A routine-sounding “Notice of Results and Trading Update” announcement from ECO Animal Health Group (EAH), which includes it stating it “is pleased to provide an update to its expected results for the year ended 31 March 2022”... so why are the shares currently approaching 100p in response, circa 20% down?!

Seraphine Group (BUMP) has announced results for its year ended 3rd April 2022 including that it “has continued to follow its purpose to be 'with mums for the journey', providing fashionable, affordable, sustainable and innovative clothing and products for expectant women and parents… Our innovative product range, international reach and strong underlying economics put us in a robust position to focus on returning the business to profitable growth”. So what of a current 27p share price?

Quite a lot has happened since I covered Jadestone Energy (JSE) as a buy just over a month ago, and recent news has further strengthened my positive outlook on the company.

Describing itself as “a leading provider of specialist products using printed circuit technology”, Trackwise Designs (TWD) states it “is pleased to announce its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2021 and to provide an update on trading for the six months ended 30 June 2022”. So why have the shares currently responded to 36p, more than 19% lower?!

Premium UK cinemas group Everyman Media (EMAN) has announced “record half year sales and EBITDA… the pipeline for H2 2022 and 2023 is well progressed with a minimum of six further venues contracted to open”. So what of the shares currently moving up to 111p?

Describing itself as “a leading provider of real-time, high-performance, automatic Distributed Denial of Service cyber defense solutions”, Corero Network Security (CNS) has issued a half-year trading update it states it “is pleased to provide”. So why currently a more than 8.5% lower share price response towards 10p?

The UK's largest online-only retailer of building materials, CMO Group (CMO) has issued a trading statement commencing that “the group has continued to deliver strong revenue growth of 10% for the 27 weeks to 30 June 2022. One-year LFL sales of 2% (Superstores at 5% and Total Tiles -10%) against particularly strong comparatives. Two-year LFL sales growth was 29%”. So what of a current 46.5p share price, £33.5 million market cap... down 40%!

Previously writing on ActiveOps (AOM), in March with the shares down to 97.5p I concluded that with the valuation still a significant premium on tangible metrics I’d still currently avoid. With the shares having last closed at 74p and the self-described “leading provider of Management Process Automation software” now “pleased to announce its unaudited results for the financial year ended 31 March 2022”, what’s the outlook from here?

I see that the US has released its inflation numbers for May 2022. For anyone who thought that April’s numbers marked the peak, they had a nasty shock today!

AIM-listed Haydale (HAYD) has offered up a trading update ahead of its full year to June 2022. Apparently all is well, with revenues ahead of expectations but is that really the case?

I recently covered Serinus Energy (SENX) as a speculative buy based on the likelihood that the results for the first quarter would be good and the company would have benefitted from high commodity prices and fairly low Capex.

It isn’t really surprising that any companies operating in the region where the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine is going on have taken a big hit to their share price since it all kicked off, but that can also present opportunities as long as you are prepared to take on the risks associated with that.

The share price of 888 Holdings (888) has remained pretty weak during the completion of its acquisition of William Hill, and as a result of revenue in the final quarter of 2021 showing a substantial fall.

Approaching a year ago I wrote on Grafenia (GRA) concluding that with the uncertainties, I could understand the market’s caution of the £6.4 million market capitalisation and avoided. What now of a “Pre-close statement and Trading Update”?…

Central Asia Metals (CAML) is one of those companies which I think is consistently undervalued by the market, and although it carries some degree of geo-political risk, I believe that too large a discount is applied for that.

A trading update from infection prevention and control-focused company Byotrol (BYOT) commences, “Our second half performance (six months to 31 March 2022) is showing a significant improvement in product sales compared to our first half, and the order book remains strong into year end” and includes “if we do not conclude any large IP sales, we would expect overall revenues to be no less than £6m, with positive underlying EBITDA for the year… we expect our cash position at year end to be no less than £1m”. The shares have currently responded up to 3.15p, but what of they still down from above 5p as recently as December?…

Online fashion retailer Boohoo (BOO) has performed terribly for anyone who has been invested over the past year or so and has seen its share price drop by around 75% during that time.

Eleco (ELCO) “announces that Robert Tearle is stepping down from the board as a Director of Eleco plc with immediate effect”. A red flag?…

Since I previously wrote on the company in August, this ‘escape-the-room experiences’ business has changed its name from Escape Hunt to XP Factory (XPF) following an acquisition of Boom Battle Bars (“combining competitive socialising activities with cocktails and street food”). The shares are down from 38.5p to currently 30.5p – though that represents a near 9% rise today on the back of a trading update. So what’s the story now?…

AIM-listed Yu Group (YU.) has updated the market with a full year trading update for 2021, claiming a very strong performance for FY21, significantly ahead of market expectations….FY21 revenues, profitability….have all extensively exceeded management forecasts. So the coffers are burgeoning with cash, then? Er…..

Bodged bullshit earnings plus what? Historically EBITDAM is EBITDA but also subtracting from the “cost base” either management or management excess. But a spokesperson says that PensionBee (PBEE) views this as a key metric in today’s FY trading statement and predicts adjusted EBITDAM profitability by December 2022.  

AIM-listed onliine women’s fashionwear purveyor Sosandar (SOS) has offered up a bullish trading update for calendar Q4 2021 (its own Q3, given accounts are to March). We are told that revenues were up some 122% year on year, that each month was EBITDA positive making for the company’s first EBITDA positive quarter. Of course, EBITDA is bullshit earnings but even so this is a positive update. However….

A “pre-close update” from self-styled “a leading provider of real-time, high-performance, automatic Distributed Denial of Service cyber defense solutions” Corero Network Security (CNS) includes “EBITDA to be significantly ahead of market expectations for the year”… and the shares have currently responded more than 16% higher to above 13p. Is that justifiable?…

Biopharmaceutical data analytics company IXICO (IXI) has announced results for its year ended 30th September 2021 and the shares are currently more than 16% higher to 58.5p. However that compares to circa 84.5p when I previously wrote in October, so what’s the story now?…

In the past AIM-listed online ladies clothing purveyor Sosandar (SOS) boasted of EBITDA (bullshit earnings) in part because they were pretty close to real, bottom-line earnings and cash outflow. Not so any more! So we are told of EBITDA positive trading recently and the company boasts of revenue growth of 184% to £12.2 million, Gross Profits of £6.9 million, Net Cash of £7.4 million and that the EBITDA loss was £0.99 million in the six months to 30 September, So things are going gangbusters, right? Not so fast……

Operator in Poland of pizza stores and restaurants and of the Domino’s Pizza franchise, DP Poland (DPP) has announced a £3 million placing it emphasises at a premium at 8p per share and with “it requires additional capital investment to implement its growth plan for further expansion and market penetration”. So what of a current 7.75p share price?…

Biopharmaceutical data analytics company IXICO (IXI) has made a trading update including that year ended 30th September 2021 EBITDA is “expected to be materially ahead of market expectations of £1.2 million and prior year (2020: £1.3 million)”. Why then is the share price little changed at circa 84.5p?…

Gold finished this week at $1768 per oz, up $11 on last week and $6 on the week before – hardly an earth-shattering move. But mid-week it hit $1800 on CPI inflation data from the US showing that prices had risen more than expected at +0.4% in September against expectations of 0.3%. Suddenly everyone was worrying about inflation – so much for the Fed’s “transitory” label: the truth is emerging that inflation is indeed a problem. What kicked Gold back down again was US retail sales for September, but there is a bit of a problem with that…..

