3657 days ago
Once again we were inundated with entries for the Quindell Bulletin Board Moron/twitter moron of the week contest. I was almost tempted to give a retrospective prize to this comment from March from a Mr R Terry of Hants “The only question is whether Quindell goes in the FTSE 100 or the FTSE 250, a main market listing is just a tick box exercise.” Rob that was a stormer but this week’s entries were even better – you can see all of the madness HERE And so to the winner.
4243 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Oxford Instruments. Steve writes...
I previously commented on Oxford Instruments (OXIG), the first technology business to be spun out from Oxford University over fifty years ago and now a FTSE 250 business designing, supplying and supporting high-technology tools and systems for the research and industrial sectors, following a trading update in February. I concluded that the outlook appeared attractive but that with the shares at 1,726p – capitalising the company at £982 million – it looked better to wait for a lower entry point. Following another trading statement today, the following updates…
4245 days ago
FTSE-250 constituent Premier Oil (PMO) has this morning noted that exploration well 16/4-6S on the Luno II prospect (Premier: 30%) in the Norwegian North Sea “has resulted in a potentially significant oil discovery”. This has helped Premier’s shares up just over 5% to 381.4p at the time of writing. This is up from late 2008 lows of little more than 116p and 336.5p at which the shares commenced 2013. They did however hit 535p in early 2011 and the following updates on today’s announcement and its significance from an investment point of view.
4250 days ago
I reviewed FTSE 250 oil and gas explorer and developer Cairn Energy (CNE) on 19th March when it released calendar 2012 results. The shares have subsequently drifted back slightly, to my surprise as I see real value here, but there has been some interesting recent boardroom interest in the shares which I take to mean that I am not alone in my analysis. Those who really should know agree.
4251 days ago
Shares in FTSE-250 explorer and producer Heritage Oil (HOIL) have gained 50% in nine months having fallen below 120p in June 2012 to a current 180p, again nudging higher at the time of writing today on the back of an agreement to farm-in to two licences onshore Papua New Guinea. However, having traded above 200p earlier this year, the following reviews today’s announcement and whether there is still value on offer with Tony Buckingham’s company.
4251 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Telecom Plus. Steve writes...
I previously commented on FTSE 250 integrated supplier of utility services in the UK, Telecom Plus (TEP) in February – noting that I expected the company to continue driving earnings, cash generation and dividends forward in the coming years and that, at 980p, the patient, long-term investor should still earn a decent return from there. Following a trading statement today, the shares are currently 1030p and the following updates…
4256 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Electrocomponents. Steve writes...
Shares in Electrocomponents plc (ECM), a FTSE 250 international distributor of electronics and maintenance products, have recovered from early 2009 lows of 117.5p to a current 251p, though it has not been a smooth ride. The shares actually reached more than 290p by mid 2011 but traded only a little above 200p in early December 2012 before recovering to their current level. The following updates on the valuation post a trading update from the company for its year ending 31st March 2013…
4257 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Cable & Wireless. Steve writes...
Yesterday Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), the FTSE 250 Caribbean and Panama focused provider of mobile, broadband, fixed line, pay TV, data centre and hosting, carrier and managed services to customers including consumers, businesses and governments, announced the latest in a developing number of director share purchases. The following updates…
4258 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of KCOM. Steve writes...
KCOM Group (KCOM), the Hull-based, UK focused communications company has, like many of the current FTSE 250 constituents, enjoyed very strong share price growth over the last four or so years. However, with the shares having reached more than 85p in September 2012, they fell back to sub 70p in November but have since recovered to trade at a current 82p. The following reviews the value proposition post a trading update from the company last month
4259 days ago
I spent two years working along Sam Bottell as he worked with minesite.com and oilbarrel.com and he is a good, honest and clever chap. Now that he is starting his career freelance writing as well as an organiser of the UKInvestor Show I have no hesitation in helping him along via this blog as a guest contributor. As such I bring to your attention a share tip on FTSE 250 listed Premier Oil. Sam writes...
The calendar 2012 results for Premier Oil (PMO) came out on March 21 and following a detailed trading update in January there were no great surprises. The shares have moved along steadily since mid-January when I noted their attractions HERE at 367p and now trade at 393p, valuing this FTSE 250 listed oil producer at £2.08 billion.
