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Andrew Hore – Quoted Micro 11 June 2018
NEX EXCHANGE
There are eight companies in the running for the NEX Exchange company of the year at the Small Cap Awards. The awards will be held at The Montcalm Hotel, Marble Arch.
Kent-based wines maker Chapel Down Group (CDGP) has built up a significant presence in the English wines market. The company has a winery in Tenterden and it is building a new brewery for its beer operations. Chapel Down reported a 15% increase in annual sales to £11.8m. Wine sales were one-fifth higher at £8.12m with cider and beer sales, via associate Curious Drinks, were 7% ahead at £3.68m. Operating profit improved from £346,000 to £470,000 but there was a much larger loss from the Curious Drinks associate so pre-tax profit was lower. The new brewery should be open in the first quarter of 2019.
Cyber security technology developer Crossword Cybersecurity (CCS) is still at a very early stage of its development but it more than doubled its revenues in 2017. The loss still increased from £950,000 to £1.24m despite the improvement in revenues from £345,000 to £737,000. The cash outflow was £1.06m, which left £490,000 in the bank. Since then, £2.16m was raised via a placing at 270p a share. Crossword has interests in a number of early stage businesses, including CyberOwl, a joint venture between Coventry University and Crossword, which has backing from Mercia Fund Management. CyberOwl is developing network security software for target-centric monitoring.
Field Systems Designs Holdings (FSD) has one of the longest track records on NEX and it has its highest share price in more than one decade of trading. Field Systems designs, installs and supplies electrical, instrumentation and control systems, for the water, power and transport sectors. In the six months to November 2017, revenues jumped from £8.47m to £12m, while pre-tax profit improved from £114,000 to £211,000. There was £3.34m of cash in the bank and NAV was £3.31m, which is more than the market capitalisation.
KR1 (KR1) has had a successful year buying and trading various coins and tokens. The KR1 share price has more than quadrupled over the past year. KR1 generated gains of £4.3m on its trading in digital coins and tokens during 2017. There was also a total unrealised gain of £10.8m on these investments and a £1.18m foreign exchange gain. The total pre-tax profit was £14.5m, with a tax charge of £2.87m.
Dairy and livestock services provider National Milk Records (NMR) was originally part of the Milk Marketing Board and after it was spun off it joined the forerunner of NEX. National Milk Records generated revenues of £5.32m in the three months to March 2018. This means that revenues are £1.51m ahead so far this year, although the comparatives are weak. Herdwise, the screening service for Johne’s disease and other testing services are providing growth with a small improvement from milk recording services. Rising milk supply has started to hold back milk prices.
Energy saving electrical products supplier Sandal (SAND) reported flat interim revenues of £1.88m but it masks the growth in the sales of MiHome products. This growth will continue in the second half. The interim pre-tax profit edged up from £35,000 to £44,000. Sandal secured a term loan of up to £500,000 from major shareholder Greenbrook Industries Ltd and £250,000 was used to buy back 862,068 shares from Greenbrook. The shares were cancelled and this will enhance earnings per share.
Daniel Thwaites (THW) is a brewer, hotels and pubs operator that has been trading for more than two centuries. It has also been on NEX for more than two decades, since the London Stock Exchange closed rule 4.2, which was a matched bargains facility for unquoted companies. Some of these former rule 4.2 companies moved to AIM, while others, including a number of regional brewers, moved to Ofex/NEX. In the six months to September 2017, revenues improved from £44m to £48m and underlying pre-tax profit were flat at £5.9m. The shares are trading at a near-50% discount to NAV.
Walls & Futures REIT (WAFR) is an ethical housing REIT and it is also on the shortlist for the impact company of the year. The company develops new housing for people with learning and physical disabilities or needing extra care. Earlier this year, Walls and Futures raised £80,000 from an open offer at 94p a share. In 2017, Walls and Futures achieved a total return on its portfolio of 11.5%, ahead of its benchmark total return of 7%. Walls and Futures has joined the MSCI IPD UK Residential Property Index.
The winner will be announced on Thursday 14 June.
Cannabis investment company Sativa Investments (SATI) is widening its remit. It is asking shareholders to agree to investments outside of Canada.
Ace Liberty and Stone (ALSP) has completed the acquisition of offices in Leicester for £4.385m. The Leicester Crown Prosecution Service pays an annual rent of £290,000.
St Mark Homes (SMAP) is paying a maintained interim dividend of 5.5p a share and the ex-dividend date is 5 July. The dividend will cost £247,000. The carbon emissions trading business has also started electronic currency mining.
China CDM Exchange Centre Ltd (CCEP) reported a small dip in revenues from £898,000 to £888,000 but it managed to increase its profit from £2,000 to £35,000.
