When it comes to anything on the operational front amongst smaller companies in the oil sector you tend to pretty much expect some delays and the directors are often over optimistic when it comes to timelines for delivering certain milestones.

Shares in Pebble Beach Systems (PEB) are currently soaring on the back of an update that the company “has agreed headline terms with Santander UK PLC for an amendment to the current Revolving Credit and Term Loan Facilities agreement” and has a new non-executive director…

BNN Technology (BNN) listed by uber spiv Darren Mercer was slung off AIM on 12 February after its Nomad quit. A month earlier the two credible NEDs had also walked without saying why. But there is something BNN did not tell us and it is big...

AIM-listed Minoan (MIN) is one of my two share suggestions for 2018, and I hold the shares myself. This morning it released its FY results to last October: we had been promised them in March, but clearly the concept of under-promising and over-delivering simply hasn’t landed in this particular boardroom. However, there seems to be progress and although still promising jam-tomorrow, it does look as though the fleet of delivery lorries may be on the way (although from an unknown distance away).

HSS Hire Group (HSS) has announced results for its year ended 30th December 2017 emphasising “trading momentum and strategic progress give strong platform to build upon”. Previously updating in February though, I questioned what about the balance sheet?

Hello Share Plodders. My search for shares in companies which do something so boring that some top investors may not have even heard of them continues. The point of the exercise is that companies which are doing well and are likely to be doing even better soon can be undervalued because they creep about under the radar.

Following thus far in 2018, 3rd January; “Significant Contract Wins”, 14th March; “Customer Wins” and as recently as 3rd April; “Customer Wins” - as warned, Corero Network Security (CNS) is now “pleased to announce a conditional placing and subscription to raise approximately £4.0 million ($5.6 million) before expenses”…

As old Jim Mellon is such a good friend I thought I'd have a butchers. Is it because of more problems at the Diabetic Boot Company or is it a cash crisis at SalvarX (SALV) or at Regent Pacific? What is it about this related party nest of snakes that is making investors shun shares in Jim's Port Erin (PEBI)? I discuss in detail. I also look at MySquar (MYSQ) as the fraud skids to a new low, Ecsc (ECSC), the cyber junk play, FastJet (FJET) - another bailout placing ahoy - and old Clem's spoof Online BlockChain (OBC) as it tanks again. And then its RIP Conviviality (CVR), formal notice of wipeout for those who punt on the back of a brokers note and for other investors. If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 one of many highlights will be a live bearcast with myself and Paul Scott. Make sure you book a free ticket HERE using the promotional code WINNIFRITH.

Tin hat on! Defending my friend Andrew Bell is always a way to get the modern equivalent of hate letters in green ink. But here goes anyway, proof that the guy can do smart deals and that those who say everything he does turns to dust are talking rubbish. Let's just look at some facts.

Early this year we showed Shorted AIM shares at the start of 2018. After the first quarter, how's performance?...

If you were in any doubt that AIM-listed (until now) Conviviality (CVR) was toast before today, the RNS released at 11.11am this morning should finally convince you that it really is all over. It has gone to meet its maker, it is a dead duck, it is an ex-company. And it is ouzo o'clock for the Sheriff.

Writing on 2017 results from cyber security group ECSC (ECSC) last month I noted a significantly increased loss as planned investment was delivered but the planned growth not and a fast-depleting balance sheet. Today a “Board Changes” announcement. Good news then? Er, the shares have currently responded a further 25% lower on the day, to 75p…

Do any of the readership base want to admit to still going to the bingo? Well if you do then it is probably at one of Rank (RNK)’s Mecca emporiums as they attracted just shy of 5 million customer visits during its first half year with each punter spending just over twenty quid a visit. Customer visits were down 8% year-on-year though in the stats released a couple of months ago despite the wonderful RNS observation that:

Early this year we showed the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2018. After the first quarter, how's performance?...

In tandem to completion of the required farm-in expenditure of $500,000 at the Gubong mine, Bluebird Merchant Ventures (BMV) has announced signing of the joint venture agreement.

Hello Share Chasers. There aren’t many companies launching on AIM which have such a stable provenance as Fulcrum Utility Services (FCRM). Until that change eight years ago, it was part of the mighty National Grid and its business is pipes and electricity cables. Not very glamorous work, you might say. But there’s excitement building over the firm and its possible rosy future in the electric car adventure.

Yesterday at 7 AM Air Partner (AIR) fessed up to a £3.3 million black hole in its accounts via RNS but it was vague as to its nature and suggested that nothing big was going on. At 10.15 AM all eighty staff in the Gatwick Office were called into a meeting with CEO Mark Briffa and FD Neil Morris for a briefing. They were told far, far more. One of those present has come forward and states: 

Intercede Group (IGP) “is pleased to announce that a large US Federal Government order totaling $4.0m was received on 28 March 2018. The order includes software licenses and annual support & maintenance; $2.05m (£1.46m) of which will be recognised in the financial year ended 31 March 2018”. Great, ahead of expectations then?…

Hope springs eternal in the human breast though it has been tested to destruction for those who ever invested in gold miner, Metals Exploration (MTL). In the late summer of 2016 I thought the worst of iis woes were over. I was wrong for which humble apologies.

If you are my age you may remember the song, it was a hit when I lived there and today i head over to stay with the same folks as i lived with more than 30 years ago.  Ahead of that there are more words on the gender pay gap data abuse as covered in detail HERE and then I cover  Vela (VELA) and a bursting blockchain bubble, Vitesse Media (VIS)  - opportunistic scumbags - Infrstrata (INFA), Inspirit (INSP), Collagen (COS), MySquar (MYSQ) and Frontera (FRR). And there may be major news on Air Partner (AIR) soon, I seem to have found a whistleblower. Happy days. If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 one of many highlights will be a live bearcast with myself and Paul Scott. Make sure you book a free ticket HERE using the promotional code WINNIFRITH.