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K.C.
24 Jun 11 10:48
Joined:
Date Joined: 28 Feb 11
| Topic/replies: 708 | Blogger: K.C.'s blog
The 2011 annual results will be announced on Wednesday 29th June 2011 and judging by the plummeting share price the results will be below expectations.

Perhaps Mr Yu will now log onto the feedback forum and see the issues his customers have been having with the site for months and months now, which have no doubt had a big negative effect on revenues.

Share Price is currently £7.30 I do hope some angry investors attend the AGM in September armed with the issues that customers have had with the site.


Share price is £7.30
Pause Switch to Standard View Betair share price all time low ahead...
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Report five leaves left July 8, 2011 4:30 PM BST
£4 here we come.
Report CLYDEBANK29 July 8, 2011 4:30 PM BST
I wonder where it would be now if six years ago it had just concentrated all its efforts into being a super efficient free market exchange?
Report Lori July 8, 2011 4:38 PM BST
At this rate the big 480 will be able to buy the company and make more money than ever by simply running the site the right way and selling their 50p shares for £13
Report 1.01 Layer July 8, 2011 4:44 PM BST
50p a bit toppy, Lori.
Report Ghetto Joe July 8, 2011 4:44 PM BST
Only lost 39p today things looking up

BETFAIR GROUP
(LSE: BET.L Ticker: 44JTH0 / ISIN: GB00B44JTH01)
Last Trade:    684.14
Trade Time:    16:27
Change:    Down 37.36 (5.18%)
Prev Close:    721.50
Open:    727.00
Bid:    682.50
Ask:    683.00
1y Target Est:    N/A
Day's Range:    682.00 - 727.00
52wk Range:    682.00 - 1,610.00
Volume:    451,912
Avg Vol (3m):    378,017
Market Cap:    N/A
P/E (ttm):    N/A
EPS (ttm):    N/A
Div & Yield:    N/A (N/A)
Report Johnny Fontaine July 8, 2011 4:47 PM BST
Mark Sheilds need to investigate the falling share price
Report Lori July 8, 2011 4:49 PM BST
Laugh Johnny
Report turtleshead July 8, 2011 7:22 PM BST
Excellent news, their utter greed and total contempt for their customers is finally starting to be reflected in the share price. Got quite a way to go yet...
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 8, 2011 7:55 PM BST
No turtle their share price is reflecting their poor earnings performance.
Which is exactly what BF is attempting to address currently.
Btw why is it excellent news for you ?.
Did you short it at the float ?.
If so then I can understand your glee.
Otherwise I find it quite difficult to understand why you should find a plunging share price to your liking.
Do you perhaps have some personal gripes about the shareholders as well as the mgt ?
Or do you think the decreasing share price is going to cause some sort of shareholder revolt to get rid of the current mgt, and put in a team that will do things your way ?
Report brentford July 8, 2011 8:02 PM BST
I suspect a lot of people that have seen the company totally lose direction, become complacent and start to heavily penalize many of the people that helped to promote it free of charge (and anyone that doubts they did, clearly doesn't remember it's early customer growth and how it happened) are at least having a quiet smirk, regardless of it's actual implications long term.
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 8, 2011 8:13 PM BST
You could well be right brentford.
You could also say that you can't live in the past.
BF are trying to deal with things as they see them in the present and in the projected future.
They will be judged, share price wise, eventually on those actions alone.
There is no room for sentiment in the markets.
The past is over.
But your point about potentially damaging the basic brand/ franchise is also an important factor to consider.
Report Coachbuster July 8, 2011 8:33 PM BST
Things aren't looking good , talk of government bringing in taxes on gamblers (this of course on top of any commission  charges), overseas countries banning/restricting  on line betting companies right left and centre.

Hope things get better than this .
Report aye robot July 8, 2011 8:36 PM BST
talk of government bringing in taxes on gamblers

What talk is that then?
Report dashero July 8, 2011 8:38 PM BST
Sunday Times questions Betfair’s capacity for growth

After Betfair announced its full-year results last week, the Sunday Times‘ Matthew Goodman took a long look at just how/why the company”s shares managed to lose nearly half their value since their October 2010 float. In his profile, Goodman focused on the companies’ eagerness to portray itself as a technology giant on par with the Facebooks and Googles of the world, and the investment community”s complicity in choosing to view the company as such.

Much of this early hype stemmed from Betfair”s unique selling point, the betting exchange model, which many since-chastened analysts predicted would ultimately spell doom for traditional fixed-odds bookmakers. However, as Goodman points out, that revolutionary feature is now over a decade old, and bookmakers haven’t gone anywhere. Indeed, Betfair has even adopted some of the old guard’s methods, offering traditional fixed-odds wagers in addition to the peer-to-peer option.

To make matters worse, the company’s attempt to export the exchange model beyond the sports world into share-trading (LMAX) has been underwhelming. Nevertheless, outgoing CEO David Yu rejected Goodman’s assertions that Betfair had stopped innovating, pointing to the company’s role as a “pioneer” of in-running betting. Yu also defended the addition of fixed-odds betting as a case of giving punters what they want, much as when the company added poker and casino options. But the fixed-odds move may have more to do with addressing Betfair’s core problem — regulation.

As Goodman notes, while countries around the world are incrementally moving toward loosening restrictions on their gambling markets, these same countries view betting exchanges as an entirely different and much more threatening beast. As the only real option for punters who wish to actively bet against a team or player, countries (rightly or wrongly) view betting exchanges as catnip for match fixers. Being a publicly traded company, Betfair is now bound by shareholder agreements to limit operations to markets that lay out the governmental welcome mat, the list of which has not grown anywhere near as fast as Betfair shareholders would have preferred.

With growth having flatlined, the market restrictions facing Betfair will become an even more pressing concern when investors figure out that the company is essentially locked out of Asia — the great white whale of betting markets. Without an Asian strategy, how can Betfair possibly hope to achieve the overseas expansion that it identified as a key source of future growth?

