Hello Share Grumblers. Like most sensible armchair tycoons these days, I trade with more than one broker. We all need to be careful following the crash of Beaufort Securities when it turned out that, in some circumstances, shares were not ring-fenced at all (though, after anxious interludes, it turned out ok in the end). But I have a lot of faith in a smallish broker called Jarvis (JIM), which serves many investors under the brand name x-o.

Crestchic (LOAD) has announced “trading momentum has again accelerated” and that it remains very confident in its strategy, the strength of its markets and in its prospects for continued growth. Sounds good!

I start with a bity of my travel adventures. I was in bed by 3 AM last night after the previous night's 5 AM. If I ever say that I am driving from Greece to Wales in 2.5 days again you can shoot me.  Then I remind you that it is less than a month to ShareStock so book your seats on the greenest lawn in Wales NOW. Then I look in detail at Revolution Beauty (REVB), Wildcat Petroleum (WCAT), I have a hot rumour on Parsley Box (MEAL) and I comment on GSK (GSK) and the Zantac issue. or non issue. Any more carcinogens with your medication vicar?

A trading update from UK online electrical retail group Marks Electrical (MRK) emphasises “proud of the performance” and the shares have currently responded up to 72p. However, in November it was “pleased to announce the admission… to trading on the AIM market… delighted to welcome our new shareholders”...at 110p per share. So what’s the trading situation now?

I bet Elizabeth Lake is regretting joining Revolution Beauty (REVB) as its CFO on May 12 this year. The previous incumbent Andrew Clark hung around till the end of July for an orderly handover, since when we have had a ghastly profits warning and now, today, an admission of potential accounting “issues.” Ms Lake must feel as if she was parachuted onto the Titanic just before the iceberg. Or maybe she should take some blame and walk the plank?

Is it good news that the bastard little brother of the fraud Supply@ME Capital (SYME), Eight Capital Partners (ECP) has lost its CEO? Normally a shock departure after just 11 months as CEO is bad news. But this CEO in question is toxic.

I don’t think I have ever written before about Savills (SVS) which - amusingly - describes itself as “one of the world's leading property advisors…Savills services span the globe, with 39,000 experts working across 600 offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East”. How marvellous, especially over the last decade or two. Congratulations then over the last twenty years if you have made twenty times your initial investment on the shares (which is way better than even the average house price). All good…until it isn’t!

Describing itself as a “leading in-content advertising company” and stating it is “tracking strongly against the KPIs and are seeing a very clear acceleration of interest in the in-content format”, Mirriad Advertising (MIRI) has announced first half of 2022 results. So what of a 7.75p share price – down from a start of year 28p!?

By my back-of-an-envelope, AIM-listed Haydale (HAYD) is once again almost all out of cash – I reckoned HERE that the coffers could be bare before the end of September. Having burned through £430,000 in June alone, the company had £1.19 million at the close of June. So what will the company do?

Previously writing on provider of business technology jargon(oops) an “intelligent operations platform for the deskless worker” Checkit plc (CKT), in February with the shares down to 46p I noted it increasing costs with it already cash burn aplenty and how long to wait for a meaningful positive revenue and bottom-line swing?, avoid / sell. The shares last closed at 29p and now a trading update emphasising “successful transformation into a subscription business… Cash at 31 July 2022 was £19.5m… in light of market conditions, the board is accelerating its plan to achieve profitability”... and the shares currently at 27.5p?

Hello Share Takers. My favourite insurance company has posted some good numbers for the first six months and looks set to have a good year. Its operating profit improved by 8% to a cool £1.2 billion. Cash generation jumped by 22% and the Legal & General (LGEN) five year growth target is performing as it should despite all the headwinds of a shaky current economy.

Having asked for readers tips for 2022 for the prize of 1/2 litre of Tom Winnifrith's Greek Hovel olive oil (2022 harvest) HERE, the following is the end-July monthly update on performance (to be eligible needed to have selected, on a once per username basis, a buy & sell pick from the LSE, AIM casino or Aquis lobster pot and the stocks not to have been suspended at the commencement of 2022).

I do not think Miles is finished with Victoria (VCP) yet where I agree with him that this could well be a zero. Meanwhile he has a new target where I am also a long time bear, 

It is Audioboom (BOOM). Enjoy. The valuation here is bonkers so with the red flags exposed by Miles this is a double short.

Unbound Group (UBG) states that it “is pleased to announce all resolutions put to shareholders at the General Meeting held earlier today in connection with the fundraising and share capital reorganisation were duly passed” and that it “would like to thank shareholders for their support of the fundraising and take the opportunity to welcome new investors onto the register. Now, with the fundraising approved, we will focus on accelerating our growth strategy in a controlled fashion”. So what’s the detail?

The Crown Prince of the sheep shaggers, Paul Roberts of the excellent Stockomendation website, has been a guest of Alpesh Patel who is caharging folks thousands of quid for a luxury insight into his trading genius. Paul writes:

I start with my troubles in travelling and also with a guest at the Greek Hovel changing all the locks. Suffice to say I am in a bad mood as I head back to Wales. Then it is onto Canadian Overseas Petroleum (COPL) where - goaded by a trolling and abusive shareholder - I remind you why the shares will be sub 10p by Christmas and could well then head rapidly towards zero. Then back to Zak Mir and Lift Ventures (LFT), where I serve up a scenario where the initial Miriad deal was illegal and the cover-up needs exposing, something Aquis Regulation could do at ease. Of course if the NEDS and adviser Optiva are smart and, if my theory is correct, they will resign and whistleblow now as IF the initial deal was illegal and that is now being covered up they do not want to be implicated if things get messy.

Digital media company which owns ‘Entertainment Daily’, ‘The Daily Mash’ and ‘The Tab’, Digitalbox (DBOX) has announced a trading performance “significantly ahead of the company's expectations” and on “the acquisition of the web and mobile platform assets of TVGuide.co.uk Limited, announced in May… expects this to enhance… revenue performance and profitability”. So why a current share price response to 11.25p, more than 6% lower?

Hostel market-focused online travel agent Hostelworld Group (HSW) states that it “is pleased to announce its interim results for the six-month period ended 30 June 2022… strong month on month growth… in the absence of any further deterioration in the macro-economic climate, disruption to airline schedules, or escalation of the conflict in the Ukraine, we expect to be EBITDA positive in H2”. So what of a current share price response to 90p, down almost 5%?

Back in April I wrote about “The continuing madness of Deliveroo” (ROO) HERE. I am sure there are a bunch of shareholders (and users) of the online food delivery company who are excited to see a c. 3% rise in the company’s shares today. But don’t forget it is still down a mere 52% year-to-date! And if you purchased last year’s IPO, I offer you my commiserations.

Short selling outfit Iceberg recently published a bear dossier on carpets roll-up play Victoria (VCP), which I reposted on this website HERE. Writing to you from Greece, I am not aware if the deadwood press is taking this matter onwards as what Iceberg wrote was very punchy indeed and I am sure that Victoria’s PR spinners will be using phrases involving the dreaded L word (lawyer) to any of the spineless 4^th Estate hacks who ask questions.