Karoo Energy (KEP) has secured Contax Partners as technical partner and project manager for the shale gas project in Botswana. Contax will accept £800,000 worth of shares in Karoo as payment for services. Karoo hopes to apply for admission to AIM by 1 July.
Wishbone Gold (WSBN) says full production at its Honduras processing plant has been delayed because permits have not been received for the processing of larger amounts of gold ore.
EPE Special Opportunities (EL.P) had an NAV of 228.16p a share at the end of May 2018.
AIM
Property investment adviser First Property Group (FPO) reported flat pre-tax profit of £9.23m in the year to March 2018. The final dividend is 3% higher at 1.18p a share. The underlying NAV rose from 47.6p a share to 53.1p a share. Third party assets under management were 45% higher at £454m, which is mainly down to the new office fund. Progress this year will be held back by the departure of the tenant in a building in Poland. Some of the space has already been re-let and the rest should be during the year.
Pawnbroker Ramsdens (RFX) continues to grow on the back of strong foreign exchange revenues. Last year, they were 26% higher at £11.3m. Group revenues were 16% ahead at £39.9m, while underlying pre-tax profit rose 60% to £6.5m. Net cash was £12.7m, although that does include foreign currency stocks. The total dividend was 6.6p a share.
Gooch and Housego (GHH) increased interim revenues by 7% to £55.6m and underlying pre-tax profit was13% ahead at £7m. Aerospace was the main growth area as subsea telecoms demand was weak. The photonics and optical equipment company is on course for a full year profit of £18.5m.
Artilium (ARTA) is recommending a cash and shares bid from Pareteum. The offer is 0.1016 of a Pareteum share and 1.9p in cash for each Artilium share, which values the telecoms software supplier at £78m. The offer follows a strategic alliance between the two companies that was announced last year.
IT managed services provider Redcentric (RCN) says that some public sector contracts have been cancelled and there will be upfront costs for a new contract with the NHS in Yorkshire. That means that 2018-19 EBITDA will be 10% lower than previously forecast.
Imaginatik (IMTK) has completed its strategic review and the chairman and chief executive are both leaving and they are waiving compensation. This will help to reduce annual costs by £750,000. The business is no longer up for sale because no suitable bid was received. Annualised revenues are £2.8m and the innovation software business could move into profit after a full year’s benefit of the cost savings. Former chairman Matt Cooper has sold £225,000 worth of shares at 0.5p each and reinvested the cash in a new £225,000 convertible, interest free loan note. Octopus has reduced its stake from 27.2% to 7.1%.
Mass spectrometry instruments supplier Microsaic Systems (MSYS) has raised £5.5m at 2p a share and an additional £102,000 via a PrimaryBid.com offer.
Trading in cash shell Monreal (MORE) has been suspended because the former Cogenpower has not completed a deal. The board is asking for shareholder approval to move to NEX after the AIM quotation is cancelled on 3 July. The investment strategy will focus on technology, media and telecoms.
Education-focused virtual reality content supplier VR Education (VRE) has delayed the full launch of the latest version of its Titanic VR product until August but it is not expected to affect full year expectations. Work has started with the BBC on 1943: Berlin Blitz.
Driver Group (DRV) continues to improve its margins and profit helped by the growth of the Diales expert witness business. Middle East revenues were lower but profit was higher, while high utilisation rates in Asia Pacific meant that was a sharp swing back to profit in the region. Underlying pre-tax interim profit doubled to £2.1m om the six months to March 2018 and Driver ended the period with net cash of £800,000. The sale and leaseback of the company’s head office was completed in April and net cash is forecast at £5.5m for the end of September 2018. A full year profit of £3.5m, up from £2.5m, is forecast. A return to dividend payments is a possibility in the next year or so.
Rose Petroleum (ROSE) has enough cash to push forward with the exploration of its Paradox basin acreage in the US. Rose is still earning its 75% working interest in the acreage and it has already received interest from potential farm-in partners that could help finance the first well, which could cost $7m-$8m. A competent person’s report will provide an updated resource in the next few weeks.
The smart machines division was behind the small improvement in profit at Vianet (VNET) in the year to March 2018. That was helped by a contribution from the Vendman acquisition. The smart zones drinks dispensing technology made a slightly lower contribution to profit as it lost more pub customers but the US side is making progress. Research and development spending on technology peaked at £1.5m last year and should fall this year. Net cash fell to £1.27m because of the extra spending but the dividend was maintained at 5.7p a share. The investment should start to pay off this year and pre-tax profit is expected to rise from £2.7m to £3m.
MAIN MARKET
LED lighting supplier Luceco (LUCE) is closing its loss-making US business at a cost of £2m. The US business lost £1.9m last year. Luceco announced an operating profit of £14.2m in 2017.
