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Ian Pollard – easy Hotel trading strongly
easy Hotel plc EZH Strong trading experienced in the previous year has continued through the year to the end of September. The groups owned hotels have significantly outperformed both the competition and the wider OK hotel market. Franchised hotel have also traded strongly especially in continental Europe.In 2018 four new owned hotels will be opened adding a total of 517 rooms, whilst new franchised hotels due to be opened will add a further 798 rooms.
Sopheon plc SPE The board now expects revenue for the year to he 31st December will be comfortably ahead of market expectations whilst EBITDA and pre tax profits should be significantly ahead.This follows two substantial deals in the final quarter leading to an increase from 49 to 59 in licences for the year as a whole.
James Halstead plc JHD Turnover for the half year to the 31st December rose by 5% to record levels after strong December trading in the UK, Germany and Australia
Utilitywise UTW Trading in the company’s shares will be temporarily suspended at 7-30 this morning as it will not be able to publish its annual audited accounts by the end of this month. The delay is due to the amount of work involved in its new revenue recognition policy and the suspension will be lifted as soon as it is able to publish its results.
Telit Communications TCM has received expressions of interest from numerous parties with regard to the proposed sale of its automotive division and due diligence is now being undertaken. There is no intention of selling any other divisions or activities.
Defenx DFX confirms that revenues for the year to 31st December will be materially below those of the previous year resulting a significant loss for 2017. The appointment of a new CEO in November has resulted in progress being made in solving the company’s problems but difficulties remain in collecting in trade debts and collections have been limited during the last three months.
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Andrew Hore – Quoted Micro 22 January 2018
NEX EXCHANGE
Capital for Colleagues (CFCP) reported a decline in full year revenues from £560,000 to £372,000 and there was no repeat of the realised gains on investments in the previous year. There was an increase in unrealised gains from £71,000 to £317,000. However, there was a £1.32m investment impairment. This meant that a profit of £158,000 was turned into a loss of £1.17m. There is £1.28m in the bank. The employee-owned businesses investor is focusing on managing its portfolio and the advisory business spun off into a joint venture. The NAV is 42.7p a share.
First Sentinel (FSEN) has invested the £1.4m it raised when it joined NEX last year. These investments include fellow NEX-quoted company NQ Minerals, where First Sentinel boss Brian Stockbridge is chairman, AIM-quoted UK Oil and Gas Investments and AIM-quoted Premier African Minerals. There is a £65,000 loan to unquoted tea cafés operator Yumchaa, where Stockbridge is 50% shareholder. The loan has an interest rate of 12% and lasts until October.
Block Energy (BLOK) has further delayed the planned move to AIM. The oil and gas company has a new expected admission date of end-February. Trading remains suspended on NEX.
AIM
Mark Watkin Jones intends to step down as chief executive of student and private rental accommodation developer Watkin Jones (WJG) but he will stay until a successor is identified. In the year to September 2017, revenues were 13% higher at £301.9m and underlying operating profit rose by a similar percentage to £42.7m. The dividend was 6.6p a share, equivalent to a 10% increase if Watkin Jones had been quoted for all the previous year. Investor demand for student accommodation and private rental residential property remains strong.
Van Elle (VNL) has an outstanding debt of £1.6m from failed facilities management and construction company Carillion. finnCap has also assumed lower second half profit of £1.3m relating to expected business from Carillion. The specialist piling contractor has a poor record since floating and this does not help.
Engineering and IT recruitment company Gattaca (GATC) says that most of Carillion’s debt to the company is insured with around £100,000 uninsured. Premier Technical Services (PTSG) says that it has £800,000 of annual revenues with Carillion with £300,000 still owed. Elsewhere, business is in line with expectations. Bilby (BILB) says that it does not think that the contract with CarillionAmey will be impacted.
Sinclair Pharma (SPH) directors have been buying shares on the back of the news that it has received regulatory approval of Ellanse pre-mixed bioresorbable collagen stimulating fillers in Brazil, one of the most important global markets. Ellanse will be soft launched immediately and the full launch is a matter of weeks away. Other Sinclair dermatological products are selling well in Brazil.
K3 Capital (K3C) reported interim figures that were better than forecast. This led to a £1m increase in forecast full year revenues but the pre-tax profit forecast is maintained at £5.4m because of additional costs required to accelerate the growth of the business. The business broker and corporate finance adviser announced an interim dividend of 2.85p a share and a total dividend of 8.2p a share is forecast for the full year.
