Utility Warehouse (Telecom Plus) Discussion

Meeper

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

To continue with the more constructive discussion, is the Telecom Plus share still performing? I had some money invested in their shares up until July last year, but sold up at around 350p to put into another company (that has since gone up 5x, so good choice). The last communication I saw was from November 2010.

PS. Aren't we due a Cardew soon ? : "For the benefit of new readers ......"

Price of Telecom Plus shares at 15:26 this afternoon (TEP.L on the stock exchange) is 449.90p, so that would be a 28.5% increase in the share price in 7 months.

Meeper

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

I bought them at around 300p early last year, so it seems growth has continued nicely then. I'd have liked to have kept them, as they paid a decent dividend, but didn't have enough capital available to buy Xcite Energy shares, so sold up. These have gone from 64p to £3.65 since then, so it was the right thing to do. I'm hoping Xcite will be c. £10.00 by the end of 2011.

Good move!

MillicentBystander

Telecom Plus (TEP) are at just about (using Cardew's definition here ) at their historical high, I believe. I believe stock market experts would label it the 'Quentin effect' (TM). THAT'S why he seems so desperate on here...


This chart shows their progress since he started his one man 'crusade':

http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?type=chart&display=chart&code=cotn:TEP.L&it=le&timeframe=5y3&index=&versus=&linetype=line&Go=Plot+&overlay=&overlay2=&overlay3=&overlay4=&indicator=&indicator2=&indicator3=&indicator4=&chartwidth=500&buylines=on&triggers=on


He's missing an obvious business opportunity here, I feel. Hire himself out to companies in the doldrums, slag them off on the internet and voila!

Bennyjeff

Hi there, I am a utility warehouse distributer and new to this forum.

I understand the comments above, and agree that all cases of value for money are the same. For me personally, although the base cost of my utility services may not be the cheapest, due to the ease of a single bill and the cashback I get with my card, it is more simple and cost effective for me personally.

That doesn't necessarily mean it works like that for everyone.

Quentin

Bennyjeff wrote: »

Hi there, I am a utility warehouse distributer and new to this forum.

I understand the comments above, and agree that all cases of value for money are the same. For me personally, although the base cost of my utility services may not be the cheapest, due to the ease of a single bill and the cashback I get with my card, it is more simple and cost effective for me personally.

That doesn't necessarily mean it works like that for everyone.

Your circumstances and use of the risky card must be unique!

eg The risky card pays only 3% gross (before paying card charges) on (some) shopping at sainsbury, and thus you need to spend in excess of £3333 to get just £100 towards paying your expensive energy prices.

But you can easily get more than 5% discount off all your shopping there not using the risky uw card, and buy cheaper utilities elsewhere saving on the cost of the energy and getting £166+ off your shopping too (based on the same £3333 spend)!

Bennyjeff

I only top up the card once per month at a cost of 35p. This covers all my personal food, clothes and petrol budget for the month.

As you are no doubt aware the percentage of cashback varies depending on where the funds are spent.

The main benesfit to myself though, is as a result I get a fair bill each month, no risk of somebody cloning my card and emptying my bank account, and no risk of credit charges.

However, as I previously said, the same is not the case in everybodies situation, but as I do most of my shopping online, I save a fair amount and am pretty well protected from major fraud.

That is of course just my personal opinion of course!!!

Quentin

Bennyjeff wrote: »

I only top up the card once per month at a cost of 35p. This covers all my personal food, clothes and petrol budget for the month.

As you are no doubt aware the percentage of cashback varies depending on where the funds are spent.

When you say the cost is just 35p/month to top up you "forget" to mention the ongoing charges for the card.

And the % "reward" does vary, but on petrol it is only 3% compared with an extra 66% true discount at 5% elsewhere.

Similar differences are seen at all merchants. Do UW pocket the difference for themselves?

Cardew

uptomyeyeballs wrote: »

As a PLC, it must try to deliver for it's shareholders and encourage them to remain invested in the company. It's fundamental business sense. Whilst utility companies were private entities it wasn't an issue, but now it is. Strong companies deliver better quality service for their customers and shareholders, weak ones cut corners and disappoint everyone. Customer account money is essentially just cashflow, it's the investors that grow the market capitalisation. Those investors are then rightly rewarded by dividend payment. Telecom Plus obviously have an excellent business model, as they display good growth and have maintained the yield in tough conditions against much bigger rivals.

Yawn! thanks for the economics lecture and yet another plug for UW.

So if the other Utility companies(BG etc) 'deliver to shareholders' they shouldn't attaract criticism?

Tell that to the multi-named troll.

MillicentBystander

I can't believe Quentin has been going on about this 5% discount elsewhere for so long without actually giving details to back it up. Who's it with and is there any risk involved? And how do you actually get this discount? He pretends to ignore me (because he knows he's been shown up very badly once and won't risk it again.:p ). Perhaps someone he's not pretending to ignore can ask him for the relevant details? :beer:

payless

why bdo you pay 35p to load- my card that offers the same benfits as UW ( issued by same provider ) doesn't charge if over £200 load