Buying Shares in a Bus Company?

[Y961 XBU]

Hi i am currently looking into Buying Shares with a Bus Company, how does it all work out?

 

[Robertj21a]

To be honest, if you know that little about Stocks and Shares you are probably better just putting any money in the Building Society. It's a high-risk business but if you still want to proceed, look up things like 'Stockbrokers' or 'Share Dealing'.

 

[extendedpaul]

Do shareholders get travel concessions ?

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

Do shareholders get travel concessions ?

In the case of First Group, no.

 

[ilkestonian]

Hi i am currently looking into Buying Shares with a Bus Company, how does it all work out?

Some folk have become rich buying bus company shares.
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The only trouble is that they started off mega rich

 

[Rich McLean]

There is not many Transport companies shares worth buying at the moment. I have shares in stagecoach, and may cash out at some point as I have made a fair bit.

If your going into shares, do your research first, and keep on top of developments, as you could sell your shares if things start to look bleak, and move the capital elsewhere.

 

[6Gman]

I had shares in Arriva and got a good return, both in income through annual dividend, and as a capital gain when DB bought them.

I have had shares in Stagecoach - sold some (at a profit) but still hold some. Decent return but a bit rollercoaster in earlier years with the American ... er ... adventures!

No travel concessions or other fringe benefits.

 

[quarella]

Some folk have become rich buying bus company shares.
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.
.
.
The only trouble is that they started off mega rich

Not necessarily. Of course it depeneded how much cash you were able and willing to risk but some bus drivers taking their optional heavily discounted shares at privatisation. A few mergers and takeovers down the line picked the right moment to sell and did very nicely thank you.

I consider it gambling for posh people. Don't risk what you can't afford. While you may still make something I do not think we will see high returns in public transport shares again for some time. I treat mine in a few of the main groups as an emergency nest egg. Usually pleasantly surprised when I bother to check their worth as long as I don't think about their peak value.

 

[Busaholic]

Don't forget, if you're buying into a bus company you're almost always buying into a railway company too. The situation with railway franchises makes these share prices very volatile e.g. First not securing the East Coast franchise has contributed to their current low share price.

 

[Robertj21a]

Don't forget, if you're buying into a bus company you're almost always buying into a railway company too. The situation with railway franchises makes these share prices very volatile e.g. First not securing the East Coast franchise has contributed to their current low share price.

True, but the First Group share price has been very low for some time now and may well be far more related to their massive debt burden.

 

[Y961 XBU]

I was thinking more Rotala as i noticed on the Stock Market they got Shares going for £54 Quid plus since they now own SLT i feel like buying a little bit of shares into them

I assume once you buy a Share you can keep it for as long as you want?

 

[winston270twm]

I was thinking more Rotala as i noticed on the Stock Market they got Shares going for £54 Quid plus since they now own SLT i feel like buying a little bit of shares into them

I assume once you buy a Share you can keep it for as long as you want?

Yes.

Rotala shares trade for 54p each not £54.

Over the past two years Rotala share have been traded between 44 - 61p & appear to have peaked. You're hardly going to make a fortune buying those. The only chance you have of making any decent money is if Rotala even get taken over.

 

[Y961 XBU]

Yes.

Rotala shares trade for 54p each not £54.

Over the past two years Rotala share have been traded between 44 - 61p & appear to have peaked. You're hardly going to make a fortune buying those. The only chance you have of making any decent money is if Rotala even get taken over.

Tbh am not in it for the Money, Am in it as i hear that as a share holder you have a small say in the Company goings on, What Website am i best buying these Shares from? The London Stock Exchange looks confusing in am truthful

 

[BestWestern]

I think you need to do some (a lot) more research. You will not find that you have any influence in the company 'goings on' as a holder of shares worth a couple of hundred quid or whatever, beyond perhaps the odd visit to the AGM.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

I think you need to do some (a lot) more research. You will not find that you have any influence in the company 'goings on' as a holder of shares worth a couple of hundred quid or whatever, beyond perhaps the odd visit to the AGM.

I can only echo what everyone else has said. It seems you don't have much (if any) idea about what shares are actually about, viz:

• You will probably not make much in the way of money - there may be a small dividend but the only real benefit is if a business is taken over
• There is considerable risk - you may lose some or all your investment so only invest what you are prepared to lose
• You will have virtually no influence in the day to day nor strategic approach of the business as a small shareholder

Feel free to invest in Rotala if you are prepared to risk that money (and get professional advice - not just relying on people on here) but if it's in the misguided view that you will have any say in their goings on, then perhaps you're better off doing something else with the money

 

[winston270twm]

Tbh am not in it for the Money, Am in it as i hear that as a share holder you have a small say in the Company goings on, What Website am i best buying these Shares from? The London Stock Exchange looks confusing in am truthful

You have zero say in anything if you're buying say £500 quids worth of shares.

To have a realistic say/influence on a company you would need a 10+% stake in the company, even for Rotala that will currently costs you around £2.1 Million +

This is who I use, flat cost of £5.95 per trade & no account admin fee's
http://www.x-o.co.uk/

 

[Robertj21a]

I was thinking more Rotala as i noticed on the Stock Market they got Shares going for £54 Quid plus since they now own SLT i feel like buying a little bit of shares into them

I assume once you buy a Share you can keep it for as long as you want?

As I and others keep emphasising, you *may* be risking all of your money. Only go ahead if you are prepared to lose it. Unless you are going to invest, say, £5,000+ then there really is little point in bothering as the trading costs may well exceed any possible returns.

Personally, I can't see any real point in buying shares in Rotala - they're not likely to be very profitable and may be fairly illiquid (i.e possibly difficult to sell due to limited demand).

 

[bussnapperwm]

You have zero say in anything if you're buying say £500 quids worth of shares.

To have a realistic say/influence on a company you would need a 10+% stake in the company, even for Rotala that will currently costs you around £2.1 Million +

This is who I use, flat cost of £5.95 per trade & no account admin fee's
http://www.x-o.co.uk/

I'd second the suggested website too for buying shares.

 

[MK Tom]

A third vote for x-o from me.

I've considered buying into First in the hope that they do recover their business in the future, as currently they're trading at about a third of what Stagecoach are. But Stagecoach are a solid business who'll probably always be around, whereas First are questionable at best and any investment in them could go south if the business gets broken up in the future. OR they could win the Anglia franchise and it'd go flying up again!

 

[Robertj21a]

A third vote for x-o from me.

I've considered buying into First in the hope that they do recover their business in the future, as currently they're trading at about a third of what Stagecoach are. But Stagecoach are a solid business who'll probably always be around, whereas First are questionable at best and any investment in them could go south if the business gets broken up in the future. OR they could win the Anglia franchise and it'd go flying up again!

I doubt that First will go 'flying up' anywhere all the time that they have massive debts. Think First - global, not First UK.