2012 was a good year but should have been better. The key for Premier is that it has built in growth which is fully funded moving forward.
4259 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Diploma. Steve writes...
Diploma plc (DPLM) is another FTSE 250 constituent which has seen its shares rise significantly since troughing in early 2009. They have recovered from lows then of 92.25p to a current 579.5p and, following a trading update, the following reviews whether there remains value in this supplier of specialised technical products and services to the Life Sciences, Seals and Controls industries, with its principal operating businesses located in the UK, Germany, US, Canada and Australia…
4262 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Euromoney. Steve writes...
This company has an apt name given continuing Eurozone uncertainties, highlighted in recent days by the economic travails of Cyprus. It is however a media and events group focussed primarily on the international finance, metals and commodities sectors which derives more than a third of revenues from emerging markets and with main offices in London, New York, Montreal and Hong Kong. Like the FTSE 250 index, of which it is a member, shares in the company have risen significantly since the market despair of four years ago but, at the time of writing, trade just over 3% down on the day, at 900p (capitalising it at £1.13 billion), post a trading update. The following reviews…
4263 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Supergroup. Steve writes...
Shares in now FTSE 250 constituent SuperGroup plc (SGP), the international fashion company and owner of the ‘Superdry’ brand, have been strongly on and then off- trend since they joined the stock market in March 2010. The shares listed at 500p and today trade at 600p – but have in between seen highs of more than 1800p (February 2011) and a low of 264.5p (June 2012). The following reviews the current position…
4263 days ago
FTSE 250 listed gold miner Centamin has issued another statement updating shareholders on its legal issues in the Islamofascist Republic of Egypt where is flagship asset, the world class Sukarai gold mine is located. I have never doubted the quality of this asset, merely pointed out since the regime change in Egypt last summer that the political risks are not discounted. That remains the case at 56p today.
The statement issued yesterday reads:
4264 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Greggs. Steve writes...
Shares in Greggs plc (GRG), the FTSE 250 leading bakery retailer in the UK with more than 1,670 retail outlets throughout the land, at the time of writing trade more than 6% lower today at 492p. This follows the company’s release of results for its year to 29th December 2012. The following reviews the results and outlook for the company from here…
4265 days ago
I spent two years working along Sam Bottell as he worked with minesite.com and oilbarrel.com and he is a good, honest and clever chap. Now that he is starting his career freelance writing as well as an organiser of the UKInvestor Show I have no hesitation in helping him along via this blog as a guest contributor. As such I bring to your attention a piece on FTSE 250 listed Petropavlosk. Sam writes...
I wrote bearishly regarding shares in Petropavlovsk (POG) on February 22nd at a then year low of 302.5p. Since then the gold company has updated investors on growth in its resource base but it is cash flow from production that pays the bills and after a rotten two years for this sector, investors want jam today and not tomorrow. The shares now trade at 248p.
4265 days ago
I spent two years working along Sam Bottell as he worked with minesite.com and oilbarrel.com and he is a good, honest and clever chap. Now that he is starting his career freelance writing as well as an organiser of the UKInvestor Show I have no hesitation in helping him along via this blog as a guest contributor. As such I bring to your attention a piece on FTSE 250 listed Ophir Energy. Sam writes...
Ophir (OPHR) Energy is a rare beast among FTSE 250 oil stocks in that it has almost no production and will not have for several years. It is like those junior E&P stocks so beloved of Bulletin Board followers but, at 458p, it is capitalised at £1.927 billion. Having just raised c£525 million net of expenses it is fully funded to carry out a widespread exploration programme until mid-2014 across a number of territories but can you really justify the current price tag?
4265 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Domino's Printing. Steve writes...
Domino Printing Sciences (DNO), a provider of printing technologies which enable organisations internationally to meet regulatory or commercial information requirements, is another FTSE-250 constituent which has enjoyed a strong share price run – a current 700p share price comparing to 136.5p hit in November 2008 and 583p at which the shares commenced 2013. This inks the question; does there remain value here? Post a trading update, the following reviews this…
4266 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of JD Wetherspoon. Steve writes...
