What is currently known about HAYS. I have been tempted to buy a few times over the years but have always missed a buying opportunity.

As far as I can see they look like a buy to me. They have stated that results will in line with expectations. There are possibilities of them selling off a part of the company for a good price. They make good revenue and profits. They pay a reasonable dividend.

This looks good also

3 June 2004

"LONDON (AFX) - Hays PLC plans to return cash to shareholders from the
demerger of its DX mail business announced today.
Speaking to newswire reporters, outgoing chief executive Colin Matthews said
that debt put into the DX group on demerger will liberate cash for return to
shareholders. DX will be demerged by issuing current Hays shareholders with
shares in the new mail group.
Hays has promised cash returns to shareholders from disposals of property
and other assets as part of its restructuring into a standalone recruitment
specialist agency.

Hays has promised that surplus cash from its disposals will be returned to
shareholders and Matthews said Hays will give further details in September."

Trading Statement week today 14th April.

Update tomorrow 13th not Friday 14th.

QUARTERLY UPDATE
FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED
31 MARCH 2017
13 April 2017


Financial summary

Growth in net fees for the quarter ended 31 March 2017 (Q3 FY17)
(versus the same period last year)

Growth
Actual
LFL(1)
By region



Asia Pacific
34%
12%

Continental Europe & Rest of World
34%
18%

United Kingdom & Ireland
(4)%
(4)%

Total
21%
10%




By segment



Temporary
23%
12%

Permanent
19%
7%
Total
21%
10%


Highlights

· All-time record quarterly net fee performance for the Group
· Good overall growth of 10%(1) (underlying growth of c.8%(3) adjusted for working days), driven by the continued strength of our International businesses, which represent c.75% of Group net fees
· Continental Europe & Rest of World, representing 50% of Group net fees, delivered excellent, broad-based 18%(1) growth led by an acceleration to 23%(1) in Germany (c.18%(3) adjusted for working days). France grew 14%(1) and 13 further countries grew by over 10%(1)
· Strong Asia Pacific growth of 12%(1), driven by excellent, broad-based 16%(1) growth in Australia. Asia grew 1%(1) as market conditions stabilised
· UK & Ireland down 4%(1) with activity levels sequentially stable. Private sector, representing 74% of net fees, was down 1%(1) with continued signs of modest improvement, while conditions remained tough in public sector markets where net fees decreased 13%(1)
· Group consultant headcount was up 8% year-on-year and up 2% in the quarter, primarily in Europe
· Solid cash performance, with net cash ending Q3 at c.£40 million (31 December 2016: £47.9 million)
· We expect full year operating profit to be at the top of the current range of market estimates, which we understand to be £199 million to £209 million(4)

Commenting on the Group's performance, Alistair Cox, Chief Executive, said:

"We have delivered an all-time quarterly record net fee performance, capitalising on the many growth opportunities around the Group. This gives us confidence to increase our expectations for full year profits, to the top of the current range of market estimates(4). Growth was broad-based and driven by strong performances in our International businesses. Europe delivered excellent results, led by an all-time record performance in Germany, as we continued to invest in additional headcount. Growth in Australia accelerated further and was strong across all states. In the UK, while the public sector market remained tough, we saw continued signs of improvement in the private sector market.

Looking ahead, conditions remain good in the vast majority of our markets, notably Australia, Europe and North America. In the UK, market conditions remain in line with the underlying Q3 trends. We are unrivalled in our industry in terms of the scale, balance and diversity of the business we have built and our focus remains to drive profitable, cash-generative growth. These strengths, combined with our world-class, highly experienced teams around the world, stand us in good stead and mean we continue to look to the future with confidence."



Group
In the third quarter ended 31 March 2017 Group net fees increased 21% on a headline basis and 10% on a like-for-like basis(1) against the prior year, our 16th consecutive quarter of year-on-year growth(1). The difference between headline and like-for-like growth was primarily the result of the significant appreciation of the Euro and the Australian Dollar against Sterling.

The impact of these foreign exchange movements means that if we were to retranslate the Group's FY16 operating profit of £181.0 million at current exchange rates (AUD1.6660 and €1.1783 as at 11 April 2017), the actual reported result would increase by c.£29 million to c.£210 million.

Q3 had two additional trading days versus the prior year due to the timing of Easter, which this year falls entirely into Q4. This positively impacted activity levels in the major Temp and Contractor businesses, most notably Germany, Australia and the UK. In addition, Germany also benefitted from one extra trading day in the quarter. As a result, we estimate a c.2%(3) positive impact on Q3 Group net fee growth and we expect a commensurate decrease in Q4. The estimated impact on a regional level was c.2% in Asia Pacific, c.3% in Continental Europe & RoW (including c.5% in Germany) and c.2% in the UK & Ireland.

