Have you applied for Royal Mail shares ?

[Brighton Gull]

I'm happy with all the privatised firms we have. I love it that nearly all of the power companies are foreign owned; that prices have been going up so fast; that the railways are really efficient and cheap - I have really high hopes that Royal Mail will be an equal British success story!

 

[RexCathedra]

There was a time when it was considered normal for postal service to be provided at a nominal expense to the public, as a public utility, as a public good.

But that was before the excision of the word 'public' from the dictionary.
And an artifact of the days before 'citizen' was replaced by 'stockholder'.

That which is, can be bought and sold.
That which cannot be bought and sold, is not.
That which can be bought and sold, must be bought and sold.

That is the whole of the law and the prophets, the rest is commentary.

The judgements of the Market are true and righteous altogether.
Blessed be the Market, the righteous judge.

 

[Westdene Wonder]

Could well be worth a try,in view of the fact that the unions will not be involved in the new business ,they held up progress to modernise for years and when new machinery was eventually introduced it was not unknown for it to be damaged overnight.
A John Lewis type setup could well produce a thriving and successful firm.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I honestly can't remember the last time I sent something via Royal Mail and I can't see any time soon that i will need to send something either.

E-mail is killing the snail mail postal business, utility bills, etc, are now going online so i can only see demand for the service dropping further, so why would anyone invest ion what looks a dying business?

 

[southstandandy]

Definitely on this one - dividends likely to be 6.1% - where else at the moment can you get that? Best share offer for a long while IMO.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Another feckin stupid thread, nothing to do with football, designed to allow a load of numpties to make stupid comments about politics. FFS. Far too much of this on here at the moment. And if I hear once more that Labour created the (global) financial crises (caused by sub prime mortgages in the US) I think I'm going to start suspecting that a substantial number of fellow supporters of my team are devil-worshiping, hopelessly thick, self-deluded thickies. Mind you, the Mail on Sunday does have terrifically accurate horoscopes, and their coverage of the SPL is second to none.

So, how do I order some shares? The real estate value of the post offices must be worth a fortune. The one here, where I live, would make a brilliant Matalan. I'm deffo in

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I'm happy with all the privatised firms we have. I love it that nearly all of the power companies are foreign owned; that prices have been going up so fast; that the railways are really efficient and cheap - I have really high hopes that Royal Mail will be an equal British success story!

Ironic that you should say that . . . ;-) Agree with most of your paradox, but where I live the trains are much better. Not cheaper, true, but better. Unless it snows, of course.

 

[Dandyman]

Not being a spiv, no.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

So, how do I order some shares? The real estate value of the post offices must be worth a fortune. The one here, where I live, would make a brilliant Matalan. I'm deffo in

Sadly for this theory it's the Royal Mail being privatised not the Post Office.

 

[Stat Brother]

Sadly for this theory it's the Royal Mail being privatised not the Post Office.

Not necessarily.

If you take West Sussex, there are depots at:-

Arundel, Littlehampton, Goring, Worthing, Lancing, Shoreham & Hove.
Not to mention all the 'little' offices between the central hub at Gatwick, and the South Downs.

That's all fine and dandy when the staff were delivering on foot and bicycles.
But now in vans the whole operation could easily be run out of 3 sites.
Gatwick, North of Worthing and North of Hove.

RM owns a lot of land in decent locations, much of which is no longer fit for purpose, now we are driving vans.

 

[timbha]

I honestly can't remember the last time I sent something via Royal Mail and I can't see any time soon that i will need to send something either.

E-mail is killing the snail mail postal business, utility bills, etc, are now going online so i can only see demand for the service dropping further, so why would anyone invest ion what looks a dying business?

email and the web could be the making of RM. Who's going the deliver all the stuff ordered over the web? So much scope for efficiencies at RM makes it tempting

 

[kevo]

They sold off the postal service in the Netherlands. 90% of local post offices were closed as a result.

Unfortunately it is 'an old trick'. People get behind it because they think they can make a few quid from the shares, but the end consequence for the general public is substandard service and increased prices.

 

[beorhthelm]

... the end consequence for the general public is substandard service and increased prices.

so no change then, but i get to see a dividend? you make a strong argument.

we'll all be buying in if you have a pension fund.

 

[Spun Cuppa]

Sadly for this theory it's the Royal Mail being privatised not the Post Office.

Early days though

 

[Seagull on the wing]

What are you on about

Thatcher sold off the railways, gas, electric, water etc. Don't think there was anything left to sell in 1997, apart from RM

Rather that happened than Labours trick of raiding the pension funds...which the working man has paid into....Labour....speak with forked tongues..

 

[Sam-]

Theres likely to be short term growth as there will be optimism around the transfer to private ownership, and there should be some efficiency increase.
But I wouldn't expect much from a highly saturated market with lots of established players and with competition from e-mail etc.

High initial dividend to get some feel good factor going but will tail off.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Theres likely to be short term growth as there will be optimism around the transfer to private ownership, and there should be some efficiency increase.
But I wouldn't expect much from a highly saturated market with lots of established players and with competition from e-mail etc.

High initial dividend to get some feel good factor going but will tail off.

Theres no mention of the pricing yet

 

[Brian Fantana]

Nah I'll just take the free ones, thanks.

This.

 

[bluenitsuj]

Thinking About it. My money is not doing anything sitting in a bank account.

 

[piersa]

There's money to be made, although I wouldn't buy them for long term investment.

spot on imo