Interim results for the 26 weeks ended 27th January 2013 from J D Wetherspoon (JDW), the FTSE 250 owner and operator of pubs throughout the UK, showed a 10% increase in revenue and 6.9% increase in like-for-like sales. However, adjusted earnings per share were just 3% up and underlying profitability was actually a few percent lower. The following examines this performance and reviews the investment proposition here…
4266 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Fenner PLC. Steve writes...
Shares in Fenner plc (FENR), a FTSE 250 conveying and advanced engineered products provider, have recovered strongly from 33.75p March 2009 lows to currently trade at 419.5p. However, they trade comfortably below their level of a year ago – having hit 483.7p in March 2012. The following reviews the value proposition at current levels
4266 days ago
FTSE 250 listed oil Production Company Soco (SIA) operates in some pretty exotic locations – its production is in Vietnam and its exploration assets are in the sort of African hell holes you’d send your mother-in-law on holiday to. But the financial footing of the company is rock solid as calendar 2012 results published on 11th march make clear. Among the mid-cap oil explorers this shines out by dint of its cash backing and cash generation. This is not something discounted in a 399p share price and the shares should be bought as part of a balanced portfolio of oil producers. This is a safety first share tip but it is interesting.
Net income in 2012 came in a shade below forecast at $207 million – but that still represented a 34% increase on 2011. But cash is what I am looking at here and cashflow from operations was ahead of forecast at $335 million leaving year end cash at $259 million.
4267 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of Cable & Wireless Communications. Steve writes...
Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) is a FTSE 250 listed Caribbean and Panama focused provider of mobile, broadband, fixed line, pay TV, data centre and hosting, carrier and managed services to customers including consumers, businesses and governments. Its shares have recovered from May 2012 lows of sub 27.3p to a current 41.5p, capitalising the company at £1.05 billion. Following a trading update last month, the following reviews the valuation here…
4267 days ago
I have always believed that Imagination Technologies (LSE:IMG) is a good company. And you have to pay for quality. But you can overpay for quality and right now that is what investors in this stock are being asked to do. The company issued a detailed trading statement on 12 March which should not have provided ammunition for the bulls but the shares are now trading higher than a few weeks ago at 552p. Shorting a FTSE 250 stock right now is a risky business. Money is flowing into the second liners (from bonds) and this pushes valuations to ever more “generous” levels. And so I fully admit to calling this tech stock wrong (short term) as a sell on February 5th at 523p.
4271 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of tech stock ITE Group. Steve writes...
Shares in ITE Group (ITE), the FTSE 250 CIS, Turkey and increasingly India, South East Asia and China focused trade exhibitions and conferences organiser, have been strong recent performers – a current 279p share price up from 183.5p hit in November 2012 and 246.3p at which the shares commenced 2013. The following reviews the investment proposition here…
The company most recently updated in an AGM trading statement at the end of January – noting that “trading has been in line with management expectations for the first three months (to 31st December 2012) of the financial year” and that “current sales represent circa 66% of current market expectations which is consistent with our long-term average of bookings at this stage of the group’s financial year”. The balance sheet was noted to remain strong – with net cash at 24th January of approximately £16 million.
4271 days ago
Kenmare Resources (KMR) is a company from Ireland that I have followed for ages. The company has from nothing managed to build a world class ilmenite mine at Mona in Mozambique. This was a penny stock. It is now , at 33p capitalised at £868 million and a member of the FTSE 250 Index. It has just released results for the year to 31st December 2012 which – following trading statements (the nice way of referring to profits warnings) were in line with guidance. But, there is always a but with Kenmare.
4272 days ago
I spent two years working along Sam Bottell as he worked with minesite.com and oilbarrel.com and he is a good, honest and clever chap. Now that he is starting his career freelance writing as well as an organiser of the UKInvestor Show I have no hesitation in helping him along via this blog as a guest contributor. As such I bring to your attention a piece on FTSE 250 listed Hochschild Mining. Sam writes...
It has not been the greatest call of my career. I rated shares in silver miner Hochschild Mining (HOC) as a buy here at 424.9p less than two months ago. The shares now stand at 352p and self-evidently there is a bit of egg on my face. Was my call wrong? Are the shares even cheaper today?
To be fair to myself one of the attractions of buying this company is that it is the only serious, well managed pure silver producer listed in London. That still remains the case. Those of us who are long term silver bulls can buy the stock and as silver increases sharply during the next few years we will inevitably gain. However we must accept that there will be periods when the silver price retraces during its long term uptrend and Hochschild shares will retrace in line with that. Day one of those silver price retracements occurred just after I published that buy tip.