AIM-listed Igas Energy (IGAS) has reported its interim numbers to June 30 2021 this morning and despite tables covering EBITDA (bullshit earnings), adjusted EBITDA (double bullshit earnings), underlying cash operating costs (more bullshit earnings) and operating cashflow numbers (yet more BS) the bottom line shows that Igas lost another whopping amount and the balance sheet shows that it was technically insolvent. If this isn’t another trainwreck in the making then I’m a banana (to borrow a phrase from Ian Hislop).

Real Good Food (RGD) has announced results for its year ended 31st March 2021 and that “revenues and profit are in line with board expectations, and ahead of pre-pandemic levels (FY20), for the first five months of the new financial year, with good retail and international sales”. Why then a more than 13% share price fall, to below 3p?…

In my last piece on AIM-listed Haydale (HAYD) at the beginning of this month I discussed a ramparoonie RNS revealing an undeclared related party and a tin-pot organisation casting a very different light on matters as presented by the company. What was the point? Of course – it was a pre-placing ramp and this morning it was time for Ouzo on cornflakes as Haydale revealed a fundraise at just 6p per share. That, against a peak last week of 7.55p.

Self-styled “leading omni-channel specialist fishing tackle and equipment retailer”, Angling Direct (ANG) has made a half-year trading update emphasising that it “is pleased to have made further progress in the period, despite all retail stores being closed at the beginning of the period (1 February) to 12 April 2021 due to government restrictions during the third Covid-19 lockdown”. With the shares currently responding up to 72.5p, how pleasing is the progress relative to the valuation?…

Self-styled “immersive entertainment company” Immotion Group (IMMO) has made a trading update including “July being yet another record month. Unaudited group revenue was £1m, with unaudited EBITDA at circa £200k” – and the shares have currently responded higher to above 6p. Are they of growth interest?…

Financial markets cloud computing and connectivity group Beeks Financial Cloud (BKS) “is pleased to announce the launch of Proximity Cloud, the industry’s first private cloud environment for financial markets and to provide an update on trading for the year ended 30 June 2021”. The shares have though responded currently slightly lower to 122p, so what’s the outlook?…

Having been above 100p as recently as April, shares in biopharmaceutical data analytics company IXICO (IXI) are currently further lower at 72p despite a trading update including that “the company has successfully grown its pipeline of new opportunities”. So what’s going on?…

AIM-listed online ladies fashionwear purveyor Sosandar (SOS) posted its full year numbers to March this morning,  and gave what looks to me to have been a highly misleading update on the recently completed Q1, offering up a headline which surely stands no scrutiny at all.

It is nice to see Entain (ENT) shares pushing up to a new all-time high today. It took a bit of time for my Christmas 2019 tip to work out and – helped by doubling up my exposure a few months later – an investment in the company originally known as the ‘international sports betting and gambling company GVC’ has worked out really well.

Previously writing on environmental and life science company DeepVerge (DVRG), in March with the shares at 32.5p I noted the balance sheet and concluded the businesses’ track record and an already more than £56 million market cap saw me continue to avoid. It has since raised £10 million of new equity at 30p per share and now announced full-year results (at a 5:28pm, hmmm!). So what now?…

Energy services provider Lamprell (LAM) saw its share price take a big hit following the release of its annual results for 2020, which included a statement about the need to raise further capital via an equity issue – the exact amount and terms of which is yet to be announced.

Shares in “escape-the-room experiences” company Escape Hunt (ESC) remain ahead after my previous scepticism but are down today, further below 40p, despite a trading update including “revenue during the five-week period (to 20th June 2021) was 47 per cent. higher than in the same five-week period in 2019” and “estimated earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation at site level for the five weeks to 20 June 2021 was 310 per cent. of the site level EBITDA in the same five weeks in 2019”. So why the share price response?…

Cloudcall (CALL) CEO Simon Cleaver is “delighted to report that the deep-V recovery we saw in 2H 2020 has continued into 2021, with sales activity continuing to strengthen across all territories”. Why then a 73p share price, comparing to 115p reached earlier this year and approaching 200p in 2018?…

AIM-listed online purveyor of ladies fashionwear Sosandar (SOS) has offered up its full year trading update this morning. There is much to celebrate – particularly as this time last year the question might have been whether AIM-listed loss-making stocks would even survive! In fact the company seems to have made quite a success of the past twelve months as Covid restrictions closed the high street, giving online retailers a clear run. But is it all roses?

AIM-listed online ladies wear purveyor Sosandar (SOS) has announced a deal with Marks and Spencer to bring a curated collection of its products to M&S’s online store. Whilst there are no numbers offered, this strikes me as good news.

Communications integration technology group CloudCall (CALL) “is pleased to announce… raising £7.2 million via the placing of 8,845,284 placing shares at the issue price of 81.5 pence per placing share and raising £291k via the placing of 357,169 PrimaryBid shares at the issue price”. Should it be pleased?…

’Escape-the-room experiences’ company Escape Hunt (ESC) “is pleased to announce… it has exchanged contracts to acquire its French master franchise partner” and overall “is confident that both consumer and corporate demand will return strongly when the restrictions currently in place are lifted”. What’s the detail?…

Online musical instruments and music equipment retailer Gear4music (G4M) has made a trading update including “both our UK and European operations have performed well post Brexit, helping to drive revenue growth and support margins that have exceeded our previous expectations”. But what of the shares, currently more than 10% higher in response, at around 800p?…

AIM-listed alternative energy provider Yu Group (YU.) shares have been on a tear ever since it released a trading update on 26^th January this year. The shares moved up from a previous close of 120p to close the day at 195p. Today, last seen, the stock is up to 355p having been as high as 370p but something just does not add up here.

UK provider of IT and communications services to businesses and public sector organisations, CloudCoCo (CLCO) has made a trading update – and the shares are currently approaching 24% higher in response, to 1.425p. So what’s the detail?…

Cloud communications platform group LoopUp (LOOP) has made a trading update it states it “is pleased to provide… in line with the trading statement of 27 November 2020”. The shares have currently responded 4.5% higher to 81.5p but they closed 26th November at 155p, so what’s the story?…

AIM-listed alternative energy provider Yu Group (YU.) updated the market this morning with a trading update which reads extremely positively. The shares are up by a very impressive 40%, but something was missing in this morning’s release. Will investors piling in this morning come to regret it?

