They are a prime target for a takeover. A buy and hold jobby. DYOR

That's me. Bought & holding. It would be rude not to with the current dividend. If they were taken over who would it be by? My hunch is E.ON.

I have added today @ 646p - 3 weeks to ex div

Final Div of 29.6p for those book registered on the 30th June 2006

Safer than wildcats.......

Good to see you SWW.

And you queen1.

Having had 18 months of paper profit wiped in the last few weeks, I have had time to reflect.

Yes, a ghastly few weeks. My initial instinct had been to follow the herd but I resisted as I still believe in the fundamentals of the stocks I hold and just because the market as a whole has given up the ghost it hasn't made my shares bad ones overnight. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

No they are not bad one's.

But oilies have been hit and for being oilies.

I just thought I should diversify for a while.

India's TCS looking to buy outsourcing arm of UK's United Utilities - report
AFX


HONG KONG (XFN-ASIA) - India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is looking to buy Vertex, the outsourcing arm of UK's United Utilities PLC, in a deal valued at 800 mln to 1 bln usd, the Times of India reported on its website, citing company sources.

It said that Vertex -- which has interests in back office functions like customer services, human resources, procurement, finance and accounting -- is perceived by the parent company as a non-core business, and hence the decision to sell.

TCS already has an existing relationship with United Utilities, with the latter having signed a multi-year IT maintenance contract, the newspaper noted.

Interesting, especially as the Vertex performance could have been better so maybe a good move for UU.

In terms of oilies I'm still in SEY as you know. Disappointed that it's been carried down on the wave but hoping for greater things.

ex div 4.30 today . 29.58p bril i have made a great living out of these.

Why should they drop 22p today?

Ex dividend parrisf, and by not as much as the dividend which is a good sign.

You beauty!!!

Target 646.

If this goes on, I may switch to SAB and try to do the same. (price permitting of course).

Hello SWW - nice to see you on here :-)

That'll do me thanks.

Back for the interim.

Don't mention it.

queen1 - I am looking at SAB for nexr week.

The sp dropped back from intraday high, but I would like another 10p off that before I buy.

Just a loud thought in case you wish to have a look see too.

The current weakness is due to a strike call in USA and weakness in the Rand.

Worth considering just to take the divi, in my case I had to sell UU. to do it.

Interesting, I shall peer & ponder.

Thanks Queen1 for info. I'm holding and in profit and a good divi.

Good for you parrisf. Me too!

Often the right thing to do perring...........

See how it pans out!