Once the impact of trading days is taken into account, we estimate the exit rate for Group net fee growth to be broadly in line with the underlying performance of the quarter as a whole.

The Temp business, which accounted for 59% of Group net fees in the quarter, grew by 12%(1) and the underlying temp margin(2) was broadly stable versus the prior quarter. Net fees in the Perm business increased by 7%(1).

Consultant headcount was up 8% year-on-year and 2% in the quarter as we continued to invest selectively where market conditions and outlook were supportive, notably in certain European businesses and Australia. We expect that increases in Q4 will be selective and at similar levels to Q3.

Not far from a breakout or bust.

Hayes have a Trading Update For The Quarter Ending 30/06/17 next Friday. Has been trading sideways between 160p - 170p since the beginning of June. I'm long on the spreads any improvement could propel sp to 180p with a tight stop. Possibly being over optimistic reverse could see sp test last resistance 150p. Place your bets.

Highlights
• Good overall growth of 7%(1) (underlying growth of c.9%(3) adjusted for working days) and another
record quarterly net fee performance for the Group
• Full-year operating profit is expected to be marginally ahead of current consensus market expectations,
which we understand to be £209.5 million(4)
• Strong, broad-based 11%(1) growth in Continental Europe & Rest of World, driven by Germany up
16%(1) (c.21%(3) adjusted for working days) and 11 further countries growing in excess of 10%(1)

• Continued strong trading in Asia Pacific, up 11%(1), with strong, uniform growth of 13%(1) in Australia
(c.15%(3) adjusted for working days). Solid growth in Asia where net fees grew 6%(1)

• UK & Ireland down 5%(1) (c.(3)%(3) adjusted for working days) with activity levels sequentially stable.
Private sector (77% of net fees) was down 1%(1) with continued signs of modest improvement. Public
sector markets remained tough, down 17%(1)
• Group consultant headcount was up 10% year-on-year and up 2% in the quarter, primarily in Europe
• Strong cash performance, with a year-end net cash position of c.£110 million
• We will host an Investor Day in London on the afternoon of 9th November 2017

LATEST BROKER VIEWS

Date Broker New target Recomm.
14 Jul Liberum Capital 180.00 Buy
12 Jul Exane BNP... 175.00 Neutral

Has threatened to break out on numerous occasions. Preliminary results for the year ended 30/08/17 a week tomorrow, place your bets.

One can hardly make any money with this stock for the last 3 month as has beeen going side ways on a very narrow band 162 / 173p

If you had been lucky enough to buy last June @95p mentor you would not be worrying :0)

StockMarketWire.com

Hays has declared a special dividend following a record level of international profit in the year to the end of June.

Operating profit rose by 17% - up 1% on a like-for-like basis - to £211.5m, driven by international profit growth and exchange rate gains.

Net fees increased by 6% on a like-for-like basis and 18% on a headline basis to £954.6m.

Chief executive Alistair Cox said: "This has been a milestone year for the Group.

"Our International businesses delivered record levels of fees and profit which, together with exchange rate gains, drove overall Group operating profit to over £200m for the first time since 2008.

"As a result of our strong financial and cash performance and a confident outlook, we have proposed the payment of the Group's first special dividend, of £61.6m.

"This supplements a proposed core dividend which has itself increased by 11% meaning the Group's total dividend pay-out has more than doubled year-on-year.

"We delivered strong, broad-based growth in Europe including a record financial performance in Germany, now our largest business in the world. Growth accelerated through the year in Australia across all states.

"In the UK, after a marked step-down immediately after the EU Referendum, activity levels quickly stabilised and we exited the year with modest private sector growth.

"Overall, with 20 countries growing by 10%(1) or more, the transformation of Hays into a truly global, diversified business is evident in these results.

"As we enter our new year, conditions remain good in the vast majority of our markets and we see many clear opportunities to grow.

"Our diverse and balanced global business, together with our highly experienced management teams and our strong balance sheet means we are well positioned to capitalise on these growth opportunities while maximising earnings and cash along the way."

Intraday breakout.

UKX posted in error doh!!!

Anyone subscribing to the MoneyAM Level 2 platform please take note that most days it is not reporting the correct Trade High nor Trade Low information and "some days" not reporting the correct Opening Price or Closing Price.

The reason is because MoneyAM's Level 2 system is not sensing the Auto Trades or Ordinary Trades correctly so is wrongly reporting them

MoneyAM has been unable to fix the fault for over 8 weeks now but are still charging full price for their Level 2

Having a fourth attempt at breaking 190p, next event 12th October trading update for the quarter ending 30th September 2017.

Has recovered well from a good ex-divi two days to go from update for quarter ending 30th September 2017.