A trading update from manufacturer of touch sensors Zytronic (ZYT) includes “the downturn in sales experienced in the second half of last year has now levelled out at approximately £2.0m for the quarter to 30 September 2020 and the first quarter of this financial year to 31 December 2020”. So why are the shares currently 10% further lower to 135p?…

Self-styled “a global leader in real-time, high-performance, automatic DDoS cyber defense solutions” Corero Network Security (CNS) has made a trading update emphasising “Revenue ahead of market expectations driven by record order intake”. As I though previously questioned, is there really “solid foundations” here?…

Geospatial software group IQGeo (IQG) has made a trading update which includes that it “expects to show good growth in all key metrics” and “sees continued strong market demand”. That sees the shares currently 8% higher to above 100p. But what does the growth and demand mean financially?…

Warren Buffett famously told us that those who rely on telling us about EBITDA are either trying to delude you or are deluding themselves. The first line of AIM-listed online purveyor of ladieswear Sosandar’s (SOS) trading update this morning tells us of a record quarter and continued substantial reduction in EBITDA loss. Hmph – not a good start, then, and the shares are off by 12% in early trading. But is there better to come?

Back in late October, I wrote about THG Holdings (THG), The Hut Group, observing then that company had been performing well since its September listing.  Back in October, it estimated a 30% odd increase in Q4 sales across beauty and other third party products, but today’s announcement achieved a super dynamic just over 50%, led by Beauty, Nutrition and OnDemand businesses. So well done The Hut.  

An announcement from DeepVerge (DVRG) headed “DVRG confirms maiden Q4 profit;guides £10m in 2021”. With the shares currently moving ahead on the back of this to 36p, the market cap is approaching £60 million. So value? Er, nope…

A “Further Covid-19 update” from Wagamama, Frankie & Benny’s and Brunning & Price owner The Restaurant Group (RTN) commencing, “Through a range of decisive management actions, cash-burn during the November national lockdown was minimised to c. £5.5m for the month”. Is a current 7% lower share price response, to below 63p, justified?…

Previously writing on manufacturer of products for electronic displays Zytronic (ZYT), in October I suggested value recovery potential but noted it “facing uncertainty regarding levels of future business” and on the watchlist. Now results for its year ended 30th September 2020 have been published. On the surface they look bad, but if you dig deeper maybe this has attractions as an investment…

Previously writing on electronic invoicing and purchase order transactions network company Tungsten Corp (TUNG), in September with the shares falling back below 40p I concluded the valuation with the company having to attempt “transformation” in a very challenged economic environment meant still avoid / sell. The shares are currently falling below 30p on the back of a “Trading Update”…

I’ve mentioned brick company Ibstock (IBST) a few times on these pages, noting here that ‘I love basic, but worthy, products’ especially if they have pricing power due to a supply oligopoly, as you should note with this space. I see on a shabby day for the broader market that Ibstock shares are once again close to the 150s pence level I have used a couple of times to add to my holding, which is kind of interesting especially as the company’s trading update released today read well in my view. So what did it say?…

Thruvision (THRU) “is pleased to provide an update on trading for the six months ended 30 September 2020”, including noting “a strong second quarter and, for the first time, has achieved break-even EBITDA for the half year”. The shares have currently responded to above 28p, 5% higher…

Once again AIM-listed online ladieswear purveyor Sosandar (SOS) has offered up a trading statement which at first glance looks extremely positive. But once again, there are also questions……

A June update from audio visual communication services group Immedia (IME) included that it “has cash reserves, and plans in place to manage these resources, although the directors are considering raising extra funding from a variety of sources”. On the discounted placing that followed, I noted it will be interesting to see what cash reserves there were in following balance sheets. Now half-year results…

Earlier this month I wrote a pre-IPO article about The Hut Group (THG), concluding you should ‘brace yourself for the newspapers falling all over this one the day after it lists post a day one share price romp’ and that essentially I was not going to chase it. This was due to a variety of concerns…

This morning AIM-listed Eddie Stobart Limited (ESL) released its interims – the first reporting period following the accounting shambles which threatened to destroy the Eddie Stobart business and left the company with a (just under) half share of the business it used to own (less a load of 18% debt). So how are things?

Marketing and consulting company specialising in data science, Jaywing (JWNG) has updated including that it “is pleased to announce that it has appointed Caroline Ackroyd as Chief Financial Officer with effect from 7th September” and “has also continued to win new business and the April to June quarter has been profitable at EBITDA level” – and the shares have currently responded lower to 2.65p…

Self-styled “a leading B2B media business”, Bonhill Group (BONH) has updated including “the business has continued to see good levels of activity in each of its major markets… has also been focusing in Q2 on improving its working capital position… at 25 June 2020, the company had a cash balance of approximately £3.8 million”. The shares have currently responded higher to 7.5p, but even so a still below £7.5 million market cap?...

Pest control and hygiene company, Rentokil Initial (RTO), wasn’t looking particularly strong even prior to the arrival of Covid-19 and was trading at a very racey valuation, in my opinion.

Communications technology group LoopUp (LOOP) has updated including commencing “driven by the large-scale migration towards working from home since mid-March associated with the Covid-19 outbreak… year-to-date group revenue from January through April 2020 is at least 40% higher than the same period last year” – and the shares have currently responded further higher, above 125p...

Gear4music (G4M), “the largest UK based online retailer of musical instruments and music equipment”, has updated on trading – and the shares have responded 11% higher to 277.5p...

Most of the shares I cover here are from a longer term investment perspective, or ones which I think will go a lot lower and are best avoided.

Want to placate your investors and even normalised EBITDA (bullshit earnings) still looks bad? Well here is a coffee mug for many FDs flagging up another possible adjustment. With a hat tip to Jim Mellon for this spot...

Picking shares that are worth buying at the moment is a real minefield as the situation with Covid-19 is changing all the time. It would be very easy just to sit here and say ‘sell everything’ and you could probably stick a pin in a list of stocks at the moment to pick a sell recommendation, and the chances are that it would go down, at least in the near time!

Previously writing on remote meetings technology group LoopUp (LOOP), in December it was trading & share price having slumped… guess what “Measures relating to 2018 and 2019 options grants” are? That was after a prior 67.5p share price close – the shares had recovered somewhat to last close at 82.5p but are currently below 60p on the back of a “Trading Update”…

Reach4Entertainment (R4E) has updated  we loyal shareholders with an opening ‘Highlight’; “Group expects to report full year adjusted EBITDA and revenue significantly ahead of market expectations”…

AIM-listed energy supplier with recent accounting issues Yu Group (YU.) has released a full year trading statement. Like its half year trading statement last year, it is again full of holes: it tells us about the cash, but what about payables? And whilst losses appear to have been reduced, references to adjusted EBITDA don’t fool me: the company is still leaking cash.

Corero Network Security (CNS) has updated with CEO Ashley Stephenson emphasising “our strong order momentum in the second half of 2019, combined with our higher levels of recurring revenue and strong new business pipeline, provide Corero with solid foundations for 2020”. The shares have currently responded higher, towards 6p but that still compares to more than 12p at the start of 2019…

AIM-listed former Neil Woodford doggie favourite Eve Sleep (EVE) has offered up a trading statement. On the face of it the news appears favourable, with cashburn slashed by 51%, the EBITDA (bullshit earnings) loss heavily reduced by 43% and £7.8 million of cash in the bank at year-end. We are also told that the company reached break-even at an operating level in the last four months of the year. All good, but is there yet another fundraise around the corner?