Quarto Group Inc (QRT) has appointed former finance director Mick Mousley as interim finance director following the departure of Carolyn Bresh. This follows the change of control at the AGM.
Lb-shell (LBP) is asking for shareholder approval for the creation of £435,000 of unsecured convertible loan notes with a conversion price of 0.025p a share. That requires the par value to be reduced to 0.025p a share. Full conversion could mean the issue of shares equivalent to 89.4%. Three directors will own a total of £290,000 of the loan notes. The former Intelligent Energy will offer shareholders the chance to sell their shares for 0.025p each.
Andrew Hore
Andrew Hore – Quoted Micro 27 December 2017
NEX EXCHANGE
Good Energy (GOOD) has sold two operational 5MW solar farms in Devon and south Wales, plus further development rights, for £5.83m and £5.6m respectively. This should yield a profit of £750,000 on each solar farm. The south Wales site has additional land and development or sale of this land could yield an additional payment. Good will still acquire the energy from both sites.
OneLife Technologies Corp is acquiring One Media Enterprises Ltd, which has agreed to pay back the investment and loan made by Angelfish Investments (ANGP). There will also be management fees payable. This is dependent on the acquisition going ahead. In total, Angelfish will receive $1m in cash and 200,000 shares. Most of the investment has been written off, bar nearly $42,000, so the payment is nearly all profit.
BWA Group (BWAP) expects to be granted mining licences for the extraction of rutile sands in Cameroon. It would then enter an agreement with investee company Mineralfields Group, which would operate the mining concessions. BWA would increase its stake from 12% to 25%. BWA and its directors would own the majority of the shares. BWA has issued 8.37 million shares at 0.5p each in order to pay creditors of Mineralfields. BWA is also issuing £300,000 of 14% convertible unsecured loan stock 2020. The cash interest payment is 4% and the rest will be rolled up and the total loan converted into 36 million shares at 0.5p each.
Malcolm Burne has taken advantage of the sharp rise in the Coinsilium Group Ltd (COIN) share price to reduce his stake to below 3%. He owned 5.7 million shares in April. The share price reached 20p and has fallen back to 15p. Earlier this month, Coinsilium raised £720,000 at 9p a share.
AIM-quoted, spread betting business London Capital Group (LCG) has announced its intention to leave AIM having joined the NEX Exchange Growth Market on 15 December. Glio Holdings Ltd owns 78.1% of London Capital and it will vote in favour of the cancellation of the quotation.
Capital for Colleagues (CFCP) had an NAV of 42.12p a share at the end of November 2017. The provider of capital to employee-owned businesses is switching its investments from debt to equity.
Wheelsure Holdings (WHLP) reported an increased loss in the year to August 2017. Revenues declined from £290,000 to £226,000 and the loss rose from £262,000 to £330,000. An order from Italy was delayed and there were lower orders from London Underground. There was nearly £304,000 in cash at the end of August 2017. Wheelsure raised £630,000 last year. There have been initial orders for high speed rail infrastructure.
EPE Special Opportunities (ESO) has invested in David Phillips Holdings, which supplies furniture and furnishing services to the UK property sector. The business is benefiting from the growth of the private rental sector.
Gunsynd (GUN) has invested £130,000 in a 9% convertible loan note in Human Brands, which supplies Copa Imperial Tequila and Shinju Whiskey. US-based Human Brands made a pre-tax profit of $90,000 on revenues of $1.04m.
Trading in the shares of China CDM Exchange Centre Ltd (CCEP) has been suspended because of issues with the annual returns for the Jersey Registry.
Black Sea Property (BSP) has raised €3.53m at €0.01 a share. This will help to finance the acquisition of a property on the Black Sea coast. Via Developments (VIA1) has issued a further £70,000 of debenture stock.
AIM
The TLA Worldwide Award for contempt for investors goes this year to Real Good Food (RGD) after it announced it requires substantially more cash at 1.04pm on 22 December. That is the last half day of trading before Christmas. The three main shareholders will subscribe for £3m of loan notes with an annual interest of 10%. This should be refinanced via a share or convertible issue. Net debt was £35.8m at the end of September 2017. Hugh Cawley will become an executive director. The interim loss was £6.66m. Food ingredients returned to profit, helped by the acquisition of Brighter Foods, but the performance of the other parts of the business slumped.
Golden Saint Resources (GSR) intends to change its business by acquiring EMS Wiring Systems for shares and selling the mining assets. Trading in the shares is suspended ahead of due diligence and a share consolidation. EMS is a profitable supplier and installer of cabling, WiFi, CCTV, displays and building management systems in Asia and it intends to expand in Africa and South America. The new name would be Golden Saint Technologies Ltd.
