Big Labour Shortages Help this Blue Collar Recruiter to Boost Its Profits.
Hello, Share Users. This old punter avoided recruitment firms at the height of the pandemic. But it now seems to be a growth area with a shortage of employees in several sectors. Like hospitality and lorry driving for instance. One of the more interesting recruitment outfits is Staffline (STAF). The share price took a massive hit at the start of the pandemic and it had a bit of an issue with accounting fraud and a consequent balance sheet reconstruction. But it’s just provided a six month trading statement and things look good going forward.
- By Malcolm Stacey |
- 29 July 2021, 09:07 |
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Tom Winnifrith Bearcast: I have never read such total bollocks in my life in an RNS
An early podcast as Joshua and I are off exploring for an old bridge and a back road to Orova shortly. In today’s bearcast, I look at Predator Oil & Gas (PRD) – a cause for extra ouzo tonight as Ron Pilbeam gets the order of the boot after my missive to the FCA – at new IPO Spinnaker Acquisitions (SPAQ) which looks like an overpriced nest of vipers and finally at the fraud Supply@ME Capital (SYME) whose RNS today is just complete and utter bollocks.
- By Tom Winnifrith |
- 28 July 2021, 16:05 |
Epwin – emphasises “strong trading”, but outlook?...
Previously writing on building products manufacturer Epwin Group (EPWN), in May with the shares at 107p I noted “indicators of consumer confidence strengthening”… but value here?. The shares last closed at 106.75p but are currently above 110p on the back of a half-year trading update. So what’s the latest?…
- By Steve Moore |
- 28 July 2021, 16:00 |
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British American Tobacco shares continue to offer attractive total return hopes
Back in late April I wrote about the ‘US tobacco market shocker’ for companies such as Imperial Brands (IMB) and British American Tobacco (BATS), but argued that it was more of an opportunity than a threat HERE. British American Tobacco produced its first half numbers today and whilst there is plenty of difference between current rate and constant rate returns (thanks the rise of the pound against the dollar and related over the last year!), the company is still growing its underlying sales and profits. And whilst the US authorities were very grumpy concerning their desire to ‘ban menthol cigarettes, ban flavoured cigars build on previous flavour ban and mark significant steps to reduce addiction’, not only have the shares edged up since but sales and profits have continued to go up in both the US and around the world.
- By Chris Bailey |
- 28 July 2021, 12:38 |
Tricorn – “there may be a requirement to operate beyond its existing facilities”. Uh oh...
Previously writing on manufacturer and specialist manipulator of pipe and tubing assemblies Tricorn Group (TCN), last week I reiterated my view from the end of last month with the shares slumping from 8.25p that how expensive the funding options I wonder? Natch, still currently bargepole. Today a “Company and Formal Sale Process Update”-titled announcement, and the shares currently further lower to below 4p!…
- By Steve Moore |
- 28 July 2021, 12:38 |
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EXPOSE: St James House – a shocking history of related party disposals
In the last couple of years, St James House (SJH) has made two separate disposals in respect of its payments business to a company MDC Nominees Limited which is wholly controlled by its in-house barrister Mr John Botros. The first two disposals generated very significant profits for St James as it disposed of insolvent businesses for only £1. St James has now sold a third payments business in the same way. The details of all three transactions are summarised below:
- By Tom Winnifrith, The Sheriff of AIM |
- 28 July 2021, 10:04 |
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Is loathsome Neill Ricketts scoring the biggest own goal in business history?
At time of writing, the Versarien (VRS) share price is 29.55p, below the crucial 30p support/resistance. If it hits the low 20s or high teens in the next month or two I don’t think anybody except the die-hard bulls on ADVFN would be surprised. And the company is due to release some numbers soon, expected to continue the pattern of declining revenues and to show profitability as far away as ever. With the number of covid cases declining sharply (and very welcome it is too), the bounce in revenues from selling graphene-enhanced face nappies will prove to be very temporary indeed, I suspect.
- By Tom Winnifrith, The Sheriff of AIM |
- 28 July 2021, 09:40 |
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So farewell Ron Pilbeam, dodgy share dealer of Predator Oil & Gas infamy - breakfast ouzo for the ShareProphets team again
The curse of ShareProphets strikes again. Those who view us as toothless can go post defamatory remarks on chatrooms while sitting in their smelly underpants in their social housing. Meanwhile another bent PLC director bites the dust thanks to our good work.
- By Tom Winnifrith, The Sheriff of AIM |
- 28 July 2021, 09:36 |
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St James House – a deeper dive into 2021 results
Nigel has already covered the low lights for the St James House (SJH) results for the year ended 31 January 2021 with its significant loss on ongoing activities and the train wreck of a balance sheet but as ever with St James, it is worth a deeper dive to really understand what is happening.
- By Tom Winnifrith, The Sheriff of AIM |
- 28 July 2021, 09:27 |
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URU – “Disposal” News: the stench is unbearable!