“Audioboom (AIM: BOOM), the leading global podcast company, is pleased to provide an unaudited trading update for the 12 months ended 31 December 2019” – with it emphasising “91% revenue growth and significant year-on-year EBITDA improvement”. The shares have though currently responded to 237.5p – a few percent lower...

Self-styled “leading B2B media business” Bonhill (BONH) has updated including that it “now expects EBITDA for the year to be £2.3 million, being lower than market expectations as approximately £0.25m of custom marketing contracts which had been expected to be delivered in December 2020 will now be delivered in Q1 2020” but that “the outlook in both the UK and US is greatly improved, reflected in the current level of bookings being received” – so a current more than 5% share price fall, to a £17 million market cap fair?...

Previously writing on capital markets risk management technology-focused KRM22 (KRM), in November I noted “placing… to provide the company with additional working capital”... Or not? – concluding “there remains cash danger. As previously concluded with the shares around 70p, at this juncture I certainly avoid”. Now a “Trading Update”…

“Owner and operator of 47 premium pubs across Southern England and Wales”, The City Pub Group (CPC) has announced a “Year End Trading Update”, including “the board is pleased with the overall performance of the group for 2019”. The shares are currently at 197.5p – er, more than 9% lower on the day!…

Former Woodford pick, Itaconix (ITX) has followed a “First order to Croda for new odour control polymer” announcement yesterday with a now “New patent issued for detergent compositions” and these have helped the shares up from a prior 1.525p to currently around 1.7p – although down (natch, for a recent years Woodford pick), for example, from more than 4p at the commencement of 2019 and approaching 16p at the commencement of 2018…

Gulf Marine Services (GMS) has announced “important contract awards… secured day-rates for these contracts are firm and are consistent with existing contracts in the region” (Middle East). The shares have nudged higher towards 7.5p, but are down from more than 9p as recently as November and more than 20p early last year…

September-announced half-year results from “provider of instant communication mobile applications to the enterprise market” Mobile Tornado (MBT) included Chairman Jeremy Fenn emphasising “we have competed against major players in the PTT space in highly complex tenders, and won… I have no doubt that the significantly enhanced credibility we have gained has put us in a strong position as we engage with similar organisations… In Israel, we have a strong pipeline of new deals which we are confident will be developed further as the IDEN shutdown approaches at the end of the current calendar year”. Now “Full Year Trading Update”…

Time Out Group (TMO) commences a trading update with that it “is encouraged by the early trading of the five sites opened in 2019” and concludes that it “remains on track to reach the key milestone of profitability in 2020”. The shares are though currently below 125p – a few percent lower on the back of today’s update…

A “Trading Statement” from learning and skills company with courses delivered on sites in London, Manchester, Singapore, Malaysia and online, Malvern International (MLVN) includes “full year revenues are now expected to be modestly ahead year on year… the board expects to report a positive underlying EBITDA for the year… The board with its new members believes that it is pursuing the right strategy in diversifying its product offering and locations”. The shares have currently responded to comfortably below 1p – er, circa 50% lower!...

Self-styled “the premium performance nutrition company serving elite athletes, sports enthusiasts and the gym lifestyle community”, Science in Sport (SIS) has updated commencing “2019 has seen rapid progress at the company… total sales growth for the year to 31 December 2019 is expected to be slightly ahead of market expectations, with sales momentum into 2020 underpinned by operational progress including a new PhD.com e-commerce platform and a new protein powder line, which is now in full production”. Sounds encouraging…

Writing on B2B media group Bonhill (BONH) in July I concluded, with the shares then around 65p, with a still more than £30 million market cap, the noted risks to expectations (a £4 million+ full-year profit has been anticipated) see me avoid. The shares closed yesterday at 53.5p and now a “Trading Update”…

Previously writing on self-styled “leading commercial kitchen services provider” Filta Group (FLTA), in August last year with the shares at circa 230p I concluded precious little Benjamin Graham ‘margin of safety’ (“for absorbing the effect of miscalculations or worse than average luck”). Possibly one for the watchlist for a better entry level, but currently, with the potential reward v. risk trade-off looking heavily tilted to the latter, one I avoid. Today a “Trading Update”…

Previously writing on self-styled “leading innovator in sustainable specialty polymers” Itaconix (ITX), in July 2018 I noted a fundraising at 2p per share comparing to 6.75p on the shares being suspended and it still only stating “the net proceeds of the fundraising will provide the company with at least 12 months of working capital”… for me on this Woodford dog, natch, it remains bargepole ahoy. Today a “Trading Update” – what now from this, another of Neil’s ‘leading innovators’,?…

Oops...they did it again. Fortunately on gambling company GVC (GVC) I am talking about a profit upgrade. Now admittedly the Q3 trading update is talking about a 'pre-IFRS16 ebitda' but it is going up in terms of the full year guidance to £670-680 million from £650m-670 million, which sits nicely with the August upgrade…

“Immotion Group PLC (AIM: IMMO.L), the provider of 'Out of Home' virtual reality experiences, is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months to 30 June 2019” and also “agreements for three further installs in its fast growing Aquarium sector”. However, a current 6.75p share price compares to a 10p IPO little more than a year ago…

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. It is a recurring nightmare for Neil Woodford’s disruptive play on all things sleep related as AIM-listed Eve Sleep (EVE) has announced yet another profit warning as the company also announced that merger talks with Simba are all off. It is enough to disrupt even the heaviest of sleeps and the shares have opened 28% down – and are still falling.

On 26th June “Trackwise Designs Plc (TWD), a leading provider of specialist products using printed circuit technology” updated including it “is currently trading in line with market expectations” and emphasising “operational progress and continued growth in customer numbers”. Its today-announced results for the first half of 2019 should be decent enough then – and indeed the company “is pleased to announce” them, with the statement including “Trackwise has made solid progress against its strategic objectives in the first half of the year” and “we continue to manage the resources of the business prudently”…

Developer and manufacturer of carbon ceramic brakes products Surface Transforms (SCE) has announced results for its year ended 31st May 2019, emphasising “the past 15 months, and more particularly the three-month period of contract awards since 31 May 2019, have been transformational in the development of Surface Transforms. The company now has multi-year, multi million revenue contracts”. Sounds good – but the shares are currently little changed at still sub 20p…

President Energy (PPC) has taken a hit recently based on the fact that the bulk of its current oil and gas production comes from Argentina – but longer term that could present a buying opportunity...

A trading update from Brady (BRY) commences; “Brady plc (BRY.L), a leading global provider of trading, risk management and settlement solutions to the energy and commodities sectors, announces that, over the course of the first half of 2019, Brady has had positive engagements with existing customers, and the recurring revenue is in line with expectations”. The shares are currently around 35p – down more than 35% though!...