Cradle Arc has a 60% stake in a producing copper mine in Botswana and a gold development project in Zambia. The expected admission date to AIM is 10 January.
Mirriad Advertising (MIRI) was valued at £63.2m at its placing price of 62p. The in-video advertising technology company raised £24.2m net of expenses. Potential customers are expressing interest in the technology and the cash will finance an increasing rate of growth. In 2016, revenues were £700,000.
Antibody development services provider Fusion Antibodies (FAB) raised £5.5m at 82p a share and by the end of the week the share price had doubled. Belfast-based Fusion will invest in the expansion of laboratory space and additional sales and marketing.
Close-ended investment company CIP Merchant Capital Ltd (CIP) raised £55m at 100p a share prior to Christmas. CIP will focus on quoted companies with a market value of less than £500m that have good fundamentals, which need help to improve operational effectiveness or management support to enhance growth. There should also be potential for a future exit. No more than 20% of funds will be invested in an individual company.
Software supplier Pelatro (PTRO) raised £3.8m at 62.5p a share when it joined AIM on 19 December. That valued the company at £15.2m. The company’s mViva software is developed in India and used for marketing by telecommunications companies.
An introduction at 20p a share valued Panthera Resources (PAT) at £12.4m. The main asset is a 70% stake in the Bhukia gold project in India. The company’s share of the JORC inferred resource is 1.22 million ounces. There are also gold exploration assets in Burkina Faso and Mali.
Video games development services provider Sumo Group (SUMO) floated on 21 December at 100p a share and ended the week at 113.5p a share. Sumo raised £38.5m and it was valued at £145m at the placing price.
Fletcher King (FLK) reported a dip in revenues from £1.68m to £1.49m, while pre-tax profit declined from £163,000 to £148,000. The interim dividend is unchanged at 1p a share. There were lower revenues from rating appeals and valuations but one or two SHIPS properties should be fully-let and sold by the end of the financial year.
NWF Group (NWF) says that its feeds division is benefiting from the recovery in the milk price and past capital investment. The fuels division continues to make progress but food distribution performance has been below the first half of last year. The interims will be published on 30 January.
Online gaming firm Nektan (NKTN) is raising £1.76m at 21p a share. That was a one-fifth discount to the market price. There are £10m convertible loan notes 2020, where the conversion price is a 25% premium to the previous placing, so it is currently 26.25p a share. The cash will be invested in technology and geographic expansion. In the year to June 2017, Nektan more than doubled its net gaming revenues to £13.3m.
Telecoms infrastructure equipment supplier Filtronic (FTC) expects a sharp fall in interim revenues from £21.6m to £12.8m and operating profit halved to £900,000. There have been delays in defence orders. Net cash was £2.9m at the end of November 2017. The interims will be published on 30 January.
Kodal Minerals (KOD) says that initial results from its drill programme at the Bougouni lithium project are expected very shortly. There was £4.09m of cash at the end of September 2017.
Tlou Energy Ltd (TLOU) has completed core-hole drilling at two locations at the Lesedi project and a third hole will be completed early next year. Coal samples are being assessed. The results will help to plan the first phase of development drilling. The Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund has taken a 5.84% stake.
Tri-Star Resources (TSTR) is raising up to £4.42m via a 2.250106-for-one open offer at 0.01p a share. That is a 92% discount to the market price and excess applications can be made. The cash is required for part pre-payment of $6m of loan notes issued to Odey Asset Management that carry an annual interest rate of 25%. That cash was used to finance a $6m mezzanine loan to the Oman antimony roaster project. First production should be in the second quarter of 2018. The cost of the project has increased from $96m to $110m. There should be £250,000 left for working capital for Tri-Star and $740,000 of loan notes still in issue. The first dividend from the Oman antimony roaster is expected for the year to December 2020.
Legendary Investments (LEG) has acquired a 9.7% stake in Crowd for Angels in return for 248.3 million Legendary shares at 0.145p each. Crowd for Angels intends to launch a £50m Liquid Crypto Bond. Legendary is swapping its interest in Manas Resources for a 2% stake in Circle Oil Tunisia, formerly a subsidiary of AIM-quoted Circle Oil, which has been liquidated. The stake in Manas was valued at £100,000.
Ambrian (AMBR) has failed to secure short-term financing or defer payment of interest on its convertible loan notes. Grant Thornton will be appointed as administrator. In October, a general meeting removed former chief executive Jean-Pierre Conrad as a director, having been given three months notice in August by subsidiary Ambrian Metals because he had lost the confidence of the board. Conrad was a large holder of convertibles. Ambrian has cement interests in Mozambique and there have been problems in moving cash.