In announcing its FY results, Betfair said it plans to institute a £50m share buyback (something that Google, as Goodman noted, has yet to do in its history). While Betfair finance director Stephen Morana claims the company has sufficient cash on hand to both execute the buyback and invest in its future, we humbly suggest that the company combine the two strategies. Buy all of the shares back, take the company private and thereby cast off the regulatory chains that are making real growth so elusive
Report Coachbuster July 8, 2011 8:43 PM BST
aye robot     08 Jul 11 20:36 
talk of government bringing in taxes on gamblers

What talk is that then?
__________________________

I'm ignoring it personally Aye , rumours were circulating on a few forums since this new lot have taken over  ,no links or back up though on any of them ...
Report Coachbuster July 8, 2011 8:43 PM BST
the restrictions are very real though ,and that's a bigger problem
Report turtleshead July 8, 2011 8:45 PM BST
I wish I had sold the share price at the flotation, tbh I didn't even know you could at the time. Anyway, as I said before, their couldn't care less attitude means they are getting what they deserve, brentford has summed it up very well. Will they put it a new management structure to change things around? Dunno, but the more it falls, (and it will keep doing so imo) the more chance of it happening, especially if they keep losing customers when purple eventually get their act together.

I've no gripe with the shareholders themselves, as stated before I think they are / were total mugs in buying a ludicrously overpriced product, but other than that I couldn't care less about them tbh.

And if it goes down a lot (and I mean a LOT further) it may even be worth getting a few as a speculative buy Devil
Report aye robot July 8, 2011 8:56 PM BST
Yeah.... talk on forums.... never very reliable. Neither the Government nor the Opposition are proposing anything so I'll go with that for now.... until the Forums start making the laws that is..
Report Coachbuster July 8, 2011 9:06 PM BST
Grin
Report five leaves left July 8, 2011 9:32 PM BST
A tax on winning gamblers is about as likely as a reintroduction of a window tax.
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 8, 2011 10:02 PM BST
I bet in a darkened room anyway. So no problem for me either way it goes.
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 8, 2011 10:07 PM BST
One thing is for sure.
You can bet the drop in the share price has got the full, undivided attention of the senior mgt and the BoD.
I just hope they are not making short term decisions as a result and are really focussing on the true long term problems and solutions.
Report turtleshead July 8, 2011 11:03 PM BST
"I just hope they are not making short term decisions as a result and are really focussing on the true long term problems and solutions"

Doubt they are that fussed come to think of it, they cashed in at the right time.

"I just hope they are not making short term decisions as a result and are really focussing on the true long term problems and solutions"

Well, they just went for the quick term cash grab with the pc, so I'd say that's pretty unlikely, tbh.
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 8, 2011 11:15 PM BST
I don't think perhaps you really understand the corporate governance responsibilities that come with running a public company.
They would probably like to give back the float monies right now and be private and unaccountable to anybody external truth be told.
Report five leaves left July 8, 2011 11:57 PM BST
Can't they buy all the shares back at half the price?
Report turtleshead July 9, 2011 12:04 AM BST
2) using some obtuse or fanciful play on words to try and impress others

"I don't think perhaps you really understand the corporate governance responsibilities that come with running a public company. They would probably like to give back the float monies right now and be private and unaccountable to anybody external truth be told"

I rest my case...Devil

As 5ll says, they could get the shares back tomorrow...at a much lower price than they sold them at...
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 9, 2011 12:24 AM BST
I give up.
I'm obviously dealing with some sophisticated investment bankers here.
Report five leaves left July 9, 2011 12:31 AM BST
Why are you giving up?

Please explain to us where we're wrong?
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 9, 2011 12:48 AM BST
And just again be accused of being a know it all ?
I suggest howver that you start thinking these things through yourself.
First of all get up to speed on all the ins and outs of the stock exchange regualtions covering the repurchase of stock on the open markets by corporates.
Then do a little bit of basic balance sheet analysis to see if and how BF could raise the required cash and service the ongoing costs associated with any source of such cash.
Also perhaps analyse the existing commitments to various cap expdenditure programmes which also require new cash
etc etc etc etc.
Report five leaves left July 9, 2011 10:21 AM BST
Why not just tell us in fuller detail rather than post the same pro-PC stuff in every thread.
Report dashero July 11, 2011 11:14 AM BST
etfair poaches bwin.party exec 11/07/2011
James Bennett


Betfair has poached bwin.party’s central marketing director Matt Robinson to become the exchange’s emerging markets director, a new role created for the experienced gaming executive.

Robinson, who has been at PartyGaming, now bwin.party, for two years and was previously at 888 for six years launching the brand in the UK, will join the exchange in September reporting to chief commercial officer Niall Wass, and follows the recent appointments of other gaming veterans including ex William Hill exec Ian Chuter, group operations director, also a newly created role, and Michael Bischoff, the exchange’s latest director of information services.

In a statement seen by eGaming Review due to be released later this morning, Betfair said Robinson’s role would focus on “providing direction across product management, marketing, brand management, sales and distribution in new territories.”

Commenting on the appointment Wass said: “The creation of this role is further testimony to Betfair’s international aspirations. Matt will play a vital role within the commercial function as we aim to position Betfair for entry into new countries and territories around the world.”

Betfair’s share price fell below 700p for the first time last Friday and has fallen by more than 50% since it floated on the London stock exchange last November. A number of unfavourable regulatory decisions in key European gaming markets including Greece and Germany, poor product performance including Betfair’s financial trading site LMAX and the departure of several senior executives including LMAX’s CEO, have seen the decade-old company’s stock suffer and forced its own chief executive, David Yu, to announce he is stepping down as soon as a replacement is found. Stephen Morana, Betfair CFO, ruled himself out of replacing Yu at the end of last month.

At the time of Chuter’s appointment analyst Ivor Jones of Numis issued a note saying his firm “[expects] a better-structured Betfair to result from his influence.”Jones added that “After headlines about senior-level departures from Betfair it is encouraging to see an excellent new hire.”

Robinson’s appointment will give the struggling firm a further lift with bwin.party said to be sorry to see the well respected marketing expert go.

“We are confident of making sure we maintain good continuity as regards to the [Matt’s] role. We always have a succession plan,” a spokesman for bwin.party told eGaming Review.

“We’re sorry to see Matt go, he’s very talented as well as a great person and we wish him well,” he added.

Following Yu’s departure it is thought Betfair will re-focus its strategy on its core exchange, fixed odds sports products, mobile as well as attempt to re-invigorate its marketing and online customer brand engagement. In mid June this year it appointed rival Paddy Power’s former advertising agency Big Al’s Creative Emporium (BACE) to work on new marketing campaigns, beginning its partnership with the creative agency with immediate effect.

Several senior sources within the industry have told eGaming Review Betfair is slowly moving away from being viewed as a technology business to being viewed as a gaming business.

