Reply to: SSE 'on course' for £1.5bn profit

[SpontaneousOrder]

Were we not talking about the damage of shareholders?

Why are we now talking about stakeholders?

The current price price of shares in an enterprise is dependant on the perceived future value. Unless you're getting stonking dividends out, you want a the price to be good for when you sell - and people will buy them only if they think that the present price is good value in the context of a perceived future value of the enterprise.

The short-term and the long-term are inextricably linked (of course people make mistakes).

And with regards to shareholders wanting all the rewards for no effort...
don't know about you, but my money doesn't grow on trees. I have to labour in order to make it, and it's only the capital investment from those shareholders, who've laboured to be able to invest, that allows business to flourish in 21st century efficiency.

If you want to remove the sophisticated financial apparatus that exists today, then you should expect to live a standard of living similar to that of 200 years ago.

[scooterscot]

Quick google:

Basic Economics 4th Ed: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy - Thomas Sowell - Google Books


Oh look.. I've found an excerpt from the exact book I pointed to, regarding the exact topic I mentioned.

Were we not talking about the damage of shareholders?

Why are we now talking about stakeholders?

[SpontaneousOrder]

You could claim to be a gold medal winner. That does not make it so. All mouth no substance.

This reminds me of working in the civl service. A bucket of water has more substance.

Quick google:

Basic Economics 4th Ed: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy - Thomas Sowell - Google Books


Oh look.. I've found an excerpt from the exact book I pointed to, regarding the exact topic I mentioned.

[scooterscot]

And that bit just cements your name in the economic ignorance hall of fame, forever.

You really should go into politics.

[SpontaneousOrder]

Laziest feedback ever. Just like a shareholder, desires all the rewards without the effort.

And that bit just cements your name in the economic ignorance hall of fame, forever.

[scooterscot]

I've made the effort to study some economics (including reading that book) before spouting off as if I know what I'm talking about. Lazy post, lazy response.

You could claim to be a gold medal winner. That does not make it so. All mouth no substance.

This reminds me of working in the civl service. A bucket of water has more substance.

[SpontaneousOrder]

Laziest feedback ever. Just like a shareholder, desires all the rewards without the effort.

I've made the effort to study some economics (including reading that book) before spouting off as if I know what I'm talking about. Lazy post, lazy response.

[scooterscot]

This is an awesome book - bit pricey though.

Thomas Sowell - Basic Economics

Especially look at the way future value is reflected in present price.
There's too much wrong with that post to highlight individually.

Laziest feedback ever. Just like a shareholder, desires all the rewards without the effort.

[SpontaneousOrder]

I'm not sure I can agree that shareholders encourage improvement. Their interests are not aligned with a company's desire for becoming a leading brand or a producer of quality equipment.

Consider cadbury's chocolate for example. The share holders sold out to Kraft for a quick buck. The Chocolate bars are now less, the price has gone up, and the chocolate tastes noticeably yuck these days. Whose idea was was it to put that fizzy stuff in a milk chocolate bar? All hale the share holders.

Apple, now they have shareholders and you might argue the quality of the product is excellent against it's competitors. Reliability is testament to that. But currently their cash pile that allows them to play with new ideas, put them under development, is under attack from shareholders for not paying out dividends.

Shareholders don't have to be external. They can also be employees. I've seen many companies offer share schemes to their employees over the years. The point is share-holders are only in it for the short term, but for a few, successful brands are in it for the long term and need to think as such.

This is an awesome book - bit pricey though.

Thomas Sowell - Basic Economics

Especially look at the way future value is reflected in present price.
There's too much wrong with that post to highlight individually.

[scooterscot]

These big companies are not perfect and never will be but competition encourages improvement and shareholders influence this.

I'm not sure I can agree that shareholders encourage improvement. Their interests are not aligned with a company's desire for becoming a leading brand or a producer of quality equipment.

Consider cadbury's chocolate for example. The share holders sold out to Kraft for a quick buck. The Chocolate bars are now less, the price has gone up, and the chocolate tastes noticeably yuck these days. Whose idea was was it to put that fizzy stuff in a milk chocolate bar? All hale the share holders.

Apple, now they have shareholders and you might argue the quality of the product is excellent against it's competitors. Reliability is testament to that. But currently their cash pile that allows them to play with new ideas, put them under development, is under attack from shareholders for not paying out dividends.

Shareholders don't have to be external. They can also be employees. I've seen many companies offer share schemes to their employees over the years. The point is share-holders are only in it for the short term, but for a few, successful brands are in it for the long term and need to think as such.

[SimonMac]

As an SSE shareholder

[lukemg]

Come on people, I expect this level of ignorance from the general population always looking for someone to blame for everything on the planet but I expect better from here.
If you want horrendous inefficiency then public sector is perfect, NHS anyone ?
These big companies are not perfect and never will be but competition encourages improvement and shareholders influence this.
Maybe I am not the person to comment because after milibands hilarious attempt to control the worldwide energy market, my first thought was how to make money.
Simple really, SSE nosedived after that and I started buying at just over £13. I am a couple of percent down but have locked in a dividend over 6%. I have no doubt this will prove a good investment in the next 5 years, especially when Labour lose the next election just as they have lost every argument for the last 6 months...

[scooterscot]

Yeah, baby!

I glad someone replied to that. For a briefest of moments I thought 'that poor old man'.

[MarillionFan]

Did anyone else find it funny that the energy company is run by mr Powers and the customer is mrs Broke?

Yeah, baby!

[doodab]

Did anyone else find it funny that the energy company is run by mr Powers and the customer is mrs Broke?