Kromek (KRK) is on course to achieve full year revenues of £12.5m. This is without any contribution from the framework contract from the US authorities for radiation detector systems, which could be important in the future. There should be £14m of cash left by the end of the financial year.
Uranium Resources (URA) has sold its mining assets and is changing its name to URA Holdings. Melissa Sturgess and Peter Redmond have joined the board and £900,000 raised at 0.45p a share.
Redhall Group (RHL) says that its subsidiary Jordan Manufacturing has won business for specialist handling and containment systems for nuclear material at Sellafield. This could be worth £18m over three years.
Prospex Oil and Gas (PXOG) is acquiring up to 49.9% of the Tesorillo gas project in southern Spain. The purchase is in three stages and will cost €2.05m in total.
Problems with labelling in China have held up the fulfilment of demand by Concepta (CPT) for its fertility products. This means that 2017 revenues will be around £100,000 and sales delayed until the first quarter of 2018.
Integumen (SKIN) has raised £500,000 at 1.5p a share. This will help to fund the recently acquired Stoer range of male cosmetics and the commercialisation of the Visible Youth cosmeceutical range. Management is assessing all the group product lines because some are taking longer to generate significant revenues. Integumen intends to set up a joint venture to distribute Champion Shave products in the UK and Ireland.
The One Media iP (OMIP) share price more than doubled to 10p following the news that Lord Michael Grade and former Pinewood boss Ivan Dunleavy are joining the board as non-executives. They are also investing £375,000 at 2.5p a share.
Cross-border payments technology provider Earthport (EPO) says that 2017-18 revenues could be up to 15% lower than expected due to contract delays and a change in strategy by a client. Cash flow breakeven is still achievable during 2018-19. Hank Uberoi is moving from chief executive to executive chairman and a permanent replacement as chief executive has yet to be found.
Escape the Room experiences provider Escape Hunt (ESC) is adapting its strategy to focus on city centre sites. Five leases have been signed and three are being negotiated.
The People’s Operator (TPOP) has successfully raised £2.82m at 0.1p a share. Aidan O’Hara acquired an 8.78% stake prior to the placing. Trading in the shares has been suspended because of concerns over trading prior to the completion of the placing.
A €51 a share cash bid has been recommended by Taliesin Property Fund Ltd (TPF) and this values the company at €260m. The bid enables investors to liquidate their holding in the Berlin property investor at a premium to NAV. Taliesin floated in 2006 at €10 a share.
West African Mineral (WAFM) is disposing of its iron assets through a share distribution of the company holding the assets to its shareholders. They will receive one share in Ferrum Resources Ltd for each West African Mineral share they own. A general meeting will be held on 18 January to agree to the plan. Loans to Ferrum have already been written off but a sale of the assets could spark all or part of the repayment of the $4m loan. West African Minerals will have £2.1m in the bank and it wants to move to the standard list and seek life sciences acquisitions. The company will change its name to OKYO Pharma Corporation.
Property investor Caledonian Trust (CNN) increased its NAV from 152.9p a share to 161.7p a share in the year to June 2017.
TechFinancials Inc (TECH) will receive a total of $1.46m in dividends from two subsidiaries. One of these subsidiaries is part of the previously announced disposals that should generate $400,000.
All bar one of the directors of BOS Global Holdings (BOS) has left the board. Trading in BOS shares has been suspended because of the uncertainty of its financial position and because the annual report has not been published.
MAIN MARKET
Contango Holdings (CGO) is moving ahead with the possible acquisition of Consolidated Growth Holdings’ interest in a near-term producing mining asset in Zimbabwe. The purchase would be funded at 5p a share, which is a 33% premium to the suspension price. Contango hopes to complete the reverse takeover by the first quarter of 2018. Contango floated on the standard list on 1 December.
Shefa Yamim (SEFA) has joined the standard list. The Israel-based gemstones explorer raised £4.15m at 110p a share and was valued at £15.3m on flotation. The cash will be used to fund further exploration of the Kishon Mid Reach project and production could commence within 24 months.
Dukemount Capital (DKE) reported an interim loss of £113,000 due to the costs of being a listed company. There was £230,000 in the bank at the end of October 2017. Supported living property developer Dukemount has completed a 50-year agreement to lease on the first property it acquired with a supported living housing association. This should generate £234,000 a year and is linked to CPI. It will take 18 months to complete the development but institutions may acquire the lease before then. A second project has also been secured with more under negotiation.
Spinnaker Opportunities (SOP) has raised a further £170,000 at 5p a unit. The unit is one ordinary share and 0.5 of a warrant exercisable at 7.5p a share. The current NAV is 4.2p a share. SI Capital has been appointed as joint broker.
Standard list shell Fandango Holdings (FHP) still had £468,000 in the bank at the end of August 2017. There is currently no industrial or services acquisition under consideration.