The outgoing CEO told eGaming Review last month he was upbeat about the company’s future growth plans including integrating more fixed odds sports betting products into the exchange to provide its “very loyal” customers with a single source on which to bet on sports, rather than leaving the site and betting elsewhere.

“We think we have 72% of our customers’ current sports betting wallet. There is an opportunity to add in sports book-type markets around this. We know they are spending money elsewhere. Some customers have multiple accounts, and we want them to spend more with us. We’ve added other products over the years such as multiples and Tote betting, what we’re now going to do is add in fixed odds products around our core exchange and going to be integrating this together with the exchange.”

Yu said this would be done by the “back end of this year” suggesting Betfair would build most of this itself but adding that it had also lined up a number of unnamed third parties to help achieve this target date.

“So, overall we’ve fixed the internal issues and we’ve got a plan for growing the business, improving our margins and continuing to deliver to shareholders.”

current share price 656.00
Report screaming from beneaththewaves July 11, 2011 11:19 AM BST
A new marketing director? Laugh

So there's no problems with Betfair, then. It's just our problem because we've not been recognizing how brilliant it is.
Report ballabriggs July 11, 2011 12:20 PM BST
Where can I buy share in betfair?  They are good price now?
Report Get On MASSIVE July 11, 2011 12:29 PM BST
Never try to catch a falling knife. Laugh
Report dashero July 12, 2011 7:03 AM BST
Betfair shares down 50pc since float last year
Shares in Betfair, the online gaming exchange, have fallen by over 50pc since the group floated nine months ago.

The embattled company's shares fell to an all-time low of 646½p on Monday, against a float price of £13.00, confirming its position as one of the worst performing major flotations in recent years. The shares subsequently recovered some ground to close down 22 at 660p.
The share price decline came after analysts at Espirito Santo and UBS downgraded their forecasts for the betting company, sparking further concerns among jittery investors.
The price cuts follow Betfair's recent full-year results and concerns about regulatory changes in Europe.
In a critical note, Espirito analysts lowered their target price on the stock to 630p as they said "Betfair's updated growth strategy is effectively turning it into a conventional bookmaker over time, diluting the original exchange proposition" and claimed the "business is reaching maturity and competition is intensifying."
The analysts also raised concerns about "regulatory risks outside the UK" and rising commission charges for Betfair's higher value customers.

UBS analysts took a similar line. "Betfair's results and the ensuing consensus EPS [earnings per shares] downgrades highlight the lack of underlying growth in the business," they wrote, lowering their share price target from 775p to 660p.
The UBS analysts lowered their EPS forecasts by nearly a third for the 2012 financial year and by 27pc for 2013, while keeping their sell recommendation on the stock.
The negative comments came despite reports in Germany that regulators are set to tell state authorities to redraft gaming laws that looked set to hurt Betfair's business.
Greece could also republish draft gaming laws in a move that would be expected to help boost Betfair's opportunities in the country.
The Telegraph
Report fixed July 16, 2011 1:22 AM BST
who cares about quarter earnings ? means a sh.t long term, blurres vision short term

those analysts are 25 year old no names that copy paste each other and would trade stocks for a living if they had a clue.

UBS managed to lose it's equity at least 5 times over in 2008, got bailed out, will lose everything and then some again.



what matters is that betfair probably destroyed tens of millions in customer goodwill listening to those investment clowns
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 16, 2011 1:28 AM BST
Now that is a very good point, if that is really what they have done.
But do we actually know that is the case, or just think we know that ?
Report fixed July 16, 2011 2:09 AM BST
there should be a progressive tax on forum posts
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 16, 2011 2:22 AM BST
Oh sh!t then I would really be in trouble.
Report DFCIRONMAN July 16, 2011 3:27 AM BST
Betair share price all time low ahead of annual results announcement on Wednesday
=================================================================================

The STOCK EXCHANGE is only a tedious barometer re how companies are doing! 

The barrow boys who operate in such markets are just not worth listening to!

It is just amazing how people are "brain-washed" ( if they have any BRAINS in 1st place !!!) into all the hype and crap that has been bandied about since LEHMAN BROS demise etc etc etc......

Share prices are volatile ....especially in BF market.....just by sheer nature of the markets they operate in!

The TORY eejjjiiittttsssss etc etc......believe that LOW INTEREST rates are a catastrophe for UK..............................now how can this be re PROPERTY values being LOWER, enabling those with less income/circumstances to consider buying.

The "problem" is the DEPOSIT levels set by those who have fked up in mortgage market........they take SHORT-TERM view on something that is a LONG-TERM proposition!

LOW INTEREST rates does effect those with capital/savings ...................however, low level of INFLATION ( or in LABOUR'S case the opposite of that !Devil) generally is "GOOD" for poorer people....FACT!

You need to look LONG-TERM re "investment".........so the blinkered view of those who took the "risk" of investing in a "speculative" market ....ie BF market ...GAMBLING MARKET.....is not worthy of much comment than SO WHAT re heading of thread!

All the "barrow-boys" who hover around in the murky water of STOCK EXCHANGE are not worth giving ANY time to weighing up the garbish they spout!

The fact that a share price bobs up and down a few points is generally IN LONG TERM irrelevant.........only the fish-wives and barrow boys REACT to such "normal" fluctuations"....is such a GAMBLING MARKET.......

All the muppets who react to HYPE......................get what they deserve in life ........NOTHING..... Where there is "substance" in a product or service........in the LONG TERM their strengths and weaknesses will show...........bit a BLIP in share price is only what BARROW-BOYS would react to.........such is the STOCK EXCHANGE weird world that exists.

It is "impossible" to "control" the panic that sets in amongst SHORT-TERM blinkered numpties.......however, let the buyer beware still stands the test of time......when it comes down to "investing".

If movements in market....created by numpty barrow boys is "important".....then be a lemming......and go off the cliff!

Use your own brain ...GENERALLY ....BEFORE going into "risk" markets ....that the BARROW-BOYS don't emphasize ARE "RISK MARKETS" before you buy............and don't expect a 1/3 % increase in share price annually in LONG-TERM when you do "dabble" in "risk" markets.......................SIMPLES!
Report Lori July 16, 2011 8:54 AM BST
Unfortunately fixed, the average IQ of people who work in stocks and shares is slightly under 90.

While there are some very very intelligent exceptions to the rule, the sheer weight of numbers of idiots means that you can assume that nothing is done rationally.

