spreadbetters bonanza on mab on 10 pound a point as of 29 april hop on baby

sp 325p look to be quietly creeping up.

Still quietly creeping sp 342.5p

nearly 32million shs volume today with sp having been 346p at one point. Closing 342p

Tchenguiz raises stake in Mitchells & Butlers to just under 27 percent - report
AFX


LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Robert Tchenguiz, the property entrepreneur, has bought a further 3 percent stake in Mitchells & Butlers Plc, taking his holding to slightly less than 27 percent, reported the Financial Times.

The FT said the purchase was made from AllianceBernstein, the global asset management company.

The stake increase comes less than two weeks before the pub group, which operates the All Bar One, Harvester, and O'Neill's chains, is scheduled to announce the outcome of its strategic review.

M&B shares rose 5 percent to 340-3/4 pence yesterday, in line with other pub groups, after Enterprise Inns was given the go-ahead by the government to convert to a tax-efficient real estate investment trust.

sp 341p after 346p on announcement.

AFX


LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Mitchells & Butlers Plc. said Elpida Group Ltd. has raised its stake in the company to 29.16 million shares, or 7.23 percent, from 24.32 million shares, or 6.03 percent.

Elpida is the investment vehicle of Irish racing tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus.

M&B said at the end of April that it was still in discussions regarding the sale of a 29.9 percent stake to a private equity suitor after Punch Taverns Plc. broke off talks regarding a possible sale of its managed pubs arm Spirit.


sp 339p having been 336p today. The plot thickens!

AXA slashes Mitchells & Butlers stake to 4.29 pct
AFX


LONDON (Thomson Financial) - AXA S.A. has cut its stake in Mitchells & Butlers Plc. to 4.29 percent, or 17.3 million shares.

The group previously held 39.8 million shares in the pubs company, equating to a 9.9 percent stake in the business.


sp 327p

Article on timesonline today says that Co is expected to announce that its plans to sell a large stake to private equity has been shelved. A price of 400p per share had been speculated. It mentions Robert T's stake but omits to mention the increasing stake of Elphida, now over 6%.

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/leisure/article3950642.ece

Correction to post 21, Elphida now hold over 7.2%

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Mitchells & Butlers, the embattled UK pub operator, will this week bow to pressure from Robert Tchenguiz, the pubs and property tycoon, by handing one of his key lieutenants a boardroom seat, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Tim Smalley, an executive at the Tchenguiz investment vehicle, R20 -- M&B's biggest shareholder -- will be appointed a non-executive director of the owner of All Bar One when it unveils the results of a strategic review on Tuesday, it said.

Tim Clarke, M&B chief executive, is also expected to initiate a further analysis of M&B's property portfolio with a view to its eventual separation, the article said.



Mail on Sunday said that Mr T and Magnier/McManus scuppered any deal with Private equity as they were not happy with Private Equity only paying 400p per share. It is felt more attention will now be focused on the Co. property portfolio.
The Company is expected to reveal better than had been hoped trading results.

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Mitchells & Butlers Plc. said it plans to convert to Real Estate Investment Trust status, or other appropriate OpCo/PropCo structure, when conditions in the market are suitable.

Unveiling the results of its strategic review, the group said it will will bolster its property expertise with the appointment of two non-executive directors from R20, Robert Tchenguiz's investment vehicle. Tchenguiz recently raised his stake in the Harvester and All Bar One pubs group to around 27 percent.

M&B said today that adjusted first half pretax profit fell 5.6 percent to 84 million pounds but said it remains confident of a trading out-performance in the full year. The managed pubs operator said same outlet like-for-like sales increased 3.4 percent in the first four weeks of the second half, with like-for-likes up 0.8 percent over the 32-week period.

The group increased its dividend 7.1 percent to 4.55 pence.

sp 327p.

Guscavalier comment: Fuller details of the review can be seen under interim results.
Although consumer spending is being squeezed, MAB may benefit to a degree by people switching from the more expensive restuarant food to pub dining. I went to a Toby Carvery with my wife for lunch. 2 Full gammon roast, 2 ice cream, 1 coke,
1/2pt Becks came to 20 which included over 3 tip. Very nice food.

firm move upwards today after this morning's announcement. Wouldn't be surprised if sp consolidates around 350p- 360p level.

wrong gus!

is it worth buying now at this all time low

MAB will go to 200p next

Elphida purchases further shares and now holds 8.08%

is it worth buying a few of mab now?

scotinvestor- I bought a few of these on the back of Elphida increasing their stake since these connections seem pretty shrewd. I think I read somewhere that T.Hemmings has also bought an interest. They are all a patient lot so what the sp will do short term, I dont kwow but, I wouldn't put you off otherwise. The business outlook will be difficult but, I guess these boys see a good angle there somewhere.

hyleo

is this worth buying now?

Mitchells & Butlers and JD Wetherspoon have both been upgraded to neutral from sell.

In a research note published late Tuesday, Goldman Sachs said that following its recent share price decline, Mitchells & Butlers now trades in line with the sector on a P/E basis on the broker's downgraded earnings forecasts.

The broker said it has cut its 2009 and 2010 EPS estimates to 26.55p from 29.51p and to 28.66p from 31.52p, respectively, primarily to reflect cost pressures.

It added it has reduced its six-month price target to 220p from 290p, reflecting lower earnings estimates and a lower estimated freehold value.

In a separate note, Goldman Sachs said it has also cut its price target and earnings estimates for JD Wetherspoon to reflect the increasingly negative trading environment.

However, it said it sees limited valuation downside following the recent share price decline, which has left JD Wetherspoon trading in line with the sub-sector.

The broker's 2009 and 2010 EPS estimates have fallen to 21.49p from 26.02p and to 24.48p from 28.91p, respectively, while the six-month price target has been reduced to 205p from 260p, Goldman Sachs said.


Heres one for you scotinvestor, I know you appreciate the experts view! sp 222p

Don't be gullible to believe all this upgrades by Goldman Sachs...they get it wrong more than 50% nowadays.

thats not bad for analysts or brokers.....they'll mention all their good tips too