Avocet Mining (AVM) has agreed the sale of its Burkina Faso assets for $5m. There will be $2.5m paid on completion and the rest will be deferred over seven years. Avocet will have no trading business. Given Avocet’s debt, if it is wound up there will be little or nothing for shareholders.
Bluebird Merchant Ventures Ltd (BMV) has returned from suspension following publication of its annual report. Chief executive Colin Patterson says he will fund the Gubong gold project through to the completion of the report on feasibility. He and fellow director Aidan Bishop are taking their remuneration in shares.
Andrew Hore
Quoted Micro 12 June 2017
NEX EXCHANGE
Brewer and pubs operator Daniel Thwaites (THW) says that net debt has increased from £34.1m to £47.6m at the end of March 2017 because of investment in the brewery and pubs plus acquisitions. The benefits of this investment is starting to show through. Full year revenues from continuing operations were slightly lower at £84.4m, while operating profit improved from £11.5m to £12.1m. The total dividend is unchanged at 4.46p a share.
Churchill Mining (GHL) has switched from AIM to NEX although trading in the shares remains suspended. Churchill’s main focus is the international arbitration claim against the Indonesian government.
Good Energy (GOOD) received applications for more than £10m of the corporate bonds on offer. The energy supplier has closed the online offer but postal applications close on 12 June – assuming the maximum application level of £20m has not been reached before this.
Coinsilium Group Ltd (COIN) has invested £56,000 in Singapore-based Indorse Pte Ltd, which is developing Indorse, a blockchain-powered professional social network. Coinsilium will also receive a number of Indorse digital tokens in the next few months.
China CDM Exchange Centre Ltd (CCEP) reported a decline in full year revenues from £1m to £898,000. Pre-tax profit fell by two-thirds to just over £2,000. There is £2.3m in the bank and the NAV was £52.1m at the end of 2016. The company is investing in blockchain technology as part of its growth strategy.
Asia Wealth Group Holdings Ltd (AWLP) says that the 45,000 shares it owns in Ray Alliance Financial Advisers have been transferred to the other two Ray Alliance shareholders without any authorisation. Asia Wealth paid $318,000 for the shares back in 2012. Asia Wealth has demanded that the shares are transferred back.
Valiant Investments (VALP) has raised £45,000 at 0.1p a share. The cash will provide working capital and provide the ability to invest more in apps business Flamethrower.
AIM
DX Group (DX.) has renegotiated the terms of the merger with Menzies Distribution which involves the payment of £40m in cash and shares equivalent to 65% of the enlarged share capital – this includes a 5% stake that will be held by the John Menzies pension fund. DX will still have to take on 17% of the pension fund. Cost savings of £10m a year are expected and a dividend is promised. Rebel shareholder Gatemore is backing the revised transaction. Things are still not running smoothly, though. The City of London police is investigating an allegation concerning DX.
MP Evans (MPE) harvested 180,000 tonnes of oil palm fruit bunches in the first five months of 2017, which is one-quarter higher than in the same period of 2016. This is due to a mixture of improving weather conditions and maturing plants. In the same period, palm oil production increased from 37,900 tonnes to 60.100 tonnes. The average selling price has increased by $51/tonne to $606/tonne, while palm kernel prices moved from $414/tonne to $503/tonne. There could be some downward pressure on prices in the second half.
Somero Enterprises Inc (SOM) has announced a special dividend of 13.3 cents a share on top of the normal dividend. This will cost $7.5m and leave the construction equipment company with much more than $10m in the bank even before allowing for cash generated so far this year. Shareholders on the register on 28 July will receive the dividend. Trading in Europe has been strong and the only disappointment has been North America where business has been delayed.
Best of the Best (BOTB) is also paying a special dividend out of its cash pile. Full year revenues grew 7% to £10.8m, while pre-tax profit improved from £1.1m to £1.5m. A normal dividend of 1.4p a share will be paid plus an additional 6.5p a share as a special dividend. There are also plans for the competitions organiser to increase marketing spending.
Waste to energy systems developer PowerHouse Energy Group (PHE) has secured a collaboration agreement with a UK partner that will provide two tranches of funding for the demonstration unit and five systems. The total funding will be up to £500,000.
DP Poland (DPP) has raised £5.25m at 43p a share. The cash will help finance 15 new Domino Pizza stores in Poland this year and finance loans for sub-franchise store openings in 2019.
Trading in Savannah Petroleum (SAVP) shares has been suspended following an exclusive agreement to buy the oil and gas assets of a west Africa-focused company. The structure of the transaction has been agreed in outline and it will involve debt, shares and cash. Due diligence has been going on since January. The shares will remain suspended until a document is published for the reverse takeover.