If you've ever looked at a uni level economics book you'll realise just how simplified all the stuff they learn has to be because the people there couldn't digest anything that was actually of use.

Sadly, not only does that knacker up the stock market, but it leads to such people coming to forums like these and finding themselves unknowingly miles out of their depths (although thankfully Darwinism takes over here and we end up with a very intelligent base of regulars with good experience in both fields)
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 16, 2011 9:48 AM BST
" ---the average IQ of people who work in stocks and shares is slightly under 90 ".
Haven't come across that proven stat before.
Could well be right though.
Wonder what the average is on here ?
Maybe we shouldn't go there ?
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 16, 2011 9:50 AM BST
Btw I think the stock mkt is more knackered up by the extremely high IQ participants than the low ones.
But of course I could be wrong.
Report nairda July 16, 2011 11:51 AM BST
Unfortunately fixed, the average IQ of people who work in stocks and shares is slightly under 90

Laugh
Report dashero July 20, 2011 7:40 PM BST
Betfair Group plc (the "Company") announces that in accordance with the authority granted by shareholders at the Company's Annual General Meeting on 6th October 2010 it purchased 50,000 of its Ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each ("shares") on 20 July 2011 for cancellation.


The average price paid per share was 648.13 pence per share.

The highest price paid per share was 654.5 pence per share.

The lowest price paid per share was 635 pence per share.


To date 567,477 shares have been repurchased under this authority.


Following the above transaction the Company has 107,548,556 shares in issue. This number represents the total voting rights in the Company and may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Services Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Report here we go July 20, 2011 7:58 PM BST
Don't agree Lori. Lot's of smart people digging deep into economics, but most of them don't end up at IBs as they are usually a bit to nerdy or just don't get along with the financial industry's culture [;)]
Report dashero July 21, 2011 9:20 PM BST
Betfair comments on EC opinion reveals new USP
Eric Bianchi
July 19, 2011
0 Comments and 3 Reactions
Like most opinions issued in Europe on gambling, there are gaming companies lining up to have their say. The alpha male of this group is usually a company that has had a fairly woeful last eight months, Betfair. The latest comments issued by European Union (EU) regulators concern Germany’s new draft law on gambling and accordingly Betfair has had its say. The statement in full from the company’s chief legal and regulatory affairs officer, Martin Cruddace, was as follows:

“From the very outset it was clear to us that the proposals put forward by the German Laender were discriminatory, anti-competitive and therefore incompatible with EU law. We are therefore pleased and encouraged to learn today that the European Commission shares this same opinion.”

“Although the federal states claim to be opening up the market for sports betting, the current draft treaty contained a raft of protectionist measures designed to keep private online operators out of the market.

“We now expect the German draft law to be amended so that it genuinely caters for a competitive online gambling market in Germany, and will subsequently ensure the highest standards of value, integrity and security for German consumers.

“As a responsible operator committed to transparency and integrity, Betfair hopes to obtain a licence in the newly regulated German market, and we view today’s action from the Commission as a significant step towards us achieving this goal.”

It’s nothing more than a reiteration of their earlier opinion that the law is discriminatory and anti-competitive. Although, now the regulators have agreed with their earlier point that it is incompatible with European Union (EU) law so it carries infinitely more weight. It does raise the question if this is Betfair’s new unique selling point. The “we-comment-on-everything-first” USP.
Report thankyoumugs July 21, 2011 9:36 PM BST
im not sure about the divi payout, think its a good time to buy in, current price £6.53, thats a bargain if you have grand going spare, only to speculate,i would sell at £7.75
Report dashero July 22, 2011 9:21 AM BST
Are betfair they only people buying betfair shares???

Betfair Group PLC : - Repurchase of Ordinary Shares
Betfair Group plc (the "Company") announces that in accordance with the authority granted by shareholders at the Company's Annual General Meeting on 6th October 2010 it purchased 50,000 of its Ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each ("shares") on 21 July 2011 for cancellation.


The average price paid per share was 652.44 pence per share.

The highest price paid per share was 658 pence per share.

The lowest price paid per share was 644 pence per share.


To date 617,477 shares have been repurchased under this authority.


Following the above transaction the Company has 107,498,556 shares in issue. This number represents the total voting rights in the Company and may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Services Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Report Feck N. Eejit July 22, 2011 10:21 AM BST
As a responsible operator committed to transparency and integrity, Betfair hopes to obtain a licence in the newly regulated German market, and we view today’s action from the Commission as a significant step towards us achieving this goal.

LaughLaughLaughLaugh

If only the Germans new.
Report dashero July 23, 2011 8:13 AM BST
Betfair looks to regain its winning streak
The City is wondering if the betting exchange has lost its way, and not just its CEO, since last year's IPO



Betfair's name will be up in lights today as the sponsor of the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in which last year's Derby winner, Workforce, will seek to bounce back from his recent defeat against four top class rivals.

The £1m midsummer highlight of the British flat racing season will see the company's branding prominently displayed on the BBC, which is broadcasting the event. And it will hope to gain from some positive PR from the race. The day will, in other words, afford the betting exchange a brief respect from the wolves who are pursuing it in the City.

It wasn't so long ago that Betfair was carrying all before it, revolutionising the betting industry and frightening the life out of the bookies. But times have changed and the company is now seeking a new chief executive to pull it out of what one analyst described as "a perfect storm".

Firstly there are its rivals which, after spending years fruitlessly complaining about the exchange's treatment by the tax and regulatory authorities, have done what they arguably should have done all along by turning up the competitive heat.

Meanwhile the exchange's recent decision to follow betting companies offshore is unlikely to benefit it for long. This week the Treasury unveiled a review of gambling taxation which will likely force all offshore online operators to pay the same 15 per cent tax on gross profits that land-based operators have to pony up. This follows the decision by John Penrose, the minister responsible for gambling, to require firms taking bets from UK citizens obtain a licence from the Gambling Commission.

The operation's international expansion strategy has also been called into question by various countries apparently moving to close the doors to betting exchanges.

Initially, Betfair's long anticipated flotation last October was a success, with the shares racing ahead after they were priced at £13 (valuing the company at £1.4bn). They were chased up to a high of £16.10 amid frenzied demand. Since then, however, it's been all downhill and yesterday they closed at just 658p.

Financial statements since the company joined the markets have singularly failed to impress. In June, Betfair said "core" revenues grew by just 7.8 per cent for the year ending 30 April. That wasn't enough for investors, given the shares' lofty rating.