Previously writing on Corero Network Security (CNS), in January I noted 2018 disappointment follows 2017 disappointment, and 2019…, finishing I previously concluded, with a long track-record of cash burn and a market cap now of more than £45 million, my stance presently remains avoid / sell. The market cap is still currently slightly higher, but the track-record is unchanged – and so too is my stance. Avoid / sell. The market cap was down towards £25 million at yesterday’s 6.3p share price close – and now “Trading Update”…

Video security systems group IndigoVision (IND) has announced results for the first half of 2019 emphasising “return to profit in H1, the first time this has been achieved since 2014” and “momentum in the business”. Sounds encouraging…

Remote wireless technology company Starcom (STAR) has announced results for the first half of 2019 including “initial orders for the new Lokies smart padlock are encouraging and we have high expectations for this new product” and that it “is confident that the full year results will be in line with current market expectations in terms of revenue growth and that the company will achieve a positive EBITDA result for the year”. The shares have responded… further lower, to 1.1p…

Self-styled “leading provider of outsourced digital transformation and mobile payment solutions” Mi-Pay Group (MPAY) has updated including “trading for the first half of 2019 was broadly in line with management's expectations… two major contracts were renewed with clients representing 43% of the 2018 revenue during the period and strong operational metrics were delivered”… The shares are currently approaching 20% lower, below 8p. Hmmm…

Petra Diamonds (PDL) is a company that I covered back in March and so far I have been wrong about it having potential as a speculative investment, as the share price has just taken another big drop.  

AIM-listed utilities provider Yu Group (YU.) has offered up a trading statement for the first six months of the year. The numbers offered are full of holes, leaving more questions unanswered and we are told there will be an adjusted (ie bullshit) EBITDA (double bullshit) earnings loss of between £2.5-£3 million. Goodness knows what the actual bottom-line loss will be then. And as for the cash figures offered...

Previously writing on cyber security services group ECSC (ECSC), in January I cautioned as the shares rose to 77.5p. They would go on to rise further but were back at 77.5p before now an “AGM Statement”…

Writing on the most recent full-year results from PHSC plc (PHSC), I questioned security technology to prove diversification or ‘diworsification’?. Now a year ended 31st March 2019 “Trading Update”…

Previously writing on automotive acoustic and thermal insulation group Autins (AUTG), in March I noted the shares up to 34p to buy on the back of Chairman & CEO (though the announcement doesn’t seem sure!) share purchases. However, I noted these small and following results showing finances further deteriorating. Now a “Trading Update”…

Time Out Group (TMO) “is pleased to announce that Time Out Market New York opens to the public today, bringing the best of the city under one roof, based on the editorial curation Time Out has always been known for”. The shares though are still sub 95p – comparing to a 150p June 2016 IPO…

Business transaction platform company Tungsten (TUNG) is “pleased to announce that Tungsten achieved its first annual EBITDA profit… we are confident that through executing the actions identified in our operating review, including working with an e-procurement partner and expanding our AR e-invoicing services, we will be able to achieve higher revenue growth” – and the shares have responded higher above 38p. However, EBITDA is, of course, bullshit earnings and there’s a track record of disappointment to overcome…

Back in early December I expressed my pessimism about the shares of convenience store operator McColl's (MCLS), which have sunk from around 250p a year ago to around the 55p level today. Today's numbers are striking in the sense that everything remains difficult...but inevitably it remains hopeful…

A “Christmas Trading Update” from fashion retailer Quiz plc (QUIZ) states revenue “increased by 8.4% in the six-week period from 25 November 2018 to 5 January 2019 against the comparable period last year”, with “the group's UK standalone stores and concessions revenue increased by 1.6%”. The shares have responded, er… approaching 30% lower, towards 25p!...

A “Trading Update and Revised Dividend Commitment” announcement from telecommunications and related services group KCom (KCOM). The prospective dividend yield was already 6.5% - so I’m guessing it ain’t being revised upwards…

When investing in a company long term it is all about getting in at a good price, rather than having to buy right at the bottom of any temporary dips along the way, as long as things go to plan for the business.

Tungsten Corp (TUNG) has emphasised “a significant step” with its certification as an authorised intermediary of the Italian tax authority (‘Sistema di Interscambio, SdI). This following it emphasising “appoints new SVP global sales” earlier this week. Hmmm, anything else behind this recent newsflow?...

I was really worried I had made a grave error is buying into Vodafone (VOD) for my mini Dividend Munchers’ portfolio. Of course, on the basis of having paid over 190p and the shares subsequently collapsing to well under 150p I clearly had – but fortunately had only piled up half of what I had wanted so by good fortune I escaped the worst. The question was then whether to pile in for more – so the market was wrong – or to accept I had made a mistake. This morning Vodafone offered up its interims.

Westminster Group (WSG) “is pleased to announce the acquisition of security and risk management company Keyguard UK Ltd”. But wait a minute; isn’t Westminster itself short of cash?...

Starcom (STAR), “which specialises in the development of wireless solutions for the remote tracking, monitoring and protection of a variety of assets, is pleased to announce that an agreement has been signed with a local distributor in North Africa” and “to ensure that this and other orders can be delivered as planned both for this year and early 2019, the company has conditionally raised £400,000 before expenses through a placing… at a price of 2p”. Hmmm…

Writing around this time last year on Premier Veterinary Group (PVG) I warned including that it looked to have little choice in more narrowly focusing resources and concluded a bargepole stock. The shares had risen strongly in recent months, but are currently slumping back towards 50p on the back of a “Trading Update”…

With any company where there has been fraudulent activity you have to consider whether there are more skeletons in the cupboard which could cause a further freefall in the share price when they emerge.

“Tungsten Corporation plc, a global business transaction network, announces that Tony Bromovsky and Duncan Goldie-Morrison have been appointed to the Company's Board as Non-Executive Directors with immediate effect.” Hmmm, not ‘pleased to announce’ then?...

Tungsten Corp (TUNG) is “pleased to report on the progress made in the delivery of our strategic plan and the next phase in the development of Tungsten Network”, with it stating the first two “Financial Highlights” for its year ended 30th April 2018; “Revenue increased 8% to £33.7 million (FY17: £31.3 million); up 9% at constant exchange rates… EBITDA loss decreased to £4.6 million, a £7.2 million improvement from prior year”. Hmmm…

The Canadian economy and housing market is tanking, in part thanks to the crackpot socialist policies of its preposterous PM Justin Trudeau. Dope is now legal thanks to the only PM in the world who makes Theresa May look half competent but if you lived in Canada you’d need to be on drugs.  What better place & time to spunk £45 million on buying a cash guzzling estate agency? Step forward Purplebricks (PURP) keen to distract us all from what will be Godawful full year numbers announced later this week.

