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Agencies & People

Was it all purple? Who were the 2017 property industry winners and losers?

As 2018 kicks off, we take a look at which property company's shares performed best during 2017.

Nigel Lewis

Hunters Stock Exchange image property industryOverall the London Stock Exchange has risen by approximately 7% over the past 12 months although it featured some dramatic drops during February, May and September as Brexit has taken its toll.

These have been mirrored within the property industry as both Brexit but also several much reviled government initiatives including higher Stamp Duty and the fees ban, have been announced.

And the ten property sales and letting companies that list on the two main stock markets in London – the LSE and AIM – have been part of this story. Here’s how they’ve fared.

Share prices

Purplebricks – up by 152%

After a stunning start to the year which saw its share price rise from £1.50 to £5.13 by August, a recent BBC investigation, several ASA reprimands and problems with review sites, investors have cooled their ardour for its stock, which finishes the year at £3.78p – but still 152% up on January.

Savills – up by 41%

While everyone’s been talking about Purplebricks, Savills share price has been skyrocketing without too many people noticing, up from £6.88 in January to £9.71 today – an increase of 41%, helped mainly by its global exposure to both booming commercial and residential markets overseas, rather than the UK’s barely-there prime market.

LSL: up by 30%

This is one traditional agent that City investors like the look of, helped by bullish trading reports during 2017. Its share price has been on an upward trajectory for most of the year.

Rightmove – up by 19%

The portal giant’s endless and increasing profits continue to get City investors excited, and its share price started the year at £37.40, rising dramatically during December to £44.50p, a rise of 19%.

ZPG – up by 8.9%

This looks like a good year for the 2nd largest property portal in the UK, but many think it should have done better given its multiple vertically-integrated acquisitions of software companies, money portals and house price index publishers. After rapid increases in value which saw its share price nearly touch £4 during March and April, it subsequently dropped away, finishing on £3.45p – driven, some think, by the threat of OnTheMarket’s likely IPO next year.

The Property Franchise Group: down by 9%

Despite buying EweMove, a digital and franchise expansion play everyone assumed would help its share price move upwards, has instead depressed its share price over the past year, finishing 9% down.

Belvoir: down by 5%

The company’s share price has finished the year lower than it started, despite a new CEO and an attempt to merge with rival The Property Franchise Group.

Foxtons: down by 20%

The once golden name for City investors has seen its share price drop by over 20% since January, enduring its steepest declines since August.

Countrywide: down by 30%

The year is a period that the management at Countrywide would probably like to forget. Despite several initiatives including a roll-out of a ‘digital only’ low-price offering and brutal cost cutting, its share price has dropped by 30% over the past 12 months, despite strong rallies during March and April.

Hunters: down by 31%

Despite floating on AIM only two years ago (see pic, above), the City struggles to get excited by this franchise-based business. Its share price has drifted downwards over the past 12 months from 65p to 45p a share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 19, 2017

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