4272 days ago
Steve Moore and I worked together at t1ps.com from the day he left University. He is a very talented young analyst and a man of utter principle which is why he quit t1ps. He is now working with my on my Nifty Fifty website but also writing off his own bat and I am keen to support that. Apart from anything else he talks a lot of sense. As such I bring you his analysis of tech stock Imagination Technologies. Steve writes...
Imagination Technologies (IMG), the FTSE 250 technology chip designer, has updated on trading since its 31st October 2012 half year-end. At a current 550p, the shares are massively ahead of their 33.25p November 2008 lows but down on the in excess of 700p they reached in March and April of 2012. The following reviews the company’s trading update and whether the current share price represents value…
4273 days ago
Known as Britain’s Buffett, Nigel Wray is one of the UK’s most successful investors of the past three decades. I wrote last week about how he had sold £25 million shares in Domino’s Pizza (DOM) at 525p (share he paid 36p for). I am not sure that Wray was right to sell then but you cannot really argue with such a Master Investor. Wray’s only other holding in a FTSE 250 listed stock is Telecom Plus (TEP) – which, since my last article has published an in-line trading statement.
4321 days ago
I tried to steer Zak Mir away from the dark side of Technical Analysis and towards the true shining path of fundamental research last night. Of course I failed. Zak explained that as a semi-literate Old Harrovian he had to stick to charts. Words fail me. Or rather they fail him. That is the problem…. But, during the course of our discussions, he sent over a table of the highest yielders in the FTSE 250 Index and it is illuminating. The three highest yielders (Cable & Wireless, First Group and Man Group) offer such moth watering yields that they are too good to be true. The yield tells you that the dividend must be cut.
Below that trio, there are only 11 stocks (out of the 247 that remain) that offer 6% or more. Frankly, I would not be terribly sure that all of them will hold their payouts. As a value investor this is pretty alarming.
4321 days ago
Cape (CIU), the FTSE 250 constituent which provides essential, non-mechanical support services to the energy and mineral resources sectors had a pretty dreadful 2012. On 29th March its CEO Martin May stood down with immediate effect. Six months later we had a repeat announcement, this time it was the FD going. In between the company served up a dismal set of interim numbers, warned of a downturn in trading in Asia and took a £14 million write-off against current and estimated future losses on the Arzew LNG contract in Algeria. Frankly it could get worse. The company has already flagged that given declining margins in its Asian business it could take an enormous hit in terms of goodwill write-offs in the year end numbers as it issued a profits warning on November 12th. It all sounds pretty dreadful which is why the shares are trading at a near year low. As a contrarian investor and a value investor I see this as an opportunity.
4324 days ago
Telecom Plus (TEP), now a FTSE-250 constituent, is a very successful past share tip from myself. I recommended the shares at a share price of 187.25p in January 2008 on t1ps.com, the site I founded in 2000 and ran until September when I left and set up the Nifty Fifty website. Prematurely, I banked gains at 691p in July 2011. The shares dipped below 600p that August but have since risen again, to currently trade at 975.5p, capitalising the company at more than £687 million. The following details my current view…
4338 days ago
I spent two years working along Sam Bottell as he worked with minesite.com and oilbarrel.com and he is a good, honest and clever chap. Now that he is starting his career freelance writing as well as an organiser of the UKInvestor Show I have no hesitation in helping him along via this blog as a guest contributor. As such I bring to your attention a share tip from him from TradingResearch Point…
As it happens I agree with his conclusion.
Kentz Corporation (KENZ) is a global engineering specialist solution services company providing full engineering, procurement and construction services (EPC) to mainly the energy and resources sector. The company’s niche and positioning is as a tier-two contractor and bids for small / medium sized projects where competition is relatively low. Over the years Kentz has become a global player and currently provides solutions with 14,000 employees operating in 29 countries worldwide. The relative strength of the oil price and Kentz’s global capacity in mining means that this company has delivered consistent sales, profits, cashflow and dividend growth since its IPO. A trading statement on November 12 indicated that nothing is changing in this respect. I would argue that a 381p share price (from a year high 490p) fails to discount this. Here is why.
