I start with the suffering I am about to endure at the Chapel holiday camp and urge you to consider the pain and donate to Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks HERE. Then it is onto Malcolm's earlier piece on PE's and shares and why he may be wrong. Then to what appears to me to be a vile #MeToo witch hunt against Tesco (TSCO) chairman John Allan and then onto ITV (ITV), Phil Schofield and the real scandal and why more heads should roll.

Hello Share Spanners. Now ain’t the best time to buy shares, unless perhaps you can find a firm in accord with modern trends that makes and supplies stuff that’s essential to other companies. One such idea is DS Smith (SMDS), which is not an outfit I’ve featured before.

Hello Share Finders. Companies that help other outfits to save on energy might seem worth a look, even in these difficult times for most shares. Sureserve (SUR) works out money-saving plans for some reliable clients, mostly in the public area. As the Ukraine war could go on for years, demand is likely to stay high.

The way the markets are currently it feels like there is plenty of risk in buying anything, even in the sectors that are expected to remain strong in the coming months.

Hello, Share Splashers. I think you might consider whether to buy shares in City of London Investment Group (CLIG). Why might this be a good idea?

I have received a number of comments about yesterday's Bearcast. I address some of those cultists, speaking out from the last redoubt.  Then, prompted by Three Brains, I look at what a PE of 5 means as a guide to value, and why it can so often mean nothing at all.

Hello Share Wranglers. Like most infrastructure jumbos, Balfour Beatty (BBY) is making a strong recovery after the setbacks of Covid. So confident is the company that in the first quarter of 2022, it has re-bought nearly £20 million's worth of its own shares. And that's not all. It expects to have repurchased £150 million's of its stock by the year's end. The outfit happily boasts that it will continue to make higher profits for the rest of 2022.

The performance of CMC Markets (CMCX) has been pretty disappointing in recent times, but now there are some signs of its financial performance improving and a potential demerging of the business on the horizon.

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.

These shares are already lower since this article first appeared on the N50 website just yesterday but they look to have much further to fall as, at last, it seems that we might have reached a point where equity fund managers, suddenly fearful rather than greedy, are taking a look at their portfolios to have a closer look at exactly what they hold.

I always find it hard to buy shares where I see fundamental good value and where I am intending to hold them as an actual investment rather than just a short term trade based on momentum.

This podcast is in two parts. I start with a few words on Malcolm’s piece of earlier on Creightons (CRL) and paying a high or low PE. Then I have been passed a dossier and had a conference call about a company the FCA has allowed you to buy shares in even though it was told that the individual behind it was on Police bail for a massive fraud and had a history of fraud and guess what, this company is also a top to bottom fraud. I am gobsmacked by it all but especially by this latest Standard List failing by the FCA which is just not fit for purpose.

Hello, Share Changers. Forgive me if you’re already familiar with today’s lesson. But it’s never wrong to review the more famous rules of making good money from our great game. I want to look at how good a signal is a low p/e or price-to-earnings ratio. Obviously, a low p/e means an asking price that’s too low. Or does it?

Hello, Share Swappers. Another of my modest selections is breaking through its all-time record today. Creightons (CRL) makes hand sanitisers for which there has been an obvious demand. But the fact that supermarkets have been ordering lots more of the stuff has given the overall brand more prominence.

Hello Share Diviners. As I’m on my travels without my usual sources to hand, allow me to air some general views about why ITV (ITV) makes a reasonable subject for your consideration today…

In yesterday's bearcast I discussed why Boohoo (BOO) did not move from the AIM casino to the main market. Some interpret this as me saying the shares are a buy. Au contraire on a PE of 60 the risk reward trade off looks dreadful.  Yesterday i recorded a video with Boohoo's greatest critic Matt Earl and that should go live within 24 hours and that will, I suspect, raise many more questions that bulls cannot answer. Now the Sunday Telegraph brings news of US legal action and I publish the Ciurt filings in full below. Ouch!

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.

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!

Hello, Share Travellers. It’s hard to see how the virus will affect the number of homes being put up for sale in Blighty. So it might be a good time to look at Rightmove (RMV). It’s a wormhole to connect buyers with sellers. And I suppose most people seeking a home would have a nosey there...

Assuming that you aren’t just going to move entirely to cash and wait for the markets to bottom and show signs of a rebound before buying anything, there are still some options for shares to hold whilst you ride out the storm.

