We have lots of experienced traders on MoneyAM who would be glad to help if you have any trading questions.

i wonder of anyone can assist pse ...

Q. What is significance of the 'close period' and what is it's relevance i.e when a company issue's a Pre Closed Period Update . I guess it's to do with the end of a certain trading period etc..but half knowledge can be dangerous so vll be grateful for the correct info.

Q.On the companys account's this does appear alot .. don't suppose anyone know's what these terms mean
i.Goodwill amortisation
ii. Goodwill impairment

many thx in anticiaption

kantona

The company cannot issue any trading statements but can issue significant news, also directors cannot sell / buy shares in the close period. Hence pre-close trading updates.

2nd Q - not at all sure!

kantona
Goodwill is something that can be on a balance sheet but is not a physical asset. If you bought a shop and its stock that might be worth 50,000, you might have to pay 75,000, the 25,000 being for the reputation that the shop has built up in the area. There is no physical asset but it has some worth in terms of potential sales.

Most analyst when looking at a company's balance sheet will strip out the goodwill, therefore companies look to reduce that value on their balance sheet either in one hit over a period of years (amortisation)

Good answer Jeff ..

thx everyone ..

Croc.
Re post 002 question 2
Do you think this is likely to be any good?
http://store.yahoo.com/onlinetrading/eltradguidfo.html

The close period is defined under the Model Code, part of the Yellow Book, which you can find by doing a search in the UKLA part of the FSA website.

There is also some information here:

http://www.moneyam.com/sharesmag/edition60/?page=letters

The close period restricts dealings by directors, the company itself and related persons in the company's own securities in the period between the close of the accounting period and the publication of results which is usually but not always around 2 months. The company usually can't buy back its shares either, like Northern Foods at the moment, although there are exemptions.

Contrary to popular belief it is nothing to do with the company updating or releasing statements to the market. There is a continuous obligation under the Listing Rules to keep the marketplace informed of anything like business performance which would have an effect on the share price if released.

Can someone please give me some information about dividends please? I bought some shares in Domino's Pizza a couple of months ago. Unfortunately they have slipped off their previous growth trend so I am looking to sell them. At present they are ex-dividend. The dividend date is 29th April. My questions are.............. How do I receive the dividend? Is it sent by post to me or to my account with my broker? Is the day after the dividend date the earliest I can sell the shares without losing the dividend? Lastly, in my complete ignorance, when a figure is quoted for a dividend is it a percentage or is the figure in pence per share.

Many thanks for any replies.

B2B

you should be able to sell them now and keep the divi (of 2.18p per share) which will be paid on the 30th April.

If you hold the stock in your own name you will rx the divi.

If you have a nominee account with your broker they will collec the divi on your behalf.

If you want it paid out to you it is probably worth while letting your broker know, otherwise it is likely to sit on your earnings account with them for a while.

cheers

FirstCall

Interesting to view your question in hindsight after LLOY fell to 405p

I have for many years played the divi's to give a guaranteed return as well as making a capital gain.I have bought as late as 4.29pm the day before a share goes ex-divi the next day,then sold(very rarely as price adjusts for the divi)on the ex-divi day.
The normal ploy is to get a good divi then keep enough funds to pound cost average in order to get out with the divi and also having covererd your costs.Along with in nearly all a profit in the shares.
The period usually is anywhere on average between days to 3/4 weeks.
This has recently worked on BARC LGEN LLOY SHEL which all paid a good percentage return against annual Building Society rates.

Many thanks 38 / Torquay
Your comments have been most useful.

B2B

My 1st Divi play.
Have just tried the divi play for the first time. Did not do well.
BA and Logica paid 1100 and 510 but the drop in share price represented 2200 and 3000 pounds respectively.

What I would have done differently would be to have sold both shares on Tues when they passed their peak, then shorted overnight, paid the 1620 divi so I would have made 5200 less divi = 3580 profit.

I would also be in the position of being able to buy both shares at a cheaper price... BA Tues peak was 226 and Wed went to 211. Log peak was 260 and Wed went to 238.

Will possibly try this next week .... GKN (3.31% divi)

Hi Marzipan
Which method would you have used to short?
It appears you have a different approach to me.

I have been reading Elder's book Trading for a Living. I was reading about how he rates his trades (if you know or have the book it is on page236-238). Anyway he talks about recording the channel but I can't figure this out. It seems really important to him because he talks later about using this to calc the trade grade and says it is more important than profit.

Does anyone know what he means by channel? Perhaps an example might help me?

Hi Torquay... not sure if this answers your question, but I should have shorted after both peaks at 11am and bought back on Wed at 8 ish or later if still declining. They have still been declining today (Log now 234 from Tues 260 high). Had I closed the short today on just Log the profit would be c16p.
Be interested to know your approach as this is still a poss plan for next week.

Re: CST

Can someone who is perhaps from "outer space" explain to a mere earthling why on buys of 75m against sells of 4m Constellation Gp falls 32% ?????

Guys this is a really stupid question, but i've just started using a broker who issues certificates rather than a nominee account, and i hold 25k in a company now if i buy another 25k will i then have two seperate certifcates with 25k on each? or will i get one for 50k and the old 25k one become invalid...?
cheers in advance...

Hi Marzipan:Not quite answered but I guess you are actually selling shares and not using CFD's or spread betting.I tend to buy the shares(eg TSCO 4.77p ex-d net week)normally will fall 4-6p at this point pound cost average to (1)at least get all if not part of the divi after all costs.Providing no market shake-out over the period I stated most shares(I only use FTSE100) tend to recover divi and go above original purchase price.With the likes of TSCO because there is less volatility it is quicker and if correct more profitable to have a 3/1 CFD gearing.The reason I have always played divi's is that if the market goes against us we have losses but at least a divi has been generated.

Hi Mr Davis;It's easier to change your broker,as you will get 2 certificates,unless you want to mess about with registrar's.