Nostra Terra Oil & Gas (NTOG) says that the general meeting requisition at US-focused oil and gas company Magnolia Petroleum (MAGP) is by former chief executive and founder Steven Snead using the shares that Nostra Terra has agreed to purchase. The proposals include the removal of chief executive Rita Whittington and the appointment the Magnolia board of Ewen Ainsworth, chairman of Nostra Terra, and Donald Phillips.
Vianet Group (VNET) has restructured its business into two divisions: smart zones and smart machines. Smart zones is based on the fluid measurement and telemetry business with pubs. The US business is moving towards breakeven. The smart machines division is focused on vending machines and there is a significant addressable market. There was a dip in underlying pre-tax profit form £2.8m to £2.6m last year, with a small improvement forecast for this year. The dividend is set to continue to be unchanged at 5.7p a share.
LiDCO (LID) has received 510k clearance from the FDA for the LiDCO Unity version 2. This will enable LiDCO to offer a high usage programme for a fixed annual licence fee. The head of US operations is already in place and ready to push ahead with the strategy. LiDCO is expected to move into profit in the year to January 2019.
Shareholders are trying to requisition a general meeting at Irish gold explorer Conroy Gold and Natural Resources (CGNR) in order to remove six directors. Seamus FitzPatrick, James Jones, Dr Sorca Conroy, Louis Maguire, Michael Power and David Wathen are the directors that the requistioners wants removed and replace them with Patrick O’Sullivan, Paul Johnson and Gervaise Heddle. The three directors not affected by the requisition are Professor Richard Conroy, Maureen Jones and Professor Garth Earls.
Disruptive Capital has made a bid approach to Stanley Gibbons (SGI).
MAIN MARKET
Telecoms services provider Toople (TOOP) raised £1.41m, before expenses of £150,000, and five million shares were issued to directors’ in lieu of a portion of the fees that they are owned. The subscription and offer are still open. On the day of the announcement, the share price fell 1.13p to 2.13p. There was a cash outflow of £552,000 in the six months to March 2017.
Rainbow Rare Earths (RBW) has discovered several unrecorded veins at Gasagwe, which suggests that there is plenty of upside in the mineralisation resources at the Gakara rare earth project in Burundi. Mine construction is on course to deliver rare earth concentrate before the end of 2017.
WideCells Group (WDC) says that it is authorised to sell its CellPlan financial product that helps people to afford stem cells treatment. There are plans to start selling CellPlan to Biovault stem cell storage customers.
Cathay International Holdings (CTI) says that its 50.56%-owned subsidiary Lansen Pharmaceutical plans to pay a special dividend.
Andrew Hore
Quoted Micro 6 June 2016
ISDX
Capital for Colleagues (CFCP) has invested £770,000 in employee owned businesses in the six months to February 2016. Interim revenues grew from £257,000 to £364,000 but admin costs increased significantly so, excluding unrealised gains, the pre-tax profit dipped from £41,000 to £34,000. Unrealised gains slumped from £47,000 to £6,000. At 62.5p (60p/65p) a share, Capital for Colleagues is valued at £6m. The net asset value was £4.2m at the end of February 2016 and £1.15m has been raised since then. There are still plenty of opportunities for new investments as well as additional investment in existing investee companies.
Blockchain technology investor Coinsilium Group Ltd (COIN) reported a loss of £2.42m in the first 15 months of its existence to December 2015. That includes an investment impairment of £1.31m for an investment in Hive Labs. The investments are all early-stage so it will take time for them to bear fruit. More recently the company has branched out into providing training. The NAV was £2.33m at the end of 2015. At 4.1p (3.6p/4.6p) a share, Coinsilium is valued at £2.9m. There were seven trades in Coinsilium shares last week at prices between 3.2p and 4.25p. Five of these trades were the day before the results were announced. The most recent trade was 100,000 shares at 3.2p each. Coinsillium is one of the more frequently traded ISDX companies and there were seven trades in the previous week.
Contemporary art collector and trader V22 (V22O) says an independent valuation of its collection at the end of 2015 said that it was worth £1.67m, which is triple the amount invested in the collection. V22 also has a property portfolio and in May it paid £250,000 for a 125 year licence on a Grade II listed building in Forest Hill, which will provide exhibition and event space. In 2015, revenues grew from £568,000 to £822,000 and the loss declined from £78,000 to £34,000. Since then, V22 has raised £225,000 from selling half of its option interest in a company that owns the freehold to a building in South Bermondsey. V2 has already received £150,000 with £75,000 payable by the end of June. V22 retains an option over 15% of the holding company that owns the building. At 0.9p (0.85p/0.95p) a share, V22 is valued at £300,000. The NAV including the valuation of the art portfolio is 4.49p a share.