Hello, Share Chewers. It’s a bit disappointing how shares in the giant caterer Compass (CPG) fail to soar. I’ve held the shares ever since it was called Granada, which is over 20 years ago. I get average dividends year in year out. Yet no matter how good the figures look - and there’s usually an improvement every year - the share price can be comatose...

Hello, Share Seekers. It’s not that often Tom and I have the same tips. He’s mostly a value investor who goes on fundamentals and balance sheets. Whereas I fix my sights on the future and dabble in pop psychology and the herd instinct. But we both picked Creightons (CRL), the maker of cosmetic and household fripperies. We were rewarded with big hikes in the share price last year...

Hello, Share Shoppers. A very merry Christmas to all. Even as a holder of Diageo (DGE), I urge you not to overdo the drinking. You know it’s not good for you. Any road up, today I want to look at one of my big winners of the year...

Hello, Share Choosers. At first, I balked at bringing today’s selection to your attention. That’s because I’m a green supporter and not keen on looking at companies selling a lot of paper. Not even Christmassy stuff like IG Design Group (IGR) does. But then I don't want to turn more Scrooge-like than I am...

Hello, Share Tumblers. We all chortle at the more ludicrous excesses of ‘health and safety’. But I suppose the concept does safeguard zillions of lives. Government regulations are tightening all over the world for many things we buy and do. Most companies will see profits suffer from stricter regulations, but Intertek (ITRK) has an opportunity to thrive...

Hello Share Munchers. We British are leaders in making advanced scientific tools and equipment used all over the world. Heading the charge is FTSE 250 company Oxford Instruments (OXIG). It researches and makes zillions of sophisticated scientific thingies, like X-ray components, microscope bits and healthcare products. And don’t think microscopes haven't moved on since we used them at school. They can now be incredibly powerful and complex. The company is, for example, providing ways to deal with atoms and molecules...

Hello, Share Smashers. Despite the uncertainties of a Trump administration, the American economy is doing well. You can tell that by the number of British companies which are doing so-so in Blighty, but which are making increasing profits in the USA. This, of course, helps British share prices to bubble along...

At first glance Argo Blockchain (ARB) seems to be very different to the type of companies that I normally cover within the natural resources sector, but the actual economics of the business isn’t all that dissimilar.

Hello, Share Pickers. One of my longest-held shares was the big engineer Spirax-Sarco (SPX). I sold for a big profit. Only to see the blooming stock keep on rising. Recently, unable to stand the strain, I bought the shares back. And annoyingly I nursed a 15% drop almost straight away. But now that paper loss is being eroded day by day. This company is well-run and usually reliable, making me think that the share price will keep on rising. It’s risen about 4% in the last couple of days...

Hello Share Shufflers. You must feel for poor folks who work in insurance call centres. They navigate all the questions and then their computers give a price that can double your renewal cost. So they try and tell you that their company gives better benefits if you claim, like a courtesy car. But what company doesn't arrange a courtesy car? And what firm differs from any other in the range of benefits? And yet the competition is so bruising, compounded by comparison websites, that only lowering the price will win the order. But some insurance companies are better than others at dealing with this severe profit-eater...

On my last bearcast before I flee to the Greek Hovel (cue calls from Bulletin Board Morons that I live in a hovel as I am a peasant and that I am evading justice for some crime or another), I discuss today's chapter of retail-aggedon (Clarkes), the Neil Woodford Rutherford International (RUTH) £32.5 million black hole and why Amigo (AMGO) is almost certainly not on a PE of 3 and almost certainly not cheap.

Hello, Share Crunchers. All right, it’s not been long at all since I last brought Creightons (CRL) the fifty-bagger to your attention. But as the price keeps pushing onwards and today we have interims. Thus it’s probably appropriate to ask if the top approaches. For what’s it’s worth, I don’t think we are near the loftier prices we might expect. For these reasons. 

Central Asia Metals (CAML) is a company which I have followed for a number of years, and although the share price hasn’t seen much movement during that time, anyone who has followed my previous buy tips should still have done okay from it.

Hello, Share Trotters. I believe those who say Britain is facing the biggest constitutional crisis since World War 2. But I don't think shares will suffer much. That’s because the problem has already been factored into the Footsie. Probably by far too much. You can’t get away from the fact that, compared to most of the world, many British shares are cheap.

