MT Tracker 22 May

Transport firms are riding the current Stock Market bubble. This week the FTSE 100 hit its highest level since October 2007 (6,755 on Monday to be precise). While none of the six operators in the MT Tracker basket of transport shares are anywhere near making the FTSE 100, or the FTSE 250 for that matter, the total value of the basket hit a record high today of 1,842.

Back on 29 January, when MT.co.uk started monitoring this index the total basket of the six shares comprising the MT Tracker (Fowler Welch parent Dart Group; Hargreaves Services, NWF Group; Stobart Goup; UK Mail and Wincanton) was 1,498.

That is a staggering 22.98% increase.

Even in the four weeks of May to date the basket has risen by 13.2%, as this chart here shows.

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As we know this bull run has not been created by conditions for road transport and logistics being roses. Or is it?

NWF Group, said on Thursday 16 May that its performance during the current financial year will be “significantly ahead of current market expectations” but trading conditions in the food division, Boughey Distribution, “continue to be difficult”.

On the same day Stobart Group said it shaken off a tough start to the year by revealing a 7.2% improvement in the profitability of its transport operations, and a 13% leap in turnover driven by the addition of Autologic.

And today shares in UK Mail have risen by 46p after it said group turnover rose 10.8% to £475.4m in the year-ending 31 March and pre-tax profit rose 17.7% to £17.8m in the same year. That has added £47.5m to its market capitalisation since the beginning of the month.

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