Trouble for Thames Water – what investors need to know

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What’s going on with Thames Water and what it means for the wider water sector and investors.

This article isn’t personal advice. If you’re not sure whether an investment is right for you please seek advice. If you choose to invest the value of your investment will rise and fall, so you could get back less than you put in.

30 June 2023

The water sector has been under the investment microscope this week, with a particular focus on Thames Water.

The group’s CEO, Sarah Bentley, suddenly stepped down on Tuesday 27 June, and soon after, reports began emerging that the company was in deep water.

The UK government’s held emergency talks in recent days over the fate of the heavily indebted company. If it can’t secure new funds from shareholders, the government’s prepared to place the company in temporary state ownership, a process energy firm Bulb went through last year.

Thames Water’s a giant in the water industry, supplying more than 15 million households and having a customer base ten times the size of Bulb’s. So, it’s likely to prove more difficult to find a buyer if that ends up being the scenario that plays out.

As things