Full year trading at Midwich (MIDW) was better than expected with revenues 28% ahead at £470m, helped by acquisitions performing ahead of expectations. The audio visual equipment distributor has also improved gross margin. The 2017 results will be published on 13 March.
Utilitywise (UTW) has changed its accounting policy relating to initial revenue recognition of new contracts.
LiDCO (LID) has signed up a new Japanese distributor. Merit Medical has a three year exclusive agreement and there is potential to significantly increase last year’s sales of £117,000. The LiDCOunity version 2 monitor has been approved in Japan.
African Battery Metals (ABM) is the new name for Sula Iron and Gold. Prior to the name change, £1.75m was raised and the Riverfort facility terminated with an associated buy back of shares. ABM is paying $100,000 ($50,000 is still outstanding) for a 70% stake in cobalt licences in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The other shareholder will retain its 30% stake up until a decision is made to mine, so ABM will pay the exploration costs.
Orosur Mining Inc (OMI) produced 7,052 ounces of gold at an average cash operating cost of $867/ounce in the second quarter and plans to produce at least 30,000 ounces in the financial year. Although the South America-focused gold producer and explorer generated $2.16m in cash in the second quarter, there was a $251,000 loss in the period because the all in sustaining cost was higher than the gold price received. Asset Chile has forfeited the 16% stake it earned in Anillo because it did not move into phase 2 of the project.
Shareholders have approved share buybacks by China New Energy Ltd (CNEL) until the end of 2019. Up to one-fifth of the shares can be acquired for less than 2p a share. The bioenergy technology developer and operator increased revenues from £8.85m to £24.7m in 2017 and the order book is worth £13.7m. The company was profitable last year and anticipates it will be in 2018.
Data software company WANdisco (WAND) says bookings increased 45% to $22.5m in 2017 with two-thirds generated by WANdisco Fusion software. There was cash of $27.4m at the end of 2017, with $4m from a new growth capital facility.
Thor Mining (THR) has had its stake in US Lithium diluted to 20.8% due to a A$240,000 fundraising at A$0.12 a share, which is four times the Thor acquisition price. US Lithium plans an ASX-listing.
Veltyco Group (VLTY) is acquiring a 51% stake in Varkasso, which has exclusive rights to use the crypto wallet technology platform 8Crypt, for £265,000 in cash and shares. Veltyco will incorporate the 8Crypt crypto wallet in all the gaming platforms it is involved with.
Newmont Mining has decided not to become involved in the Greatland Gold (GGP)-owned Ernest Giles gold project in Australia. It appears that the project was not in the right place or large enough for Newmont to go ahead with, although it took its time to make a final decision. Greatland benefits from the work conducted by Newmont, which has identified a large gold anomaly. Targeted exploration will be undertaken at Ernest Giles in the first quarter of 2018.
Kodal Minerals (KOD) says that the authorities have approved its exploration licences for the Bougouni lithium project in southern Mali. Triumvirat Mining Company will have a 10% economic interest in the licences, which are for an initial three year life. There has been positive drilling news concerning the Ngoualana and Sogola-Baoule prospects.
Electrical accessories supplier Volex (VLX) moved from the Main Market to AIM on 19 January.
Waste gasification technology business EQTEC (EQT) has partially repaid a five-year, £1.1m loan facility with an annual interest rate of 15%. The remaining balance of £621,000 is repayable in July 2020. The £2m of convertible secured loan note with Altair Group Investment Ltd has been extended until July 2020 and the interest rate doubled to 15%.
Renewable fuels technology developer Velocys (VLS) has raised £14m via a placing at 10p a share and hopes to raise up to £4.4m through an open offer at the same price. Last year, there was a £1.16m share issue at 45p a share. The cash will be used to finance initial development of the Mississippi biorefinery and fund the UK waste-to-renewable jet fuel project which has been around for many years.
Generic drugs supplier Beximco Pharmaceuticals (BXP) expects to complete the £18.2m acquisition of a 85.2% stake in Nuvista Pharma by the end of February.
Gama Aviation (GMAA) says last year’s trading was in line with expectations. The business aviation services provider has incurred $1m of costs relating to legal proceedings and there will be a similar amount to come. There will be around $2.5m of restructuring costs and write-downs. Net debt fell from $19m to $13m.