The figures were released just days after chief executive David Yu announced plans to step down – one of a number of senior figures to depart in recent months. Insiders argue that while Mr Yu is a whizz when it comes to technology, his communication skills are less stellar.

BGC Partners' partner David Buik, a City veteran who has had stints in the gambling industry, says he remains a fan of Betfair but argues that the company has work to do. "What they really need to do is hire a chief executive with communications skills who can explain the strategy to the market and get investors back on side. A City veteran, not necessarily from the gambling industry, who can also provide the leadership the company needs."

Mr Buik also raises questions about the position of Ed Wray, one of Betfair's co-founders, as chairman. "Betfair needs a new broom. It will be appointing a new CEO, but needs a new chairman who commands the respect of analysts to get the Betfair message across. Currently it has fallen on deaf ears."

Analysts say that the company needs more than that. They argue that there are structural problems that need to be addressed. And fast.

Paul Leyland, Investec's gambling analyst, has a sell rating on the shares even at their current depressed level. He says: "I'm concerned that given their cost base it will be difficult to make money in a taxed UK environment and difficult for them to do in Europe on a regulated basis too. It's unclear that their current business model is appropriate. Operationally they don't have much room to maneuver and from a regulatory standpoint they are being squeezed in their most profitable markets."

James Hollins, at Evolution Securities, is less bearish and has shifted to neutral on the shares after being an early seller. But he also says that Betfair has deep-seated strategic problems. "The question they have to answer is should they be spending a shed load of money chasing international expansion or whether they should focus on their UK business – which is, after all, a very good business – and take advantage of those international opportunities that do exist. If they do this they have to take some costs out and stop running it as an enormous business with all those people in Hammersmith."

What stops Mr Hollins from turning more bullish on Betfair is that "no one knows what the strategic decision is". With the chief executive an unknown (Mr Yu remains in post until a successor if found) it will probably be left to Mr Wray. But will his pride prevent him from performing a volte face at a time when operations such as Paddy Power, William Hill and Bet365 are snapping at his heels with compelling online offerings of their own?

All the same, it's probably too early to call time on Betfair as a contender for the corporate Derby just yet.

Head of communications Tessa Murray accepts that the company has work to do, but says: "We're obviously disappointed by the share price performance – it's due to a combination of factors, some down to us and some facing the sector as a whole – which is why our peer group has fallen by 20 per cent on average.

"We've made some improvements to the business but the fundamentals remain unchanged – we offer the best prices and the exchange is more popular than ever – there were 20 per cent more bets matched year on year – a record 916 million. Plus, we are a growing business in a growing market with no debt and £150m on our balance sheet. We set out a plan at our results last month showing how we're going to deliver shareholder value – through top line growth, margin improvement and return of excess cash to shareholders."

That includes integrating its sportsbook – where Betfair acts as a bookie – with the betting exchange, which matches people making bets with people laying them. This will allow people wanting to take an early price on, for example, a horse race to get on before the exchange's market is fully formed (which can take some time for minor races). Instead of punters setting the price, Betfair will do it.

Ms Murray argues that while regulatory doors have apparently been shutting, things can change very fast. And sentiment can change very quickly. Take those taxation changes. They may yet make life difficult for smaller, weaker online and telephone bookies who rely on their low tax offshore locations to turn a profit.

Betfair is still a thoroughbred: while it needs a new jockey, it is still at the races alongside Ladbrokes and William Hill.

How the bookies fought back

*The exchange loudly trumpets that its prices are 20 per cent better (on average) than bookmakers' starting prices. Betfair also enables punters to "lay" horses to lose as well as backing them to win. And then there's the revolution of betting "in running" while a sporting event is under way.

Well, in terms of pricing, bookmakers have worked out a very punter-friendly offer: the "guaranteed price". Let's say you back a horse at 5-1 but the odds drift and the starting price is declared at 10-1. With the guaranteed price the bookmaker will pay you at 10-1. If the price comes in to say 2-1, no problem. You'll get still the 5-1 at which you placed the bet.

Most bookies also now offer betting "in running" (particularly good for football or cricket). But the ability to "lay" is still unique to Betfair – and the prices you can get on outsiders still make its offer potentially compelling.

THE INDEPENDENT
Report Lori July 23, 2011 9:04 AM BST
the ability to "lay" is still unique to Betfair

This always winds me up. Not only is it not unique to Betfair, but it never was.

Maybe it's unique on the scale that Betfair do it, but people talk like they were the first. Which is clearly ridiculous.
Report Feck N. Eejit July 23, 2011 11:01 AM BST
frightening the life out of the bookies

LaughLaughLaugh

The old phrase "like being savaged by a dead sheep" comes to mind.


What they really need to do is hire a chief executive with communications skills who can explain the strategy to the market and get investors back on side. A City veteran, not necessarily from the gambling industry,

The last thing they need is another half witted city delusional.
Report dashero July 25, 2011 9:07 AM BST
Betfair enters German football sponsorship market
25 Jul 11
Having already dismissed Germany’s current proposals for its new State Treaty on Gaming as incompatible with European law, online betting exchange Betfair has entered into the German football sponsorship market for the first time following a deal with fourth division side Türkiyemspor Berlin.

Betfair will sponsor Türkiyemspor for the forthcoming season, with the company’s logo displayed on the front of the club’s football shirts. The sponsorship agreement is initially for a one year period, with an option for renewal.

“Our partnership with Betfair in the new season is an important and successful step for us,” said Yalcin Sancar, chairman of Türkiyemspor Berlin. “We are leaving behind the disappointment of last season. We must lay the foundation for a successful and sustainable future together – we must build that future together for the success of Türkiyemspor.

“Signing a sponsorship contract with an internationally successful organisation is another important step in multi-cultural bridge building for Türkiyemspor and it is a sign of our appeal.”

Founded in 1978, Türkiyemspor is a multi-cultural sports club recognised for its contribution to Germany’s immigrant communities, specifically within the Turkish community. Working with the German Football Association, Türkiyemspor paved the way for teams rooted in the country's various immigrant communities to participate in first and second division football in Germany.

The club currently plays in the Regionalliga Nord, the fourth tier of the German football league system, and the highest regional league for the northern and eastern part of Germany.