Tungsten Corp (TUNG) has updated on trading for its year ended 30th April 2018, including emphasising “operated profitably over January to April 2018 period”, “adequate working capital” and “our trade financing activities are growing rapidly”. Sounds promising…

Last week Starcom (STAR) was “pleased to announce the launch of the latest iteration of its awarding winning intelligent padlock, the Watchlock Cube… the company has high expectations for the Cube due to its electronic shell being able to fit a variety of C10 padlocks from various manufacturers, its lower price and a far more durable battery life”. And now… “Placing” (surprise, surprise!)…

An update from audio-visual projects company MediaZest (MDZ) commences “as announced at the time of the interim results on 15 December 2017, the group expected to show a positive EBITDA at group level for the first time in respect of the year ended 31 March 2018, subject to the closing of three large deals. All three of those deals have been successfully closed”. Good news then? Er…

Remote meetings technology group LoopUp (LOOP) has announced results for the 2017 calendar year, emphasising “we are very pleased to report continued strong business performance ahead of market expectations at all key P&L levels. Our track record of consistent revenue growth in excess of 30% has been maintained, gross margins have improved further and LoopUp EBITDA has grown by 161%”. EBITDA is though, of course, bullshit earnings so what’s the real story…

AIM-listed Cloudbuy (CBUY) issued a trading statement yesterday in relation to the full year to December 2017. The good news is that bullshit earnings (EBITDA) will be broadly in line – ie a slight miss – at around half that of the previous year. The bad news is that revenues are below expectations. Uh-oh.

Remote meetings software group LoopUp (LOOP) has updated including “continued strong business performance ahead of market expectations” and “we remain confident in our ability to deliver future growth”. The shares have currently responded more than 4% lower, to 375p. Hmmm…

I noted yesterday that Blue Prism (PRSM) was one of the most shorted shares on AIM. And having had a butchers at the numbers I can see why.

Corero Network Security (CNS) “is pleased to announce” combined customer orders “worth in excess of $400,000 for SmartWall products and related one-year support services”. What’s the detail and import of this?...

Writing on Corero Network Security (CNS) last week I questioned ramptastic again and discounted fundraising ahoy?, concluding it’s certainly bargepole ahoy. Sell. Today a Trading Update announcement…

Half-year results from systems integrator and managed services provider, Maintel (MAI) included “gross margin is expected to recover in the second half of the year following recent contract wins at an improved gross margin percentage”. There’s now a Trading Update from the company commencing that its “ICON cloud services have continued to grow strongly in the second half of 2017”. Sounds encouraging, but what about that margin?

I previously wrote on information management software and services company Idox plc (IDOX) with the shares above 60p in August, concluding that I’d at least want to see some concrete evidence towards delivering the growth forecast and improving cash flow and balance sheet dynamics before considering this stock as an investment. There’s now been a 3:45pm “Year End Trading Update” announcement. Uh oh…

At the end of June I commented on eServGlobal (ESG) that the interims argue “strong outlook” & Homesend “sales expansion”, but that the financials remained troubling. There’s recently been a pump – 2nd October; “HomeSend progress in the banking market”, 10th October; “eServGlobal outlook and business update” announcements – seeing the shares up from sub 8p at the end of last month to above 12p, closing yesterday at still above 10p… and so now “the company is pleased to announce”…

Despite accompanying half-year results last month with a “Significant Contract Win” announcement, shares in Corero Network Security (CNS) still declined. This week has seen a “Partnership Agreement” announcement – with the same result…

With its shares having slumped from 35p following recent real bad news and disclosure, yesterday saw an attempted no-one watching o’clock (5:01pm) “Company Update” from Real Good Food (RGD). Uh oh…

The company with the exclusive right to develop, operate and sub-franchise Domino's Pizza stores in Poland, DP Poland (DPP) has announced half-year results, including emphasising “combined corporate store EBITDA and commissary variable profit up 39%”…

Shares in Tungsten Corp (TUNG) are currently edging higher, above 60p, on the back of an AGM trading update – this though comparing to above 70p as recently as June and approaching 400p in 2014…

Yesterday shares in R4E (R4E) fell sharply after a profits warning and a warning that it may breach its covenants in the third quarter. I am a shareholder in R4E and happen to think the fall is way overdone, but that is for another time. I want to look at how it handled the covenant issue and what that tells you about the financial crime at Telit (TCM) - which morally bankrupt Nomad FinnCap is okay with.

A “Company Update” announcement from Real Good Food (RGD) commences; “The company announced on 1 August 2017 that it anticipated EBITDA for the year ended 31 March 2017 would be lower than market expectations at approximately £2.0m, subject to final audit. Since the announcement of 1 August, a review has been undertaken, under the guidance of the company's new Finance Director”… Uh oh…

With reference to both Bushvalend Minerals (BMN) and the late lamented Southern Salads I explain what EBITDA is and why it really is bullshit earnings. Enjoy.

.Bushveld Minerals (BMN) shareholders, aka the dumbest fucks on AIM, are still largely in denial about the fact that a major placing is imminent. This is because they do not understand the difference between profit and cashflow or indeed much else about basic accounts. I will try again. Owning 27% of a company with modest EBITDA (bullshit earnings) is not the same as having a source of cashflow. In fact I bet you an ounce of Vanadium that Vametco will not generate a free cent for Bushveld this year or next.

PHSC Plc (PHSC), “a leading provider of health, safety, hygiene and environmental consultancy services and security solutions”, has announced results for its year ended 31st March 2017 which feature as the first two “Financial Highlights”; “Underlying EBITDA loss of £0.1m, down from a profit of £0.368m last year… Group revenue rose to £7.16m compared with £7.04m last year”. Hmmm, “a leading provider” ya say?...

Avanti Communications (AVN) has surprised no-one with a grim old trading statement covering the year to June 30th 2016. But the CEO who boasts of how he misled investors with a faked demo to raise funding has - as usual - tried to make a shit sandwich more palatable by serving it covered in oodles of jam tomorrow. But there is something that bombastic prick David Williams is not telling you....

A “Trading Update” announcement from DFS Furniture (DFS) includes that “we believe our expectations for the next financial year are realistic”. The shares are though currently more than 20% lower at around 200p, with the announcement also updating that “the trading environment has however recently weakened beyond our expectation, with significant declines in store footfall leading to a material reduction in customer orders”. Uh oh…

An 11:26am results announcement from tv distribution and production group DCD Media (DCD). Hmmm, why not a standard 7am release? Let’s take a look…

A “Pre-close FY17 Trading Update” announcement from Tungsten Corp (TUNG) sees CEO Rick Hurwitz claiming “Tungsten made remarkable headway in fiscal '17”. With the shares responding, er, more than 3% lower to 66.25p, the following reviews...

Digital Barriers (DGB) has announced a framework contract and a trading update emphasising sales growth and “EBITDA is expected to be in line with market expectations”, BUT…

In an early 2015 ShareProphets article I observed that AO World (AO.), the self-styled ‘leading European online retailer of electrical products’, was an overpriced hope stock. Roll forward, via a series of critical articles on this website from a number of writers, we have a much lower share price.

Having previously updated on CloudCall (CALL) HERE, I note the integrator of voice communications into customer relationship management platforms has now announced results for the 2016 calendar year. These emphasise “a year of excellent progress for the business” and a “strong start to 2017”, though have currently seen the shares slip back towards 100p…

Small AIM outfit Zinc Media (ZIN) released its interim results last week and trumpeted that it is continuing to move in the right direction, but I would question whether the turnaround is happening fast enough to make the shares attractive.

