If you’d invested in: Darty and Flybe
European electrical goods retailer Darty was on the receiving end of a bidding war that saw its share price soar.
European electrical goods retailer Darty (LSE: DRTY) operates mainly in France (it is headquartered in London) and in November last year French retailer Fnac put in a bid for the company. Then South Africa's Steinhoff International joined the fray, leading to a bidding war.
That drove the share price up by more than 140% in the last year. The Darty board has recommended that shareholders accept Fnac's offer.
Be glad you didn't buy...
Flybe (LSE: FLYB), Britain's third-largest airline, is based in Exeter and flies between the UK's regional airports and Europe. Times have been tough in recent years. It is now in the second year of a three-year restructuring plan, and aims to consolidate its position in the UK while expanding "cautiously" into Europe.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
The financial year 2015/2016 saw passenger numbers and revenue rise, and the airline returned a pre-tax profit of £5.5m. But that hasn't stopped the share-price slide. In the last year, it's fallen by more than 50%.
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
Ben studied modern languages at London University's Queen Mary College. After dabbling unhappily in local government finance for a while, he went to work for The Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh. The launch of the paper's website, scotsman.com, in the early years of the dotcom craze, saw Ben move online to manage the Business and Motors channels before becoming deputy editor with responsibility for all aspects of online production for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News websites, along with the papers' Edinburgh Festivals website.
Ben joined MoneyWeek as website editor in 2008, just as the Great Financial Crisis was brewing. He has written extensively for the website and magazine, with a particular emphasis on alternative finance and fintech, including blockchain and bitcoin.
As an early adopter of bitcoin, Ben bought when the price was under $200, but went on to spend it all on foolish fripperies.
-
What happens if you can’t pay your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?
Millions are due to file their tax return this Friday as the self-assessment deadline closes. Though the nightmare is not over until you pay the taxman what you owe - or face a penalty. But what happens if you can't afford to pay HMRC your tax bill, and what is "Time to Pay"?
By Kalpana Fitzpatrick Published
-
What does Rachel Reeves’s plan for growth mean for UK investors?
Rachel Reeves says she is going “further and faster” to kickstart the UK economy, but investors are unlikely to be persuaded
By Katie Williams Published