“Türkiyemspor has worked hard both in the field of athleticism and in working for tolerance and integration within and beyond the local community,” said Betfair’s regional manager of Germany and Central Europe Peter Reinhardt. “For us they are more than a football club. We specifically chose to sign with a sports club and not a professional football club.

“Without a foundation of sports clubs like this, there would be no professional football clubs. We are very pleased to be the new sponsors of such a special sports club and for the role we will play in helping this club move forward from the troubles of last season.”

Last week the standstill period for Germany’s new draft law on gambling was extended for a further month following receipt of detailed opinions from the European Commission and Malta, as well as the issue of comments from the United Kingdom. The move was welcomed by Betfair, which had earlier filed a legal complaint with the European Commission against the new German draft State Treaty on Gaming.
Report Total Bosman July 25, 2011 4:08 PM BST
Cracking stuff from the head of communication, there:  "we offer the best prices".

No, YOU do not.  Your customers do.  And many of the market-making customers who compete to offer these best prices are being priced out or forced to tighten up, weakening this competition.  Does anyone at Betfair understand what an exchange even is any more?

Will their own sportsbook really maintain these best prices?  I doubt it.  So the key selling point they are still emphasising is the very point they are weakening.
Report ballabriggs July 25, 2011 5:04 PM BST
Is better to take best prices on Betfair even if peoples then lose 60% of winning.  Peoples should listen to Betfair communications person he is right.
Report nairda July 25, 2011 5:27 PM BST
it not better even at 3%  for soccer, baseball, NFL, NBA
Report dashero July 25, 2011 7:11 PM BST
Betfair Group PLC : - Repurchase of Ordinary Shares
Betfair Group plc (the "Company") announces that in accordance with the authority granted by shareholders at the Company's Annual General Meeting on 6th October 2010 it purchased 50,000 of its Ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each ("shares") on 25 July 2011 for cancellation.


The average price paid per share was 654 pence per share.

The highest price paid per share was 658 pence per share.

The lowest price paid per share was 648 pence per share.


To date 667,477 shares have been repurchased under this authority.


Following the above transaction the Company has 107,456,521 shares in issue. This number represents the total voting rights in the Company and may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Services Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Report the big bossman July 25, 2011 7:20 PM BST
read that last week good for them sell shares for 13 buy them back half price,they hopeing goes back up for more profit.
Report jjjjj July 25, 2011 7:56 PM BST
they are ripping their customers 40 to 60% to sponsor fourth division side Türkiyemspor?!? you gotta be kidding me!
Report nairda July 25, 2011 8:17 PM BST
11 July 2011  it purchased 120,000-The average price paid per share was 663.72 pence per share 
12 July 2011  it purchased 100,000-The average price paid per share was 669.78 pence per share 
13 July 2011  it purchased 97,477-The average price paid per share was 707.09 pence per share   
14 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 685.62 pence per share
15 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 648.17 pence per share 
18 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 626.74 pence per share
19 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 634.09 pence per share
20 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 648.13 pence per share
21 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 652.44 pence per share
25 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 654 pence per share

4,430,089   total shares 667,477   average price 663.71 pence per share
Report hazel July 25, 2011 8:58 PM BST
AS posted elsewhere, Yu and Morana aint doing to bad out of it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jul/25/betfair-bosses-huge-pay-increases?utm_source=web&utm_medium=twitter
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 25, 2011 10:02 PM BST
They would be a helluva lot better though if the share price was going up.
Apparently their pay packages include a substantisl no. of nil cost options, but what is the strike price ?
Anybody know ?
Report dashero July 26, 2011 8:39 PM BST
Betfair shares are in demand...by betfair

Betfair Group PLC : - Repurchase of Ordinary Shares
Betfair Group plc (the "Company") announces that in accordance with the authority granted by shareholders at the Company's Annual General Meeting on 6th October 2010 it purchased 42,389 of its Ordinary shares of 0.1 pence each ("shares") on 26 July 2011 for cancellation.


The average price paid per share was 669.39 pence per share.

The highest price paid per share was 674 pence per share.

The lowest price paid per share was 650.5 pence per share.


To date 709,866 shares have been repurchased under this authority.


Following the above transaction the Company has 107,415,780 shares in issue. This number represents the total voting rights in the Company and may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they can determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the Financial Services Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.
Report dashero July 26, 2011 8:40 PM BST
Upgrading the exchange


25 JULY 2011 
Online betting exchange Betfair is midway through an infrastructure upgrade designed to support business growth
Betfair’s online betting exchange is among the UK’s most successful technological innovations of the recent era. Allowing gamblers to agree odds with one another, even during the course of a sporting event, it is today the largest betting exchange in the world, supporting more trades each day than all of Europe’s stock exchanges put together.

In October last year, the company was launched on the London Stock Exchange, raising more than £200 million (Betfair has since issued a share buy-back scheme to appease disappointed investors).

Before the initial public offering took place, Betfair had laid out a three-year plan to upgrade its technical architecture. According to software development director Hugh Fahy, the injection of funds has not led to an IT spending spree – the extra scrutiny of the public market has instead solidified its focus on that plan. “That’s been useful, because it has reduced the chance of us overextending ourselves as we redevelop our core platform,” he says.

One of the key components of the platform upgrade is to extend the use of service-oriented architecture principles.

As Betfair’s business began to take off around 2005, Fahy explains, its priority was to make sure that the betting exchange worked as reliably as possible. It therefore built supplementary functionality, such as the customer’s online wallet, to be tightly integrated with the exchange.

In recent years, however, the company has branched out into services including online poker and arcade games. Although customers can use their winnings from the exchange on these services, the fact that the wallet is tightly coupled to the exchange means that their ability to play might be constrained by their betting position – not ideal when Betfair wants to encourage customers to use as many services as possible.

This is one reason why the company is redesigning its core platform according to SOA principles. When the wallet functionality is supported by separate services from the exchange, gamblers will have greater freedom to spend their money.

Global Growth
Another reason is international expansion. Although betting exchanges are banned in most US states, New Jersey and California have recently passed laws permitting some forms of exchange wagering.

To tap these markets, Betfair has to introduce new, separate exchanges tailored to each state’s regulatory restrictions. However, it does not want to build separate wallet functionality for each exchange, for example, and a service-based approach allows it to reuse its existing assets.

The company has therefore implemented three new SOA components: a service container (or repository), a service look-up (or registry) and a ‘publish/subscribe’ messaging framework. The latter is based on Progress Software’s Sonic MQ messaging system, and Fahy describes it as the ‘event handler’. “Our system generates a whole bunch of events – matching a bet, a customer changing their loss limits, or an account being locked or suspended,” he says.