Hello Share Peekers. A Footsie jumbo which I have shares in, but rarely write about, is GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).To give you an idea of its size, it’s the fourth biggest outfit in the Footsie. And while it's true the big fish can flounder, like the former British Energy, for example, we can hope for a measure of security not inherent in smaller companies.

Hello, Share Callers. As most shares are falling now on Brexit fears, though I believe them to be groundless it might be the best idea to avoid buying most stocks in the expectation of getting them cheaper a little later on. And yet one company tends to do well when its fellow Footsie members step back...

Hello, Share Bunnies. As the Brexit mess becomes even messier, we need to continue careful consideration of what will happen to our shares. These are the choices. If we *crash out of Europe, the pound will take a hard knock. If we have a soft Brexit, it will shoot up. * TW Note, incorrect word used by those who want to stay in Europe but do not dare admit it like Malcolm.

Bushveld Minerals (BMN) has turned out to be my best performing mining tip ever and shows that it is possible for a small AIM outfit to become a successful producer.

I called AIM-listed Sosandar a buy at 13p, moved to hold at 20p and suggested taking a slice of money off the table at 25p (I got over 27p). I still hold a shade over 75% of my holding so I’m still long, but the shares have moved up further to close yesterday at 32.7p, having peaked at 34.7p. So perhaps I was wrong to be such a coward and cash in so quickly. But I am deliriously happy, with a good chunk of my original stake banked, a whopping profit on the rest and seemingly plenty more to come.

I am the last person to berate the fine folks from my family’s ancestral homelands  of the Kingdom of Ulster or indeed the modern day province. SUFTUM is what I say as I wake up every morning to retweet - with my own comments - @onthisdayPira . But some communities are just perhaps just too tightly knit, too cosy. I refer to the accounting arrangements of First Derivatives (FDP).

Occasionally a company which looks dead and buried does actually manage to turn things around, and I’m starting to wonder if that will be the case with Management Resource Solutions (MRS).

Hello, Share Screamers. I just want to strike one more encouraging note for armchair tycoons like ourselves, before we all settle down to a new year of trading profitably. There are more doom and gloomsters at large than bulls like me. And no wonder with PE’s high and the Footsie breaking new records. But there are reasons for the long-running buying spree and to always worry about a crash is not to take advantage of an established trend.

Hello Share Diggers. It's always a bit unnerving when one takes a different view to the analysts at a big bank. But I cannot share RBC's view that the share price of ASOS (ASC) will rise.

Hello, Share Chuckers. As I bring you promising companies which may have escaped your notice on office days, there’s time to explain my general methods at the weekend. I can’t expect you to follow my various suggestions unless you know my lines of thought. So, for those of you wise enough to subscribe to this essential website, here goes.

Hello, Share Kickers. This is a scary holiday weekend for the many of us still holding IQE (IQE) shares. They have risen again, as I write, but how long can the bandwagon keep rolling? Though I’ve been sorely tempted over the last few weeks to sell at least half my shares, I have not done so. I’ll give you a few of my reasons, some of which are not that strong.

Hello, Share Bangers. There’s little doubt about it the good ship Shareland is entering very spooky waters. At any time now, the bull market will suddenly turn into a bear that will charge around the china shop. Mixed metaphors a speciality!

Following the successful floatation of Fishing Republic (FISH) a couple of years back, it was only a matter of time before one of the other large fishing tackle retailers followed the same route, and we’ve just seen Angling Direct (ANG) list on the AIM market.

Whilst it is true that a lot of the small companies listed on AIM are total junk, there are also some gems amongst them, and I think that Distil (DIS) falls into that category. I first came across this company at the UK Investor Show a couple of years back and it has performed extremely well since I first covered it as a buy here at around 0.8p - the share price is currently nearly 350% higher than it was back then.

Malcolm Stacey yesterday offered up a bank holiday sermon on why shares are heading higher and on economics. Sadly old Getafix operates in a post fact era and thus you can read his original article HERE but, since my co-poisoner here in Greece is "feeling unwell" after a late night, I have the time to offer up a translation. My comments are in bold.

A few weeks back I wrote a piece here suggesting that Central Asia Metals (CAML) was one of the best value mining shares around, and following the release of its final results I believe that to be even more the case now.

Hello Share Swiggers. As I write this, the share I love is once again putting on more value. However, City of London Investment Group (CLIG) can sometimes be in the opposite camp.