Cairn has resigned as the corporate adviser to Nordic Energy (NORP), whose shares are already suspended because it is unable to bring out its interim figures within the required time. At the end of 2015, Nordic relinquished its Danish oil and gas exploration licence because it was unable to fund the required work programme. Nordic had £42,551 in the bank at the end of May 2015. Former director Rudolf Kleiber has been awarded £14,210 for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination.
Carbon credits adviser China CDM Exchange Centre Ltd (CCEP) reported flat revenues of £1m in 2015 but profit dipped from £29,000 to £6,000. There was a cash inflow of £575,000, taking cash in the bank to £1.59m. The NAV is £46.1m, which is mainly based on carbon-related investments. At 0.25p (0.2p/0.3p) a share, China CDM is valued at £300,000, which is a large discount to the cash pile. There was a small trade of 936 shares at 0.2p each the day after the results were announced.
China-based LED products supplier Gowin New Energy Group Ltd (GWIN) reported a large loss for 2015 because of write-offs relating to the termination of contracts with its former manufacturing partner. The plan is to keep design and sales in-house but outsource production. There may also be opportunities for joint production development with other companies. This will reduce the company’s working capital requirements. There was cash of RMB1.3m in the bank at the end of 2015 but there are also shareholder loans of RMB12.6m.
Diversified Gas & Oil (DOIL) has raised a further £420,000, which is part of the additional £3.5m it wants to raise from the issue of 8.5% unsecured bonds. In 2015, revenues fell from $7.36m to $6.3m due to the lower oil price and there was a cash outflow from operations of $3.93m. The company continues to acquire oil and gas assets.
AIM
Constellation Software Inc has made a bid approach to Bond International Software (BDI) following the ending of a standstill agreement late last year. The potential offer price is 105p a share and Bond is still considering its options. Last month, Bond sold Strictly Education for £11.3m – £7m paid immediately and £4.3m to be paid within six months. The cash will be used to pay off borrowings, which were £5.9m. Bond had cash in the bank so this will have gone up following the transaction and there were plans to distribute some of the cash to shareholders. It was after this disposal was announced that Constellation converted non-voting shares and this gave it 29.9% of Bond. Constellation appears to have made the bid approach at this time so that it can retain the cash.
Air filtration and clean air equipment supplier MayAir (MAYA) has secured new contracts worth a total of $22.8m. The majority of this work will come from the installation of clean room equipment for two customers. There is also a contract to supply air filtration equipment for office buildings. The majority of these revenues will be generated this year. This is good news because a large contract was coming to an end. In 2015, MayAir’s revenues were $63.6m. Former broker Mirabaud forecast 2016 revenues of $75.5m. Cantor Fitzgerald has been appointed broker to the company.
Life sciences software provider Instem (INS) has acquired regulatory information management systems supplier Samarind for up to £2.5m and this has led to a profit upgrade. House broker N+1 Singer has increased its 2016 earnings per share forecast by 5% to 10.4p and the 2017 figure by 14% to 13p. Samarind adds post-marketing services to Instem’s existing regulatory reporting software. Two-thirds of Samarind’s revenues of £1.2m are recurring and most of the customer base is new to Instem.
Daily Internet (DAIP) moved into profit in the year to March 2016. Revenues grew by 22% to £4.76m and a loss of £140,000 was turned into a profit of £250,000. The managed hosting and internet services provider has been reducing its cost base and the benefits are yet to show through. There was £650,000 generated from operating activities and net cash was £206,000, although there is still potential contingent consideration of £435,000.
Building services provider Northern Bear (NTBR) says its net debt fell in the year to March 2016 and it intends to increase its dividend. Last year, net debt was £4.5m and the dividend was 1.5p a share, which was well covered by earnings of 8.5p a share. Earnings are set to be flat this year despite problematic weather conditions but the increased dividend should still be well covered. Reduced finance costs offset the effect of lower revenues.
Kefi Minerals (KEFI) says that it has reduced the funding requirements for the Tulu Kapi gold project from $145m to $130m following further refinements to the project and reductions in interest costs. At a gold price of $1,250/ounce, Kefi expects to generate $173m of cash in the first three years of production. All-in sustaining costs are $746/ounce. This is based on contract open pit mining and total production of 980,000 ounces of gold over ten years.
MAIN MARKET
Specialist electronics supplier Acal (ACL) reported underlying revenue growth of 3% in the year to March 2016. Including acquisitions, revenues rose from £271.1m to £297.2m – it would have been higher at constant exchange rates – and improved margins meant that pre-tax profit jumped from £11.8m to £14.4m. Trading conditions are not easy and this is likely to continue to be true for the rest of the first half although an improvement is expected later in the year.
ANDREW HORE