• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • COMTECH banner

BATTLESPACE Updates

   +44 (0)77689 54766
   

  • Home
  • Features
  • News Updates
  • Defence Engage
  • Company Directory
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media Pack 2023

Babcock International Fights Back By Howard Wheeldon, FRAeS, Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd.

November 13, 2018 by Julian Nettlefold

 

 

 

 

 

Babcock International senior management are absolutely right to fight back hard against what the company called in a statement, the “many false and malicious statements made” by what I would define as being a back-street operation and one that I suspect very few qualified analysts and fund managers in the ‘city’ have ever heard of that calls itself Boatman Capital Research.

Ordinarily I would not usually bother to comment on an individual analyst report from a recognised investment or fund management organisation, whether such a report was favourable disposed or not. Why? Because while I may agree or disagree the content or recommendation the one thing that I can be absolutely sure of is that the research analyst concerned behind any analyst report is properly qualified and has good knowledge of the company, its senior management and of the industry the company serves.

However, when I spot something that looks highly suspicious, in this case a report that emanates from what I would probably term as being a back-street operation, one that few if any of us appear to had ever previously heard of, I feel obliged to comment. Indeed, given that Babcock International has strongly refuted what it has termed as “false and malicious claims” made within the Boatman Research report to the point of putting out a Stock Exchange RNS announcement yesterday, I know well that no quoted company would ever do that without there being very good reason.

The Boatman research product smacks to me of a possible concerted effort to not only to cause as much damage as it could to the reputation of Babcock International – and in the process, cause sufficient angst amongst market makers to send a share price down – for reasons unknown. The bottom line is bound to be that a strong possibility exists of there being an ulterior motive behind this very offensive, damaging and unprofessional report.

Claiming that Babcock International had been “burying bad news about its performance” and that its leadership was “not up to the job” together with a strongly refuted suggestion contained in the report that that Babcock has a terrible relationship with the Ministry of Defence with whom it is engaged on 128 different contracts is downright wrong. Yes, there are bound to be problems from time to time with a large customer such as the MoD and I dare say even the odd disagreement too but I know all too well that Babcock International is highly respected within the MoD for what it continues to achieve.

So, who on earth are Boatman Capital Research? Having myself spent 28 years in the ‘city’ as an analyst until 2012, I can without hesitation say that until yesterday I had never even heard of them. First thing this morning I made a search for their website and when it eventually did open up all that I gleaned was that they claim to “conduct thorough investigations in order to guide investors through troubled waters of international markets” and that they “use investigative due diligence processes to gather information for our research”. I doubt that a serious fund manager worth his or her salt would dare use an operation such as this although individual investors with a serious ulterior motive might.

I note too that towards the bottom of the miserable looking page displaying the dozen or so words about what they purport to do that there are invitations to ‘Subscribe’ and ‘Submit An Idea’. On seeing this I suddenly become even more suspicious and the idea flashes by that this could well be taken as a recipe to disrupt a share price. A further attempt to look at this supposed research organisation in more detail on its website brought up ‘This Page can’t be displayed’.

Babcock International carries the slogan ‘trusted to deliver’ and I know well that its does that in spades. This is a company that is all about delivering bespoke, highly-skilled engineering support services that include technology integration, infrastructure management and specialist training and many other support services.

CHW (London – 13th November 2018)

Howard Wheeldon FRAeS

Wheeldon Strategic Advisory Ltd              

M: +44 7710 779785

Skype: chwheeldon

@AirSeaRescue

 

 

Filed Under: News Update

Primary Sidebar

Advertisers

  • qioptiq.com
  • Exensor
  • TCI
  • Visit the Oxley website
  • Visit the Viasat website
  • Blighter
  • SPECTRA
  • Britbots logo
  • Faun Trackway
  • Systematic
  • CISION logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • businesswire logo
  • ProTEK logo
  • ssafa logo
  • AtkinsRealis logo
  • IEE
  • EXFOR logo
  • sibylline logo
  • Team Thunder logo
  • Commando Spirit - Blended Scoth Whisy
  • Comtech logo
  • GoExporting logo
  • ECHODYNE logo
  • Supercat logo
  • Galvion logo
  • Leonardo DRS logo
  • MTC logo
  • IDC logo
  • IDC logo
  • DVD2024 logo
Hilux Military Raceday Novemeber 2023 Chepstow

Contact Us

BATTLESPACE Publications
Old Charlock
Abthorpe Road
Silverstone
Towcester NN12 8TW

+44 (0)77689 54766

BATTLESPACE Technologies

An international defence electronics news service providing our readers with up to date developments in the defence electronics industry.

Recent News

  • Congress Avoids Government Shutdown

    October 1, 2023
    Read more
  • UK Forces Deployed to Kosovo

    October 1, 2023
    Read more
  • RAF Fighter Jets Deploy To Poland

    October 1, 2023
    Read more

Copyright BATTLESPACE Publications © 2002–2023.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. If you continue to use the website, we'll assume you're ok with this.   Read More  Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT