TIPSTERS AT SQUAIREGAIN RECKON THIS IS A DOUBLE YOUR MONEY

Ex-divi 29th Jan (1p)

Wait for fireworks at this upmarket chain - By Alistair Strang | Tue, 14th March 2017 - 10:28

Laura Ashley (LSE:ALY)
Rather amusingly, we've included this lot in 'Our ISA' table, but cannot find a report compiled against the share which provided future potentials. Perhaps this is just as well, given we're showing it was viewed at 18p and the share price is now trading around 16p.

Worse, the price was recently forced below the long-term uptrend (circled), entering a phase where weakness now below 14.5p points has 11.5p next with secondary, if (when) broken, at an ultimate bottom of 9p.

We're calling this an 'ultimate' 'cos we cannot calculate a number below such a point without prefacing it with a minus sign.

With Laura Ashley (ALY), there's a major "thing" which fascinates us, and it's shown in 'blue' since 1996.

For the last couple of years the share price has been reacting to a trend since 1996, and there's little doubt any movement now above 'blue' is liable to promote fireworks as a 21-year-old trend being bettered is liable to provide a celebration!

The implication now is that the price must trade above 19p to indicate something happening, as movement toward 21p initially looks sane with secondary a very probable 27p. Then we need to review the tea leaves...

and now at 8.35p the downtrend continues as results are badddddd.... and dividend scrapped ..........

Laura Ashley like-for-like sales fall

Laura Ashley Holdings' total like-for-like sales fell by 3.1% in the 52 weeks to the end of June.

The group posted a profit before tax and exceptional items of £8.4m (2016: £24.7m - 74 week period) and a statutory profit before tax of £6.3m (2016: £22.8m - 74 week period).

Group sales totalled £277.0m against £400.9m for the 74 week period) with online revenue of £57.3m (2016: £73.5m - 74 week period).

Online sales were up 5.6% on a like-for-like basis.

Hotel revenue totalled £2.5m (2016: £3.5m - 74 week period).

The company said the board was not recommending payment of a final dividend. An interim dividend of 0.5p has already been paid (2016 - 2.5p).

Chairman Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Peng said: "Trading conditions have been challenging for the year ended 30 June 2017.

"We are focused on addressing the challenges which our business has encountered over the past year and are confident that we are well-positioned to overcome them.

"Our online performance continues to be strong and we saw like-for-like online revenues grow by 5.6% over the year.

"A strong and expanding international presence is at the core of our strategy.

"We signed a new licence partner in India earlier this year and we are looking forward to the opening of our first Indian stores next month.

"We launched our Chinese website in November and I am pleased that this is making good progress and enhancing our presence in the territory.

"Laura Ashley is known worldwide for high quality, beautifully designed products. 33% of our sales come from products manufactured in the UK.