Hello Share Takers. Compass Group  (CPS) is one of my all time favourites, but it is not a fast mover. We have here more of a slow steady profitable company that rarely sees huge jumps, and even rare falls in its share price.

Hello Share Sappers. Occasionally armchair tycoons like us come across a little jewel. When it happens, and I’ve commended this share to you previously, it is very tempting to blow my own trumpet. Which is what I now do with Creightons (CRL).

Hello Share Tusslers. The majority of private shareholders at the UK Investor Show at Westminster in a couple of weeks’ time will be sitting on huge gains over the year. They will be in a jollier mood than we’ve seen them in a long time.

Hello Share Packers.  All of the shares I’ve brought to your attention have been making good ground. But then again nearly all shares have been flying on the coat-tails of a bullish Footsie.

Hello Share Swappers. We are now living in even scarier times than usual in Shareland. What with Brexit, Big Donald, a possible new cold war, inflation and growing world debt. We are also being frightened witless by the continuing shocking revelations by Uncle Tom and his top team of investigators. If I were running a shaky company, especially one on AIM, I would not be sleeping - ever.

Hello Share Takers. You’ve probably noticed that there has been a shortage of good take-over stories recently. This might put you off your guard. You might decide it is not worth holding onto a share which has long been in the rumour mill, just  because this sort of deal is becoming as rare as budgie teeth.

Hello Share Pitchers. You may have heard me say a few times that the drinks trade is worth a look - if only because people seem to be boozing more than ever these dark days. An easy way to cheer yourself up, you see.

Yesterday we noted the announcement from ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty play - and one of the Fujian Four – Jiasen (JSI) that it was proposing to delist from the Casino. Having listed at 82p per share in 2014, the current 3.125p (mid, last seen) seems a trifle disappointing. Today the company has given its reasons for the proposal. Try not to laugh….

Hello Share Troggers.  There’s hardly a day goes by when we are not reminded that the National Health Service is in crisis. Hospitals are being overwhelmed by an unfit, ageing population and operations are regularly put off.

Valuing small resource companies can be difficult, and often they will appear to be far cheaper than they really are. The bulletin boards, Twitter, etc are full of people extolling the virtues of the companies that they are invested in and pointing out that they should be worth far more than what the share price currently reflects.

Hello Share Carollers. Despite Wild Rides’ consistent scepticism, I still favour investing in all of the four biggest banks at the mo. The recent rallies of Barclays (BARC) RBS (RBS) Lloyds(LLOY) and the Honkers Bonkers (HSBA) surely support  this view. 

If Marcus Stuttard, the Sham Sheriff of AIM, really believes that the Casino is properly regulated, we think he should put some of his own money where his complacent mouth is by investing in a portfolio of companies which would demonstrate his confidence in his team of Oxymorons at AIM Regulation. We are such nice guys here at ShareProphets that we have helpfully compiled a beautifully diversified portfolio for him. We, ahem, AIM to please.

As someone who works in the fishing tackle industry as my day job, and have done so for nearly 20 years, I watched with interest as the first retailer in the sector floated on the AIM market last June.

Well that is the forecast anyway for those who took part in the San Leon (SLE) placing at 45p details of which were announced today. For once we are on the same side as Tosca Fund which did most of the placing as we also had a modest nibble. Delivery is the key but on those sort of forecasts it would be rude not to invest. 

Hello Share Bouncers. I am now back at my desk following a very invasive operation the day before. However the team carrying it out was a modal of politeness, friendliness and efficiency. Would that some of Britain’s Chef execs were as useful. There’s a very competent management at the National Grid (NG.) too. But that’s not the big factor in the current ballooning share price. The value has shown a 14% rise since Brexit. A few days ago it was another 2% higher than that.

This morning ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty play Aquatic Foods Group (AFG) released its calendar FY15 results. This is a complete farce and AIM Regulation should be ashamed, for that is where the real scandal lies.

AIM is home to an incredible variety of companies. That’s great news for those of us with short attention spans – we can never get bored digging around for AIM treasure (or as Buffett might say, there are many rocks for us to look underneath).

Last week fully-listed Telecom Plus (TEP) released its full year (to Mar 2016) trading update ahead of results to be published in mid-June. It all looks great on the surface, but I think the shares look very toppy.

ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty play Aquatic Foods (AFG) released a trading statement yesterday for its full year to Dec 2015. I commented that the last trading statement had more holes than a fish-net and yesterday’s serving of fishiness lowers none of the Red Flags previously raised. 

