George - I think the perception here is that the dividend is likely to be cut.

I understand the theory, George, but on many an occasion recently there hasn't been a post ex-divi bounce (short term) and it is easy to be stuck with a capital loss even though you have got the divi.
Skinny, I am not sure many people would be buying post ex-divi ready for the next divi? I usually look about 1 month ahead and try and buy stock before the final surge to divi date, hence the BT.A & BG. posts, but the problem there is that august tends to be a dire month for stocks, so may have to sit on the shares for a month or so in order to sell at a profit and get the divi. Very tricky, imo and some stocks defy logic, like EXPN where I got the divi and the sp is still going up!

Harry - I think that (a cut) has been the perception for a while - hence I guess, the reason the share fell up to going ex dividend - which is why I didn't buy.

skinny, I agree the future divi looks suspect.

HC, that is the problem, knowing or being lucky enough to find the shares where the sp claws back the drop after going ex divi, or that continue to rise despite having gone ex divi.
2517

VOD & NG have both recovered the pre ex price quickly this time around and are both near or at 12 month highs.

Come on back baby.....up you come......225pwould be nice

up nearly 3% again today, come on you know you want too.,.

AGM Statement and Q1 IMS

At the current sp 215p ish, FGP are now a penny or two above the price prior to them going ex-divi, so could sell now without loss and have the 16.05p divi to come. Simples. So why didn't I do it.
2517

Yuo got in better than me geogre, 228p for me so am waiting a bit longer.,.

do i go or do i stay.............. decisions decisions.,.

BB - this is probably helping over the last couple of days - FirstGroup trumps Virgin as frontrunner for west coast rail franchise

glad i stayed, how far will it go is the next question.,.

238p in profit, must watch carefully through August when decision is made for franchise. Many thanks skinny for info.,.

Balerboy - you may find this interesting.


An increasingly bitter competition for control of the West Coast Main Line was branded a "shambles" yesterday as anticipation mounted that Virgin Trains could be shunted off Britain's railways. Louise Ellman, chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee, has joined unions and industry experts in urging the Government to think carefully before handing a franchise to operate London-to-Glasgow trains to FirstGroup, a rival to Virgin. FirstGroup has offered to pay nearly £7bn in profits to the Government if it wins a 14-year contract to operate the line from December, when the existing franchise expires. Its bid is about £1bn higher than Virgin's offer but will involve deep cost-cutting, The Times says.

we don't know when in August the decision is to be made do we skinny?

Threat to Richard Branson’s train empire

Virgin’s presence on Britain’s rail network could be derailed as FirstGroup offers £1bn more for the West Coast franchise.

13th August is the day.

Thanks UB