AIM-listed John Zorbas outfit URU Metals (URU) had a good day in the market yesterday as its shares shot up by 8% to 405p on news of developments regarding its “disposal” of the Zebediela nickel project in South Africa to Toronto Venture Exchange listed Blue Rhino (RHNO). Except as far as I can see it is not really a disposal as one might normally understand the word.
- By Nigel Somerville, the Deputy Sheriff of AIM |
- 28 July 2021, 09:11 |
JIM the Broker Makes Dough from the Stay at Home Army and Could Continue to Shine After Covid
Hello, Share Thrashers. When Beaufort Securities went belly up, I determined never to have so many shares with one broker. The FCA’s compensation scheme is pretty limited per company. One of the best deals from online stockbrokers I could find was Jarvis Securities (JIM). I already had a modest number of shares with them, but I transferred all my shares previously held with Beaufort to them.
- By Malcolm Stacey |
- 28 July 2021, 09:10 |
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Tom Winnifrith Bearcast: Been there, done it, bought the T-shirt
I end with another appeal for brave Ian Westbrook. We are now just over £7,000 from making Neill Ricketts of Versarien (VRS) sweat like the loathsome pig he is. Please do donate HERE. I start with a comment on Kefi (KEFI) from the horse’s mouth, and a look at the fraud Zoetic (ZOE), Deepverge (DVRG), Moonpig (MOON), Uru Metals (URU) and the Zak Mir top of the market call.
- By Tom Winnifrith |
- 27 July 2021, 17:31 |
In The Style – results emphasise “continued to accelerate its growth”, but now?...
Self-styled “digital womenswear fashion brand with an innovative influencer collaboration model” In The Style (ITS) has announced results for its year ended 31st March 2021 “following the group’s successful Admission to the London Stock Exchange’s AIM on 15 March 2021”. The shares have currently responded slightly up to 226p, comparing to a 200p per share IPO but also approaching 250p in April.
- By Steve Moore |
- 27 July 2021, 16:39 |
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I’ve lost money on Reckitt shareholding. So double or quits then?
Sometimes I am good at investments…and sometimes I am not so good. Today is an example – fortunately not overly regular – of the latter as the shares I bought in Reckitt (RKT) at 58 quid something in late February this year, are now at 56 quid something. So not exactly awful but far from smart given I have written positively about the stock including on Sunday a couple of times and had plenty of opportunities to make a nice turn and move on. So why the share dump today?
- By Chris Bailey |
- 27 July 2021, 15:27 |
St James House – FY Numbers to Jan Show No Razzall-Dazzle
AIM-listed St James House (SJH) – formerly Lord Razzall’s disaster that was Boxhill Technology (BOX) – has announced FY numbers to January this year. Needless to say, they are disastrous…..
- By Nigel Somerville, the Deputy Sheriff of AIM |
- 27 July 2021, 12:22 |
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Itaconix – “pleased to report that growth in demand…has continued”. Er...
Previously writing on Woodford dog (oops, sorry) “a leading innovator in sustainable plant-based polymers used as essential ingredients in everyday consumer products”(!) Itaconix (ITX), I noted a “pleased to provide… update on its commercial progress and current trading” last month. Today a further “trading statement” – and the shares currently towards 8p, 25% lower in response!…
- By Steve Moore |
- 27 July 2021, 12:14 |
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The High Street Group mini-bond disaster – now the finance Director has jumped ship
On its website, The High Street continues to claim it is worth £1.5 billion currently and will be worth £3 billion by 2023. So, it was curious to see that on 8 July 2021, the High Street Group Plc filed a termination notice for Joanne Bell dated 18 June 2021.
- By Tom Winnifrith |
- 27 July 2021, 10:16 |
Rurelec – New Director Appointment Makes The Stock Uninvestable: Run For The Hills!
I have covered the downs and further downs of AIM-listed Rurelec (RUR) in some detail since the demise of former management led by Peter Earl, and marvelled at the fact that the company – despite everything thrown at it – is still here at all. But this morning’s announcement of a new “Independent” NED makes the stock totally uninvestable. So who is the mystery NED?
- By Nigel Somerville, the Deputy Sheriff of AIM |
- 27 July 2021, 10:00 |
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The ultimate top of the market sell signal - Zak Mir to list an investment company
If this is not a sign to sell all your shares I do not know what is. The list of rogues with zero experience of managing money but who are veterans of ramping penny share frauds and promotes who are involved here is such a massive red flag. Lift Ventures was set up with £50,000 from the paid for penny stock ramping site LSE Share Talk on 13 May. The lead director who, it appears, will be managing its investments is Zak Mir who has never managed other folks money in his life bar the generous handouts he got from his parents as pocket money when at Harrow.
- By Tom Winnifrith |
- 27 July 2021, 09:30 |
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Ariana – H1 2021 Gold Production Update
AIM-listed Gold producer in Turkey Ariana Resources (AAU) has this morning updated the market on Gold production from its 23.5%-owned Kiziltpe plant. The numbers aren’t all that great, but we knew that already as lower grade ore is being processed at the moment, but the accompanying update on the plant capacity expansion offers much hope.
- By Nigel Somerville, the Deputy Sheriff of AIM |
- 27 July 2021, 09:19 |