Declaration of interest – David paid for lunch, a pleasant burger with a blue cheese topping and a glass of red wine.  I happened to be in New York on Global Shorting Conspiracy business so popped into the relatively new Reach4Entertainment (R4E) offices in mid-town Manhattan to kill a couple of hours before heading to JFK.

One of the problems that AIM-listed China stocks have at the moment is that nobody believes them. Nobody believes the claimed cash-piles or profits. This is amply demonstrated by the stock-market histoire of Aquatic Foods (AFG), a member of the ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty. To remind you, it listed in just February of this year at 70p per share, to give it a market capitalisation of £79.3 million. Yet the shares fell steadily to the current 29p. Today saw Interims to the end of June 2015. Scratch the surface, and the Red Flags are all too apparent.

One of London’s top brokers argues that the London Stock Exchange’s (LSE) lust for screwing the last nickel out of anyone it can is a disgrace and perhaps a sign that on a PE of 42 the shares are a sell. Despite an Oxford degree this fellow needs a grammar lesson so to spare his blushes I have semi-subbed accordingly? The broker writes: 

Investment Case: From around 140p, shares in SpaceandPeople plc (SAL) fell swiftly towards 60p last year following a profit warning on slower than anticipated sales. However, the final results statement for 2014 noted that “the cost base of the business at all levels has been lowered, the effectiveness of the sales team improved and a new mobile promotions kiosk product and service launched successfully. As a result, trading in the latter part of the year stabilised and also showed promising signs of growth”. This has since been followed by a positive AGM update and contract news and, at a current 80p offer price, the shares are a buy - we tipped this at 71.5p offer two weeks ago.

Hello Share Compadres. It is not really expected from me, I know, but I have been getting edgy about the performance of shares lately.

Yes I know that it has just had a profits warning and that the old adage is that warnings come in threes. But I do not expect that to be the case with Stanley Gibbons (SGI) and so it is my third share tip for Easter at 249p.

Wind farms and solar energy are achieving a much higher profile these days. The rather beautiful white giants are springing up in windy corners everywhere. Vast banks of solar cells are beginning to spread. And even though the present government is cutting back on subsidies for solar energy suppliers, it still looks a reasonable bet.

Malcolm Stacey reckons today that I should apologise as the FTSE 100 breaks 7,000. I make no such apology. Some shares have gone up but a headline index can mislead and the reasons for the rally are not sustainable for reasons I explain here. Malcolm is wrong about how current PEs are justifiable and wrong not to be advising folks to bank gains. I look back to 2003 and to 1999 and look forward to 2016 and explain why Comrade Stacey is rash and unwise. A 1916 Wisden is a far better bet.

Hello share smackers. Arm Holdings (ARM) is a very successful and pioneering techno company which has made a lot of money for a lot of people. I am lucky to be among them. The share price has just reached an all-time high.

Hello Share Swingers.There was a ripple of scepticism when I wrote in my modest column that I thought Wetherspoon (JDW), Britain's biggest high street pub chain, was worth a little look.

Hello Share Fans. There is a mighty purveyor of drinkipoos based in the UK which is well worth putting money into. Perhaps not for the in-and-out trader, but almost certainly for the longer term.

Hello Share Plinkers. What is the most reliable way of telling if a company will keep on piling on share value and doling out ever fatter dividends? Wouldn't you like to know? Well, we all would.

Speciality pharmaceutical company, Alliance Pharma (APH) has updated that 2014 “pre-tax profits are expected to be in line with current market expectations” on turnover of £43.5 million and that “we continue to evaluate a number of acquisition opportunities”. 

Tom W has already mentioned a certain Mr Rose earlier today but it is another one of his chairmanship that particularly interests me today and that is at AO World (AO.). I looked at the self-styled ‘leading European online retailer of electrical products’ a few weeks ago and concluded that it would ultimately prove to be a car crash for investors based on an excitable valuation today in a sector with growth but ultimately wafer-thin margins and a high level of competition. 

It’s not been a pretty period for the oil price. On Monday (Monday 5 January) ICE Brent Crude Oil fell by a whopping 5.95% to just over 53 dollars a barrel. On Tuesday (Tuesday 6 January) it was down a further 1.05% to 52.50 dollars a barrel. The slide continued yesterday.