Part of the reason for selecting Sonic MQ, Fahy says, is that it can compensate for degraded network quality. Betfair has nine data centres around the world, and many of them are in locations where the wide area network (WAN) is not always reliable.

The first use of the messaging framework is to satisfy the Italian gambling regulator, which is introducing regulation of betting exchanges this year. Unlike countries such as the UK, where the Gambling Commission audits betting companies periodically, Italy’s regulator creates a unique ticket for every bet that is placed in the country, in real time. So each time a bet is matched on Betfair’s exchange in Italy, the company will soon have to inform the regulator that very minute.

The business that would have been lost in Italy without it was enough to justify the entire investment, says Fahy.
Report RAPS July 27, 2011 1:32 PM BST
Anyone buying ?
Last traded 7.26 € here (circa 640p)
Report jas1968 July 27, 2011 10:08 PM BST
selling more like , the only ones buying are Betfair
Report nairda July 27, 2011 10:18 PM BST
that true,   volume today was 75,356 shares and betfair purchased 34,094 of there own shares today
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 27, 2011 10:43 PM BST
That's when you usually do try to buy your own shares ( a low volume day).
Geez there are some real heavyweight stock analysts/corporate financiers on here.
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 27, 2011 10:50 PM BST
Also I can understand the occasional mistype of "there" for "their", but always as seems often on here and elsewhere?
Not important in the big picture I know, but could it be indicative of anything else perhaps ?.
Or is my nitpicking just indicative of something else ?
Report Feck N. Eejit July 28, 2011 10:07 AM BST
Betfair investors on Tuesday shrugged off the news that two senior executives had received massive pay increases last year, despite the company's dramatic post-flotation share-price decline.

By close of business, trading in Betfair shares had reached 669.5p, showing a gain of 16p from Monday's closing price of 653.5p and lifting their valuation by 2.45 percent.

Reversal of the downward trend came only hours after shareholders had received copies of Betfair's first annual report as a public company, following last year's sale of shares at £13, which valued the company at £1.4 billion.

The report revealed that David Yu, who recently announced he will step down as chief executive next year, and finance director Stephen Morana, who has declared he does not want to be considered for Yu's job, benefited significantly from a one-off incentive plan associated with the stock market flotation.

Yu more than doubled his pay packet and Morana's payments increased more than threefold under a cash and shares incentive plan brought in for senior employees and executive directors, of which only they come into the latter bracket.
Report DStyle July 28, 2011 10:35 AM BST
it is today the largest betting exchange in the world, supporting more trades each day than all of Europe’s stock exchanges put together.

&


The company has therefore implemented three new SOA components: a service container (or repository), a service look-up (or registry) and a ‘publish/subscribe’ messaging framework. The latter is based on Progress Software’s Sonic MQ messaging system, and Fahy describes it as the ‘event handler’. “Our system generates a whole bunch of events – matching a bet, a customer changing their loss limits, or an account being locked or suspended,” he says.



no problems here then. i'm certain Sonic MQ's software has been implemented at other sites with greater volume than betfair and has performed above expectations.

Shocked


here's my idea:

betfair should take all the Premium Charge payers money collected at rates above 20% and create a market for whether or not they'll meet their customer commitment to site uptime. they should put lays up at prices which are representative of their meeting their customer commitment of 99.9% uptime on the site.

no PC would be payable on winnings on this market.

that seems fair to me.
Report Feck N. Eejit July 28, 2011 11:09 AM BST
They've spent fortunes on a system that just isn't required to match two people who want to bet (in fact it makes it more difficult and complex for them) but offers sublime support for the parasitic acitivities that have created the bulk of the winners that they now say are draining the exchange.   


If they ran the NHS 99% of resources would be spent on hypochondriacs and their solution to the problem would include charging sick people for operations they had to wait an extra 18 months for.
Report DStyle July 28, 2011 11:24 AM BST
i agree; although in the process they have developed a significant number of technological assets.
Report nairda July 28, 2011 11:41 AM BST
That's when you usually do try to buy your own shares ( a low volume day).
Geez there are some real heavyweight stock analysts/corporate financiers on here.


Really...it was a low trading day on betfair shares?, what's the ave trading Volume for betfair shares? or you don't know sh!t?

betfair is buying around 50% of their own shares each day
Report RAPS July 28, 2011 1:30 PM BST
Anyone like to comment on what price they would consider BF`s share a value buy ?

eg. Would it be worth a thought at 500p ?
Report hazel July 28, 2011 1:41 PM BST
As betfair are currently buying back their shares, does that mean that now is a good time to be a buyer, or would the buy back be propping up their share price?
Report Martinch July 28, 2011 1:52 PM BST
their buying should be having a positive effect on share price (propping up)

BUT it also suggests that they believe the shares are cheapish (otherwise they could buy them back later at an event better price)
Report nairda July 28, 2011 3:53 PM BST
betfair buying their shares, should mean that the price per 1 betfair share should go up in value...but when betfair is buying 50% of the turnover per day, that not a good sign
Report askari1 July 28, 2011 5:15 PM BST
The danger is that buying back the shares is an attempt to salvage the original vision (as sold to corporate investors) that bf was a technology company.

Online and person-to-person technology has come up with paradigm-bursting applications in any number of fields. It was not for investors and investment bank analysts to know that this was not going to happen in gaming (at least in the sense that the person to person company, bf, was not going to outstrip and eclipse the high st operators).

Bf now have to go through a Damascene moment of accepting that the float price was inflated and that they are just another gaming company in a crowded market. They have to lose the execs who are wedded to the technology vision (and the float price); they have dramatically to shed headcount, esp. among senior managers and they need a small, cohesive team at the top who share of an understanding of what bf is and where it can pursue future avenues for growth.

I feel they too many individuals, esp. technical staff, are personally invested in running a big dept. and do not have aims congruent with those of the company's best interests (this isn't aimed at particular people, I hasten to add; it's just a consequence of what happens when a company grows revenues at an early stage and reinvests too widely).
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 28, 2011 5:23 PM BST
Askari
Seems like quite a pretty succinctand accurate analysis to me.
I would be interested to hear an expansion of your thoughts on
"---- a cohesive team at the top who share an understanding of what bf is ---".
Is it just being an alternative to the HS bookies, with all that such simplistically entails ( not being banned, ir betting, laying big fields easily and quickly etc etc)?
Report askari1 July 28, 2011 6:02 PM BST
FATH, the company's ambitions have to be bigger than doing well in a relatively small niche in their home market and for their 'home' sport of horse racing.

