Its come along way since these were a pair of old boots,just bought today mid 280s,spent a few pounds in there of late,so why not!

A chart - Not for the sensitive souls amongst us!

Thursday -

Halfords, the car parts and cycles seller, announces its first quarter interim management statement with the company seeking to restore its reputation after the profit warning at the end of May. "An indication that trading has stabilised could see the stock recover some of the lost ground," Northland Capital Partners suggests. Panmure Gordon reckons the results are certain to disappoint given the recent poor weather, it is merely a matter of how much disappointment there is likely to be. It is forecasting LFL sales on the retail side to be down 7% year-on-year

Interim Management Statement

Key Points for the Quarter

Retail
· A weak start to the quarter with revenue LfL of -12.4% for the first 8 weeks followed by an improvement in the following 5 weeks (LfL: +0.9%)
· A solid performance in Car Maintenance with 3Bs fitting penetration at 27.0% (Q1 FY12: 22.4%) contributing to a 26.9% growth in Retail service revenues
· Car Enhancement remains in decline but an encouraging positive LfL performance in Car Audio
· Cycling and other Leisure revenues materially impacted by the unseasonal weather conditions with Cycling revenues down 9.6%
· Good progress in online revenues (+13.0%) with the new fulfilment proposition enhancing the multi-channel offer
· Q1 gross margins and costs in line with our expectations

Autocentres
· Pleasing performance with further strong growth in revenue and market share
· Tyre fitting now represents in excess of 10% of Autocentre revenues

Group
· Further progress in delivering the long-term strategy; encouraging feedback from the 3 "laboratory" stores
· Group remains cash generative with a strong balance sheet
· The Board intends to declare at the time of the half-year results an unchanged interim dividend of 8p per share, payable in January 2013
· David Wild steps down as Group CEO. Dennis Millard becomes interim Executive Chairman. Search underway for replacement CEO (see separate announcement)

Guidance for the Full Year

Whilst still early in the year, given the uncertain trading environment our planning assumptions now reflect continuing negative Retail LfLs in the remainder of the first half, with second-half Retail LfLs likely to be flat to mid-single-digit negative. Previous guidance on Retail margins and costs and on Autocentres' profit growth is broadly unchanged. Under these scenarios, FY13 Group Profit Before Tax for the year would range between £62m and £70m and healthy underlying cash flows would continue to be generated whilst making progress implementing our strategic priorities.

ouch again.

And bye bye CEO. Halfords announces David Wild to step down as CEO.

A weak start to the quarter with revenue LfL of -12.4% - Panmure Gordon thought -7%. Again not going to be pretty at 8.00am

up 10% this am, keep going.,.

There are a few broker "recommendations" out today here

One of the better ones is an upgrade to buy from Seymour Pierce TP raised from 220p to 260p.

Just got back from a 4 day break, this has picked up since last week. Good luck bb. I sold @ 205 ish for my sins.
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Hope it's coming right 7152.......come on halfords "get on yr bike".,.

George/BB - I got stopped out @209 after the post dividend fall.

Assuming "they" are correct and the summer returns next week, maybe sales of bikes and outdoor equipment may pick up. And of course there is the "Bradley Wiggins" effect, if he wins the Tour.

..Halfords chief David Wild departs as sales fall

By Nathalie Thomas | Telegraph – 3 hours ago
....Email
Share0Print.....
Struggling bike and car parts retailer Halfords has cast adrift its chief executive, David Wild, after issuing its ninth-profit warning in two years.

Mr Wild joined Halfords from Wal-Mart in 2008 but agreed to resign after he was summoned to a crunch meeting with the retailer’s board on Wednesday night.

Halfords’ chairman, Dennis Millard, said the board felt it was the “right time” for a change in leadership as the retailer presses ahead with a new strategy.

But analysts suggested Mr Wild failed to adequately address crucial areas such as product ranges, competition from online retailers and poor customer service during his tenure.

News of his departure came as Halfords, which has more than 460 stores, issued yet another profit warning. It blamed the poor weather for a 5.6pc slump in like-for-like revenue during the first quarter as the rain dampened appetite for bikes and other outdoor products.

Despite the bleak update, Halfords shares staged their biggest one-day gain in more than two years, rising 8.4 - 4.3pc - to 205.8p.

Mr Millard left with a £645,400 pay-off - the equivalent of one year’s salary and benefits.

Philip Dorgan, an analyst with Panmure Gordon, said Mr Wild’s resignation would be viewed “positively”. “Many market commentators regard Halford’s problems as being in execution, rather than structural,” he said.

John Stevenson of Peel Hunt said it was “no surprise” Mr Wild had been cast adrift after such a poor run over the past two years.

“They have too many stores and those stores are over-spaced,” Mr Stevenson said, adding that he did not believe Thursday’s profit warning would be the retailer’s last.

Dennis Millard, Halfords chairman, will become executive chairman while Egon Zehnder, the recruitment company, searches for a replacement chief executive.

Sources said Mr Millard is looking for a candidate with more services experience as Halfords tries to move away from traditional retailing and focus more heavily on areas such as car repairs.

Mr Wild said: “I have enjoyed my time at Halfords and feel we have accomplished a great deal during my tenure as CEO.”

..

I've taken another stab here @204, purely as a speculative punt on the "wiggo" effect on bike & accessory sales before the next figures. I realise that Halfords don't sell the calibre of bike used, but nevertheless, there is bound to be a rise in youngsters taking an interest.

UK bike sales benefit from 'Wiggins effect'

Visa Europe reports that sales of bikes and accessories in the final week of the Tour rose by 6.3 per cent compared to the previous week, and rose 5.1 per cent compared to the same week last year. Although Visa does not mention it in its report, part of the uplift could also be attributed to a long-awaited change to fairer weather in the UK.

London 2012: Bradley Wiggins effect intensifies crowd's love of cycling

could do with a boost here skinny, hope your right.,.

Skinny, bb, as you know I sold out at a loss here but wish you both good luck. I see FGP are doing nicely as well.

I am re-thinking another of my strategies which I will share with you : From now on I'm going to buy what I normally disgard and sell what I normally buy, should be profitable ha! ha!

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George - I know that feeling all too well! :-)

me too 5127......lol

214p George and climbing, think i'll give a mini gibby..... yyyeeeehhhaaa.,.

Chart for you Bb. This one won't upset you! ;o) [Although recent broker forecasts might @ 205p].

Hey relay bob, you don't have to rub it in. Hope it does well for you.
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