After a profit warning in January, CEO of Kalibrate Technologies (KLBT), Bob Stein, is “pleased to report our results for the six months ended 31 December 2016. Hmmm. The shares have responded lower, back below 60p…

A 2016 results announcement from remote meetings technology group LoopUp (LOOP) includes “we're very pleased to report strong business performance and a positive outlook in our first set of annual results as a public company”. So why are the shares currently more than 3% lower, at 156.5p, in response?...

A half-year results announcement from cash guzzler (Oops sorry, “digital technology group specialising in financial services”), Monitise (MONI) emphasises “our transformation programme is nearing completion, and continued half on half EBITDA profitability demonstrates that it is working”. Hmmm, EBITDA is though of course bullshit earnings, so what’s the real story?...

Shares in NCC Group (NCC) have slumped by 9.5% to 162.5p in late trade after a shocker of an announcement posted at 4.16 PM today. Not quite no-one is watching O'Clock but still late in the day. If you were on your way to the capital markets investor rampfest day it was holding tomorrow, don't bother. It has been cancelled. Cheers,my cyber security expert friends, did you not know you were going to have to issue a shocking profits alert until just now? How long have you been sitting on this bad news? Thanks. can I get a refund on my train ticket?

blur Group (BLUR) has announced “key metrics for Q4 2016”, in the same opening paragraph noting “FY 2016 EBITDA is expected to be ahead of expectations”. EBITDA is of course not a ‘key metric’, but bullshit earnings. What about the real key metrics – cash generation and the balance sheet position?...

The market doesn’t like uncertainty, and that is why Premier Oil (PMO) has been continuing to under-perform in comparison to some of its peers in the oil and gas producing sector in terms of the share price.

Shares in provider of bullshit earnings (Oops sorry, “provider of strategy and technology services to the global fuel and convenience retail industry”), Kalibrate Technologies (KLBT) are currently more than 18% lower, at 57.5p, on the back of a “Trading Update” announcement. Profit warning AHOY!...

I looked at remote meetings technology group LoopUp (LOOP) just after the company’s August IPO – concluding, with the shares at 112.5p, that the valuation in conjunction with usual IPO and growth risks saw me avoid, but that I’d monitor with interest. The shares closed yesterday at exactly the same price as then – but are currently approaching 13% higher today, at 127p, on the back of a trading update announcement…

Following Foxtons earlier this week, Countrywide (CWD) has now updated for the 2016 calendar year with CEO Alison Platt claiming “it is pleasing to report modest full year revenue growth”. Hmmm…

A “Q3 Trading Update” from developer, publisher and licensor of mobile real money and social games, Gaming Realms (GMR) commences with the headline “Strong revenue growth and maiden profitable quarter”. Sounds good, but is the reality such?...

Geospatial and cloud services company 1Spatial (SPA) has announced self-admitted "disappointing"results for its half-year to 31^stJuly 2016, though that “management believes the group is still on track to meet full year expectations which is an overall increase on the prior year revenues and adjusted EBITDA”.

Monitise (MONI) has announced results for its year ended 30th June 2016 emphasising “substantial improvement” in second half operating figures and “FINKit®, our new business unit which enables banks and financial services organisations to transform their digital services, launched during the year generating initial revenues in the second half of FY 2016, and received a positive response from current and potential clients and partners”. Sounds good…

“MediaZest (MDZ), the creative audio-visual company, is pleased to provide shareholders with final results for the year ended 31 March 2016… Best ever financial results with turnover of £3,144,000 and EBITDA profit of £58,000”. Hmmm, let’s take a closer look…

Serial AIM dog PhotonStar (PSL) has announced the issue of 230,857 shares at a price of 2.625p to former NED Mr Philip Marshall in settlement of outstanding remuneration, worth a total of £6,060. That the company didn’t just pony up the relatively small amount in cash raises the question as to why.

Premium lifestyle brand Joules (JOUL) is one of the freshest arrivals to the AIM market. Along with Hotel Chocolat (HOTC), Joules has been recognised as one of the higher-quality names to opt for AIM in recent months, and a sign that the junior market is still capable of attracting highly investable companies.

Yesterday in Part 1, I outlined the gravity of the situation facing Premier Oil’s (PMO) equity investors. In that piece, I presented my view that the purchase of E.ON’s North Sea assets was an attempt to temporarily fix a covenant breach situation, but that any profits it generates are unlikely to be material against Premier’s debt pile.

Anyone lucky enough to buy independent exploration and production company Premier Oil (PMO) around the January lows achieved a two-bagger in quick time as the shares rallied rapidly from around 20p to achieve a high of 75p last month. It is currently capitalised at £360 million ($500 million) and is a favourite on the bulletin boards. Sadly, it’s not yet clear that Premier has its house in order. There could be some serious pain yet to come.

Following a true 'no-one watching o'clock’ “Business Update” from DCD Media (DCD), it has followed suit with the results announcement – with a 4:10pm release. I wonder why...

On 12 June 2015, Octagonal Plc (OCT) issued a document entitled “Proposed Acquisition and Shareholder Circular” in connection with the proposed acquisition of Global Investment Strategy Limited.

The expanding alcohol retailer and wholesaler Conviviality (CVR) provided the market with a double-barrelled update on Friday, announcing the completion of an acquisition and a trading update. It’s been non-stop growth and change at CVR in recent times. This leaves investors with plenty to think about as they sip on their discount booze.

Institutional investors continue to sell. But Avanti Communications (AVN) directors hope that piffling share purchases by themselves will persuade mug punters to follow suit. Do I care that David Williams (total package last year $1,154,445 after another year of mega cashburn) has bought 5,434 shares at 91.5p taking his holding to 1,709,144. Seriously? A guy who earns c$20,000 a week for trainwrecking this company has bought £5,000 of shares? And that is meant to show he has faith in the company? If anything it shows he has none. Now to the Q3 trading update.

Previously commenting in March on the company with the exclusive right to develop, operate and sub-franchise Domino's Pizza stores in Poland, DP Poland (DPP) I concluded with scepticism on the valuation – a share price rising to more than 28p meaning a market cap of circa £37 million. The shares since retreated slightly to circa 26p, but are currently again on the rise on the back of an “AGM Statement”. Let’s take a look…

We have known that the Peter Earl AIM-listed train-wreck Rurelec (RUR) has been in some financial difficulty for some time. Mr Earl departed the scene last June, but the fire-fighting for the new board has been on-going ever since. Last night at no-one-is-watching o’clock (4.55pm) the company gave an update on its funding arrangements and trading in what must be a classic case-study for all MBA students on how to deliver bad news. Over to the ShareProphets RNS Translation service for the low-down on last night’s announcement…..

Last week I asked readers to explain the meaning of EBITDA as I was searching for enlightenment. The standard of entries was superb as you can see HERE.

There are no prizes at all but the deadline to enter these two contests is no-one is watching O'Clock tonight (Friday), or as they say at the US Oil & Gas (USOP) press office, rush hour. The standard of entries so far as been incredibly high so to see those entries and post your one for EBITDA go HERE and for Jabba's yacht go HERE and e now also have a Call Me Dave tax dodging caption contest HERE

We all know that on the world's most successful growth market EBITDA is a popular way to present bad numbers as good ones. But what do those letters really stand for? Post your answers in the comments section below.