Although Blancco Technology Group (BLTG) says that first half sales declined this is due to the fact that certain contracts were not repeated in the latest period. The data erasure software business is expected to report continuing full year revenues 6% higher at £28.5m. However, higher overheads mean that there will be little profit.
Cyber security software supplier Crossrider (CROS) says that 2017 trading was in line with expectations and revenues improved 16% to $65.8m, while underlying EBITDA was 29% ahead at $8.3m. Profitability from the core activities more than doubled. There was $69.4m in the bank at the end of 2017.
Legend Gold Corp shareholders have agreed to the arrangement for Altus Strategies (ALS) to acquire the entity that owns the Legend gold projects in Mali in return for 41.1 million Altus shares. The mining projects investor is also applying for a dual listing on the TSX-V. Legend shareholders will be issued three Altus shares for each Legend share that they own, giving them 27.6% of Altus.
Toys supplier Character Group (CCT) says it has exited Christmas with “virtually no excess stocks”. International sales were poor but domestic sales grew. Pokemon products will be launched during the summer.
Caledonia Mining Corporation (CMCL) reported higher than guided annual production at the Blanket gold mine. The prediction was 54,000-56,000 ounces but the outcome was 56,135 ounces.
Sustainable pallets manufacturer RM2 International SA (RM2) had unrestricted cash of $4.1m at the end of 2017, but that could fall to $2m by the end of January. That means that there should be enough cash until the third week in February. Management continues to seek additional finance. There are plenty of potential customers but little in the way of orders.
Tiziana Life Sciences (TILS) has raised a further £150,000 at 150p. This is on top of the £150,000, £275,000 and £200,000 raised at the same price during November and December. There is a warrant with each new share and they are exercisable at 160p a share, although the most recent warrants last until January 2024. The cash is being invested in the phase IIa clinical trial for the Milciclib cancer treatment.
Remote tracking and monitoring products developer Starcom (STAR) says that last year’s turnover improved from $5.1m to $5.5m and lower operating costs mean that it will move from loss to breakeven. Strong orders mean that revenues and margins should improve this year.
Condor Gold (CNR) has obtained a TSX listing.
MAIN MARKET
Path Investments (PATH) is cancelling its standard listing even before finalising its acquisition of a 50% participating interest in the Alfeld-Elze licence and gas field in Germany. The plan is to cancel the standard listing on 19 February and raise money and apply for an AIM quotation in the first quarter of 2018. Path has previously been on AIM in a different guise but if the deal does not go ahead the plan would be to maintain the standard listing.
World Trade Systems (WTS) plans a transaction involving the sale of its assets to a new company that will float on the Channel Islands-based The International Stock Exchange. WTS shareholders will be distributed shares in the new company that will be used to acquire the assets.
Loss-making telecoms firm Toople (TOOP) did not publish a full set of figures on RNS. That is always a giveaway. It did announce that the operating loss declined by 23% to £1.31m in the year to September 2017. Cash flow is much more important for a colander company like Toople.
Technology investment company Sure Ventures (SURE) has joined the Specialist Fund Segment of the Main Market, having raised £3.31m at 100p a share. The main focus is augmented reality, fintech and the Internet of Things.
Challenger Acquisitions Ltd (CHAL) has invested $300,000 in a new giant observation wheel for Dallas, Texas. Challenger also has the opportunity to operate the wheel.
Andrew Hore
HSBC – Positive Jaws And An Urivalled Footprint ! – A fish with feet !!
HSBC Holdings HSBA announces that a further share buy back programme of up to 2bn pounds will start shortly and will be completed in the second half of 2017. The interim dividend remain unchanged after a rise of 12% in adjusted half year profit before tax, following a 3% rise in revenue. Global banking performed strongly with a 16% rise in revenue and to match its positive jaws which delivered a rise of 0.5%, it claims that its footprint in Asia and the Middle East is now unrivalled.
Trinity Mirror TNI Claims a resilient performance for the half year to 2nd July despite difficult trading conditions and a volatile environment in print. Like for like revenue fell by 14.6% and management claims full credit for being so strong and managing to limit the fall in adjusted operating profit to only 9.4%. The interim dividend is to be increased by 7.1% to 2.25 p. per share and the second half is expected to show improving revenue momentum.
