Interactive Investor

Nail-biting time for Boohoo shares

Once a growth investor's favourite, it could all end in tears for this former AIM star.

7th March 2019 08:58

by Alistair Strang from Trends and Targets

Share on

Once a growth investor's favourite, it could all end in tears for this former AIM star.

Boohoo (LSE:BOO) was last reviewed in November, we'd proposed a drop to 176p, calling it a severe reversal. While not in the retail calamity league of Debenhams (LSE:DEB) etc, there was something distinctly fragrant about what happened when it reached our target level. 

As the inset shows (below), the share price obligingly reversed to our target level, crucially not breaking it for seven entire sessions. As a result, it would have made sense to anticipate a bounce was coming. Unfortunately, on December 17th, the market delivered an early Xmas present to traders by forcing the price down at the open with the circled gap, reaching a painful 146p before the price was bounced. 

Despite the share recovering to 200p in the period since, we're now rather nervous as to what the future holds.

If we take the attitude a new trend was formed, the day the price was manipulated downward, there's now a severe risk of any future break below red (154p at present) and this allows weakness to an initial 130p. Worse, if broken, bottom looks like proving to be 104p eventually. 

To be blunt, we're already concerned at the method being used to move this lots price and suspect 104p intends make its presence felt eventually, ideally as the point at which a proper rebound establishes itself.

Of course, there's always a chance we're reading too much into the markets decision to gap the price down from 176p. To convince us we're reading the tea leaves incorrectly, the share needs to trade above 192p at present to enter a cycle to 220p initially. Secondary, if bettered, is at a visually believable longer term 251p.

For now, though, our suspicion is this shall end in tears.

Source: Trends and Targets      Past performance is not a guide to future performance

Alistair Strang has led high-profile and "top secret" software projects since the late 1970s and won the original John Logie Baird Award for inventors and innovators. After the financial crash, he wanted to know "how it worked" with a view to mimicking existing trading formulas and predicting what was coming next. His results speak for themselves as he continually refines the methodology.

Alistair Strang is a freelance contributor and not a direct employee of Interactive Investor. All correspondence is with Alistair Strang, who for these purposes is deemed a third-party supplier. Buying, selling and investing in shares is not without risk. Market and company movement will affect your performance and you may get back less than you invest. Neither Alistair Strang or Interactive Investor will be responsible for any losses that may be incurred as a result of following a trading idea. 

These articles are provided for information purposes only.  Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties.  The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.

Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.

Get more news and expert articles direct to your inbox