With the exclusive right to Domino's Pizza stores in Poland and currently 16 corporately managed and 8 sub-franchised stores (in Warsaw, Krakow, Wrocław, Gdansk and Szczecin), DP Poland plc (DPP) has made an announcement today entitled “Trading update”, which is not really a trading update…

Tungsten Corp (TUNG) has updated that “trading in the third quarter was in line with market expectations, and that revenues for the full year to 30 April 2016 are expected to be broadly in line with its previous guidance”. With that guidance – for “revenue of at least £27.5m” – emphasised as recently as December, the now only “broadly” in line has helped the shares currently around 8% lower today towards 60p. And there is more…

Monitise plc (MONI) has announced a half-year trading update – the second bullet point of which is “Existing businesses generating positive EBITDA going forward”. Hmmm. As per Charlie Munger, EBITDA is ‘bullshit earnings’ but at least this now seems to be “positive” here I suppose… or is it?...

Internet media company blinkx plc (BLNX) has updated that “profitability in Q3 2016 was ahead of management expectations”. Good, good… “achieving break-even on an adjusted EBITDA basis during the period”. Oh, so not making a profit at all then! Hmmm…

In his debut article for ShareProphets, Robert Corden explains why he is so bullish on Service Power (SVR) and believes the shares are a strong buy at 4p.

Shares in Transense Technologies (TRT) currently trade around 40% higher today, at 1.625p, following an announcement that it has agreed to sell its 'IntelliSAW' business to US-headquartered global manufacturing company Emerson for a net “approximately £2.9 million” and it stating that it believes it now “is well positioned to become a self-sustaining, high-growth and cash-generative business”. Hmmm…

Last week I updated on eServGlobal (ESG) HERE, concluding that ‘with HomeSend still having much to prove and there still clearly trading and financial difficulties for the core business, particularly ahead of a further trading update expected later this month, I remain bearish’. The shares are currently down approaching 25% today, at 5.5p, as guess what? …

Globo plc (GBO) has announced the signing of a Letter of Intent to acquire “a Bring-Your-Own-Device and Mobile Security software provider based in Europe”. This has currently helped the shares up to 35p, though they remain well down from above 60p in June and there continues to look good reason why…

On 14^th July 2015 AIM Casino dog Iofina (IOF) made its last announcement – the usual bag of shite trading update. Its shares closed the day at c22p. The shares are now 14.5p having fallen steadily over the past two months but aggressively of late. So when and what is the bad news?

A month or so ago I wrote a piece suggesting that people avoided Lonmin (LMI) at a share price of 62p. Although it looked cheap at that price I could see further downside based on funds selling prior to the South African platinum miner’s exit from the FTSE250 in the quarterly review.

A Quindellologist from the grim post industrial welfare safaris of the frozen North sends me this fasoinating Slater & Gordon number crunching. Suffice to say that S&G shares remain a stonking sell.

My formative investment years were so long ago that I remember the daily thump that announced the arrival of the physical research pile from a variety of investment banks.  As a callow youth I used to devour these publications believing them to be a route to insight and riches.  The latter was true – although almost exclusively not to the readers of such ‘research’.  The reason for this walk down memory lane was that I was reminded by an article from Tom Winnifrith of a report I kept by my desk for months titled something like ‘why EV/EBITDA is the most important statistic for fund managers today’.  Suffice to say the quality of my investment insights all those years ago improved materially after I had a desk tidy-up…

I leave it to Steve Moore to have the pleasure of plunging the knife into the dog blinkx (BLNX) after its profits warning HERE. It is a dog pure and simple and the shares, at 21p, are a stonking sell with a 12p target for starters. On the matter of blinkx we long term bears are again vindicated while the self-proclaimed expert on the stock, the disgraced ramper Roger Lawson of ShareSoc is one more shown up as a fool as well as a knave. But now to EBITDA.

Warren Buffett says that anyone who uses EBITDA is either trying to fool you or to fool themselves and that brings us to a comedy profits warning from POS AIM casino dog Iofina (IOF) issued first thing today. What clowns.

Last September Visa Inc. announced a lessening involvement with Monitise plc (MONI) – prompting us to ask if the US-based company can go it alone who will be next? (see HERE). Today Monitise has announced that Visa Europe Ltd has now also notified it that it will reduce its shareholding over time while continuing to work with the company throughout the duration of its current commercial agreement…

The sportfishing industry is one that I know well, as it has been part of my day job for many years! So it was with great interest that I followed the listing of Fishing Republic (FISH) on the AIM market earlier this month.

Online electricals retailer AO World (AO.) has announced results for its year ended 31st March 2015 including an emboldened statement that “the group has delivered significant growth in UK sales and UK Adjusted EBITDA over the year whilst also delivering significant strategic progress; broadening its product range, with the introduction on AO.com of audio-visual equipment and expanding internationally with the successful launch of AO.de in Germany”. A focus on “strategic progress”, sales and adjusted EBITDA, rather than real profitability and cash generation then. Red flags ahoy? …

Monitise plc (MONI) has announced that a strategic review has concluded “that the best way of maximising long-term value for all stakeholders is to continue transforming and streamlining the business as an independent company”. With the shares having reacted a current more than 16.5% lower, to 15p, the following reviews…

Many, many years ago Granny Deputy Sheriff used to do very well on the stock market. Legend has it that she did particularly well out of biscuits and helicopters. She tended to make investment decisions not on the usual measures of P/E or EBIT or EBITDA – let alone the fundamantal analysis of company accounts. No, this was an investment style all of her own (at the time): it was based on life experience. It rather chimes with one of the themes of Peter Lynch’s ‘One Up On Wall Street’.

Vodafone’s (VOD) half year’s results to 30^th September 2014, just published, are a satisfactory outcome in relation to my analysis last June, which pointed to the expectation of top line revenue growth, heavy capital spending and reduced profits meantime; obscuring the longer term rewards of that investment in terms of sales revenue and then eventually, probable earnings per share. 

Toumaz (TMZ) has all the markings of the sort of stock that should be in the Bulletin Board Moron nightmare portfolio as explained HERE earlier and, indeed, it seems to have a diehard band of BB Moron enthusiasts. Results today are dismal and the cash is running out. Yet at just under 6p the valuation is £95 million. Crackers.

Avanti Communications (AVN) served up full year numbers today and it all looks great. Uber-bombast CEO David Williams, who admits to misleading investors in the past, has put a great spin on what is actually a dog’s dinner. Take the four bullet points financial highlights. Three of them are a half truth, misleading or an outright lie respectively. And there are good reasons not to believe the fourth at all!

Nighthawk Energy (HAWK) has had more than its fair share of ups and downs over the years, but now seems to be heading in the right direction. The AIM-listed oil producer and explorer is based in the US with licences in various parts of Colorado, and the latest update showed that during July it produced over 2,000bopd – although this was down slightly on the previous two months due to maintenance work and testing.