Coats COA Good to know that we still have a textile industry and that this part of it seems to be thriving. Coats is increasing its interim dividend by 7% after a strong first half in which adjusted operating profit for the six months to the 30th June rose by 14% and revenue by 5%, both at constant exchange rates. Adjusted basic earnings per share rose by 38%
Utilitywise UTW warns that revenue for the year to today will be 4.0 to 4.5m below managements previous expectations. The gross order book for the year however is 18% higher than for the year to 31st July 2016.
Hiscox HSX Interim profit before tax for the half year to the 30th June halved to 102m or rose by 12.5% if the impact of foreign exchange movements are ignored and the interim dividend is to be raised from 8.5p to 9.5p per share . Hiscox USA stood out with growth in premiums of 31.3% in local currency terms.
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Burberry Fails To Benefit From Collapse In Sterling
Burberry BRBY claims that its ambitious revenue growth plans are on track with a 4% drop in revenue for the six months to the end of September. Presumably it can find some form of logic in that but if there is it certainly seems to have escaped the CEO who produces a wordy paragraph of what read like vague and empty promises and explanations to justify the company’s performance. True, the second quarter did show some improvement with like for like sales rising by 2%, compared to the first quarters fall of 3%. Wholesale revenue for the half year fell by 14%, demand in the Americas is described as uneven and licensing revenue fell by 54% after the planned expiry of Japanese licences. Digital was one strong point and outperformed in all regions.
Burberry is just the sort of company which was supposed to reap large benefits from the collapse of sterling and is yet more proof, if proof were needed that company’s are failing miserably to take advantage of this so called golden opportunity.
Hays plc HAS shows the UK slumping whilst the rest of the world gets on with making itself prosperous.Whilst Asia Pacific grew by 30% in the quarter to the end of September and Continental Europe and the Rest Of the World by 33%, poor old UK & Ireland actually fell by 10%. As an example of how bad this is, France managed to produce 22% growth. recruitment is one of the main bel lweather of any economy. On these figures the UK’s bell is badly cracked. Hays claims it has a world class management team in the UK and it is leading the company through uncertain times.
Utilitywise UTW is increasing its dividend by 30% for the year to the end of July, after a 22% rise in revenue led an increase of 7% in profit before tax. Net debt was down by 97%. Customer numbers were up by 23% in the UK and Ireland and by 49% internationally.
Gear4Music G4M Strong first half revenue and profit growth seems set to be followed by a strong Christmas trading period and the board believes that full year results will now be ahead of its previous expectations.Revenue for the half year to the end of August rose by 73% and gross profit by by 74%. Adjusted profit before tax came in at £966,000 after last years first half loss of £217,000. Europe produced particularly strong growth, especially in July and August and now accounts for nearly 40% of sales.
Marshall Motor Holdings MMH claims it knows of no reason for recent share price movements, other than general speculation about the possible consequence of Brexit. Since the end of June the company has enjoyed material growth in revenue and profits, following two acquisitions and September produced significant like for like new vehicle sales growth, whilst after sales revenue also grew strongly.
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Rio Tinto – The First Green Shoots of a Mining Recovery ?
Rio Tinto RIO The first green shoots of a recovery in mining may have been seen in RIO’s first quarter with iron ore shipments up by 11% and global iron ore production up by 13% on a year ago. Bauxite production also rose by 6% and aluminium by 10%. Mined copper was down 2% on the first quarter of 2015 but up by 27% on quarter 4, whilst at Oyu Tolgoi production rose by 71% on a year ago.
Associated British Foods ABF produced a 115% rise in profit before tax in the 24 weeks to the 27th February, whilst basic earnings per share rose by 150%, despite only 3% growth in group revenue. And this time it was not all down to Primark. Progress was seen in all the groups businesses with an improved performance at Sugar, profits well ahead in Ingredients, improved profit margins at Grocery & Agriculture and Primark of course continuing its expansion. Even the challenges of currency movements appear to have been beaten off and the interim dividend is to be increased by 3%.
Aveva Group AVV expects group revenue and adjusted profits before tax to be broadly in line for the year to 31st March but the results have been impacted by the weakness of the US$ in March.
Utilitywise UTW Is increasing its interim dividend by 29% after further strong growth saw revenue up by 36% in the half year to the end of January and adjusted pre tax profits by 17%. With new customers growing by 33%, the company claims it holds an unrivalled market position.
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