulation.........indeed apart from doing prints, you'd think their customers have no interest in "digital imaging" - Well JPS, I think you are so very wrong.............
-Ah that feels better.
Must lie down, ....Nurse, the tablets!

Have they managed to turn around the company?

That is what I think:
Results today with large losses as expected, but sales have turned positive last three weeks and company has change direction on clearing old stock and having the right product and product availability and selling them for a profit. The Turn is here

chart with a breakout and ready for UPTREND

This is with Candlesticks this afternoon

Panmure Gordon reiterated its 'buy' rating and 30 pence price target for JSP

The broker said the business is being cleaned up, although theres much more to do.

Panmure noted that net debt is well within the borrowing facility limits, inventory has been cut back, gross margin is improving, although sales continue to be tough.

It said Jessops is a high-risk investment, but the broker remains convinced that the business has a sustainable future.

It continues to believe that Jessops equity is a highly geared option on the company not going into administration.

In other reaction, ABN Amro said that although there remains a lot of work for Jessops ahead, at this stage the business is on track with its plans. It said there are some early signs of encouragement and it would leave its 2008 outlook unchanged.