Vertu Motors – there is life in motor retail
Shares in AIM quoted Vertu Motors have staged somewhat of a recovery over the last weeks rising over 200% off their lows of 10p. Although this is nowhere near the meteoric rise in share price experienced by the likes of larger peers Pendragon and Inchcape it’s nonetheless encouraging given all the misery surrounding motor retail.
Vertu hasn’t really done much wrong since arriving on the market at the end of 2006 other than choosing a poor time to grow a motor retail group from scratch. However, at least financial markets were accommodating at the time enabling them to raise well in excess of the required funds; it’s just a pity they didn’t hold back a bit longer before going on the acquisition spree! The group’s trading update on 5th March was actually quite promising, relatively that is! Same-store used car sales rose 12% on the year between September 2008 and January 2009 and the company…