NEXT is a UK based retailer offering exciting, beautifully designed, excellent quality

fashion and accessories for men, women and children together with a full range of

homewares# NEXT distributes through three main channels:


■NEXT Retail, a chain of more than 500 stores in the UK and Eire;
■NEXT Directory, a home shopping catalogue and website with around 3 million active customers and international websites serving approximately 50 countries; and
■NEXT International, with almost 200 mainly franchised stores around the world#
Other businesses in the NEXT group include:■NEXT Sourcing, which designs, sources and buys NEXT branded products;
■Lipsy, which designs and sells its own branded younger women's fashion products through retail, internet and wholesale channels; and
The parent company, NEXT plc, is listed on the London Stock Exchange #LSE: NXT#L# and is a member of the FTSE 100 Index# Total revenues for the year ended January 2012 were £3#5 billion with underlying pre-tax profits of £570 million# NEXT's head office is located in Enderby on the outskirts of Leicester, England

http://www.next.co.uk/

Dont tell everyone. lol

DC's appeal is that he has moobs and skinny, by definition, does not

shorted 3664

Skinny could be a huge bloke ie 6ft 7inchs and 18 stone. lol

Sorry I do not have moobs . lol

DC - trust me - I'm neither :-)

I trust you. lol

volume could be more convincing

Buy some then :-))

not convinced!lol

Looks like the answer to post 48 was yes!

Sounds like your playing darts skinny. lol

closed at 3605. 50 pts my, i think im fine with that

Next remains resilient. Next will issue a trading update for the christmas trading period on Jan 3 2013. Numis securities have increased its share price target from 3,400p to 3,750p. Oriel securities retain their hold recommendation with a price target of 3,500p and a preference for Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.

Next (Berlin: NXG.BE - news)

High street (BSE: HIGHSTREE.BO - news) suffering? You wouldn't think so if you took a look at Next , the fashion maestro whose shares are pushing a 52-week high. The price actually reached 3,644p at the start of September before falling back a bit, but it's returned above the £36 mark again, at 3,615p as I write.

That's a steady rise from a low of 858p in late 2009, for a better-than-four-bagger rise in just three years. The lesson? Sector sentiment is just short-term noise, but concentrating on quality companies is what gets you the big money.

nice drop..i've been looking for that area with my short but i took too long, better move with asc was coming, much better immune to slump everywhere..:)

Next: Credit Suisse initiates with a target price of 4200p and an outperform recommendation

Next: Buy, Sell Or Hold?
By Zarr Pacificador | Fool.co.uk – 2 hours 12 minutes ago.. .


I'm always searching for shares that can help ordinary investors like you make money from the stock market.

Right now I am trawling through the FTSE 100 (FTSE Index: EO100.FGI - news) (UKX) and giving my verdict on every member of the blue-chip index.

I hope to pinpoint the very best buying opportunities in today's uncertain market, as well as highlight those shares I feel you should hold… and those I feel you should sell!

I'm assessing every share on five different measures. Here's what I'm looking for in each company:

1. Financial strength: low levels of debt and other liabilities;

2. Profitability: consistent earnings and high profit margins;

3. Management: competent executives creating shareholder value;

4. Long-term prospects: a solid competitive position and respectable growth prospects, and;

5. Valuation: an underrated share price.

A look at Next (Berlin: NXG.BE - news)

Today I'm evaluating Next , a UK-based retailer that sells clothing, footwear, accessories and home products, which currently trades at 3,599p. Here are my thoughts:

1. Financial strength: Next has significant gearing of 334% with net debt at £574m, but it remains financially strong with interest cover a hefty 21 times and robust cash flow from operations, which has averaged around £550m for 10 years.

2. Profitability: Next has performed remarkably well this past decade, increasing sales and profits every year, except during the global financial crisis of 2008. Sales have grown at a modest rate of 5% annually but earnings per share and free cash flow have compounded by 15% per year, enhanced by share buy-backs and expanding operating margins from 14% to 17%. The company has been a model of business efficiency producing extraordinary returns on equity (ROE) and returns on capital employed (ROCE), averaging 159% and 72%, respectively, for a decade.

3. Management: Credit should be given to Next's management for delivering exceptional results in a highly competitive sector and for continuing to perform well despite the tough economic environment of the last few years. Also, it has been the company's practice to give back surplus cash to shareholders, returning a total of £3.2bn over the last 10 years in dividends and share repurchases.

4. Long-term prospects: Next has over 500 stores in the UK and Eire and 200 franchised stores worldwide. The majority of its retail space is extremely profitable, and the group sees a lot more opportunities for profitable expansion within the UK. The company's shopping catalogue and website, Next Directory, has been a major driver of its success and now contributes about 31% of the group's sales and 43% of its profits. It has around three million active customers and will be available in 61 countries by the end of 2012.

5. Valuation: Based on the latest company guidance, earnings per share is expected to be around 280p and dividends per share around 100p for the year, which would give Next a not so cheap forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13 and a modest dividend yield of 3%.

My verdict on Next

Next's performance this past decade has been extraordinary and it is not a surprise its shares have performed extremely well -- compounding by an annual rate of 17%. It is a well-managed company that has consistently produced strong profits and cash flows. However, at 13 times forecast earnings, I think it is already reasonably priced and does not provide a sufficient margin of safety in case of adverse events or if business conditions become less than ideal. Especially given the tough competition in the retail sector and the company's huge debt load, things could deteriorate quickly.

So, overall, I believe Next at 3,599p looks like a hold.

Further company analysis is available at www.fool.co.uk.

In the meantime, please stay tuned for my next verdict on a FTSE 100 share.

SP fully recovered

Next: Goldman Sachs raises target price from 2600p to 3800p and upgrades to neutral.