ANALYST VIEWS: WHY HAVE HOLIDAY BOOKINGS SLUMPED?
JONATHAN JACKSON | KILLIK & CO
The company has announced that the recent political unrest in north Africa cost around £20m in the second-quarter, following the cancellation of 150,000 bookings. And the group cited continued concerns over the UK economy as another factor behind slower summer booking rates.
MARK BRUMBY | LANGTON CAPITAL
Trading has been impacted by the disruption caused by unrest in Tunisia and Egypt and in the UK ‘recent trading has…been affected by fragile consumer sentiment’. Eyes will be on capacity and here Thomas Cook is proposing reductions in the UK and in central Europe and increases elsewhere.
NICHOLAS BATRAM | PEEL HUNT
Events outside the group’s control are largely to blame. The UK is weak but central and northern Europe are in positive territory and the group has acted quickly to reduce capacity. There is clearly a risk to numbers but we feel this is in the price and on a 12-month view the shares represent good value.