This is not least because racing is becoming less and less popular as a betting medium, esp. among young people.

As I see it and pushing out the boat slightly, the scope for international expansion for bf lies not so much as being regulated as an independent provider in a succession of slightly different markets (each w/ diff. rules and fiscal regimes, catering to which all will eats up time and resources) as in partnering existing monopolies.

In all communications (w/ the City, with regulators, governments, customers etc.) the emphasis shd be on offering market-efficient prices, or in other words the best prices for price-takers.

Thus bf wd say to the City, why shd an alternative firm grow rather than us, when we provide better prices? And they wd say to a jurisdiction where betting is offered through a monopoly, why are you going to lose any betting revenue to illegal bookies when their price is worse than what you cd offer through us?

This wd be my vision for the company, and I wd stress that it looks 10-15 years into the future.

It's been blocked so far because of resistance among certain jurisdictions, who have thought that any competition is nothing but a drain on their own business, and by the establishments esp. of horse racing, who have understood the funding mechanism (that keeps them all enjoying a good living) as punters losing the most money possible. When you have sports standing on their own two feet more, or just underwritten by rich enthusiasts, becoming receptive to a growth and low-margin model, you are going to have a much better environment for making exchanges the default mode for setting odds.

I wd also revise the odds ladder in two-team sports to give bf more of a chance of offering best prices and offer better commission deals to non-traders (not clear how this cd be done, but e.g. through having diff. comm. rates for single bets within 10-15 min. periods).

My remark about having a small team at the top had to do w/ having e.g. a technical director who understood the question driving his work as 'how can we grow our revenues?', not e.g. 'how can we have a system that conceptualises increasing a customer's withdrawal limit as an event, like a matched bet is an event?' You want as few 'cowboys' as poss. for this and they all need to meet and report to one respected leader.
Report nairda July 28, 2011 6:39 PM BST
askari1

I think you're right on many level ..

I like to add, if betfair really does need to make a min of 40% (plus) from every account, then i really think betfair as a company is in big trouble
Report askari1 July 28, 2011 6:53 PM BST
nairda, I doubt it does; and I also think some of the company's recent measures have been short-term and designed to improve its figs. for the benefit of managers and early investors realising the value of their contributions.

When it comes to working out the cost of attracting new customers, securing existing customers and growing their bet-sizes, retaining wavering customers etc., we are all, including the company, in the realms of speculation.

The factors to be considered involve regulatory change, taxation, the prices at which bf layers and MMs can operate, the popularity of sports etc.

But I'm pretty sure than 40% is pimping up some future projections.
Report nairda July 30, 2011 7:29 PM BST
11 July 2011  it purchased 120,000-The average price paid per share was 663.72 pence per share 
12 July 2011  it purchased 100,000-The average price paid per share was 669.78 pence per share 
13 July 2011  it purchased 97,477-The average price paid per share was 707.09 pence per share   
14 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 685.62 pence per share
15 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 648.17 pence per share 
18 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 626.74 pence per share
19 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 634.09 pence per share
20 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 648.13 pence per share
21 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 652.44 pence per share
25 July 2011  it purchased 50,000-The average price paid per share was 654 pence per share

4,430,089   total shares 667,477   average price 663.71 pence per share

26 July 2011   it purchased 42,389-The average price paid per share was 669.39 pence per share 
27 July 2011   it purchased 34,094-The average price paid per share was 664.09 pence per share   
28 July 2011   it purchased 75,000-The average price paid per share was 657.91 pence per share

5,433,684     total shares 818,960 average price  663.49 pence
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 30, 2011 7:31 PM BST
nairda
Haven't they already publicly declared that they intend to spend circa 50million in buying back shares ?
So what's the point of your post ?
Report nairda July 30, 2011 7:36 PM BST
yes 50 mil....i just like to post it on here for all to see each day Laugh
Report Lori July 30, 2011 7:36 PM BST
Thanks nairda, amazing scenes!
Report nairda July 30, 2011 7:40 PM BST
i hope betfair keep going...just keep buy all the free floating shares up, don't stop at 50 mil
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 30, 2011 8:13 PM BST
Don't really see what's amazing about it tbh .
Just Messrs Black and Wray protecting their long term interests.
To be entirely expected perhaps ?.
Report askari1 July 30, 2011 9:58 PM BST
They buy 97k at 707 pence and only 50k at 627 pence? What is their objective, to secure the best possible price or to reinflate their share price?

When I'm averaging down on a runner where I have a fundamental view, I seriously hope that I can do so better the bf management!
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR July 30, 2011 10:12 PM BST
They just can't do anything right eh askari ?
Report nairda July 30, 2011 10:15 PM BST
betfair really can't buy more shares each day, because betfair is already buying between 25%-40% of the days volume
Report here we go July 30, 2011 10:18 PM BST
They are buying back the shares desperately trying to keep the share price up, and to satisfy the corporate investors.

In the end all the funds who dived into the shares during the IPO are pretty much **** and REALLY STUPID, like most wanne-be-investment bankers/ fund manangers.

They bought pretty much a tiny "blue" chip company (slow, but more or less steady growth) for the price of a dotcom or biotech company with a more or less promosing meds-portfolio.

The share price won't drop to zero like some morons suggest on here. It will move south until it more or less reflects the true earnings perspectives of bf
Report Lori August 2, 2011 7:23 PM BST
Hit 598 today for a while
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR August 2, 2011 8:33 PM BST
I can't quite work out whether Lori is short and looking for the best exit price, or whether he has no position and is looking for the best entry price.
Or perhaps more likely he is just indulging in a bit of petty minded schadenfreude ?.
Report Get On MASSIVE August 2, 2011 9:11 PM BST
Probably a bit of "petty minded schadenfreude" I dare say.

Just like a lot of us. Blush
Report FINE AS FROG HAIR August 2, 2011 9:47 PM BST
Not me.
Don't have a schadenfreude bone in my body.
My wife is German she has enough for both of us.
Report stewarty b August 3, 2011 11:10 AM BST
What was the issue price please? I thought it was £14?
Report stewarty b August 3, 2011 11:27 AM BST
It was £13*
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