When I had a look at the prospects for Marks & Spencer (MKS) last July - when the shares were trading at around 423p - I came to the conclusion that its shares could move well ahead, citing my subjective estimate of a possible potential extra one pound a share.

As I explained in my Christmas Day 10 macro themes for 2015 I generally cautious on UK equities – hence my decision to run with 5 buys and 5 sells in my NY selection (three more to come by Sunday night). As such my seventh tip is one you may deem cautious but I see 35% capital upside in it plus dividends and very limited downside. I refer to Stanley Gibbons (SGI), a buy at a 290p offer and at up to 300p with a target of 400p.

What first attracted me to HSBC (HSBA) as a tip of the year? The fact that I knew how cold and ruthless it could be. I have a certain amount of ‘inside information’ on this. When you look at HSBC... there is often something quite clinical about it. My sister has a bank account with HSBC... you would be hard pressed to easily find that it pays no interest at all. “This account pays no credit interest” it says in the small print. However, if she went overdrawn she’d be charged around 18% every year.

I always like a niche company. A niche you'll remember is a useful hole in a wall. The niche is useful, yet is small and discreet enough to be overlooked.

It has been announced that BT (BT.A) is in talks to take over EE in a massive £12.5 billion deal, giving the telecom giant access to the fabled ‘four play’ or ‘quad play’ market. A 12% stake in BT would be given to Deutsche Telecom, the partly state owned German operator, who is joint owner of EE with Orange. Deutsche Telecom would also receive a seat on BT’s board.

There are persistent rumours that Sainsbury’s (SBRY) is being targeted by Crystal Amber Fund Ltd in a bid to spice up the ailing supermarket. Crystal Amber is a London based hedge fund which already holds stakes in Aer Lingus, Thorntons and Pinewood Shepperton. However the fund is currently only worth £100 million, so obviously it cannot eat up the big beast that is Sainsbury’s whole.

Season’s greetings share selectors. HSBC (HSBA) is going to be one of the shares to buy for 2015. As you know, I already hold shares in “The World’s Local Bank” and intend to at least hold throughout 2015, and maybe even add to them.

I’ve already mentioned how the FTSE dropped a whopping 2.49% on Friday. I’ll be directly honest with you now, it was quite painful to watch. Sometimes owning shares is like living in a surreal dream, sometimes it’s like experiencing a nightmare. It’s hard to comprehend how you can be worth so much less at the end of the day... for doing nothing.

BT (BT.A) shares are currently trading at 417p, with a dividend yield of 2.62% and a PE of 16.34. This is a big leap forward from a price of around 362.5p in early October.

Earlier this year, Doc Holiday made a sublime call to short Ocado (OCDO). His timing was perfect. No sooner had Doc sounded the death knell for this stock, the share price took a cliff dive. The logic of Doc’s call was deadly simple – “sell the founder”. 

When we look back on 2014 the market share gains by discounters in the retail sector will be one of the investment themes that will be remembered.  There is therefore a certain correctness in the timing of the Poundland (PLND) IPO earlier this year.  Unsurprisingly if you were lucky enough to buy some shares early on in its life as a public company you are currently at a capital loss but let’s not be too critical at least the business has shown a bit of form over the last few quarters.  It is not easy to generate a 4.7% like-for-like sales growth as Poundland did over the last six months.

I many not be at my sharpest but I am not pulling any punches as the Quindell scandal deepens. This podcast covers Quindell, Daniel Stewart, Cenkos, KPMG, the lies, the fraud, the implosion and what the fallout will be. I also look at blinkx ( dire results & another Sheriff of AIM win), warn you about African Minerals and look at stocks on a PE of less than 1.

Shares in online fashion company ASOS (ASC) bounced back somewhat yesterday on the back of results for its year ended 31st August 2014. The following reviews whether the response looks warranted.

dotDigital Group (DOTD) has announced results for its year ended 30th June 2014, adding that “demand for email marketing and marketing automation continues to be strong both in the UK and internationally and whilst the sector is competitive the board believes that the dotmailer platform is well placed to continue to generate strong organic growth in revenues over the coming year”. Are the shares well placed to follow suit?

As it “continues to transition its core business away from traditional communications services, such as public relations, towards social and digital communications”, Next Fifteen (NFC) has announced results driven by a continued strong performance from its North American business and improving UK trading, with EMEA and APAC stabilising. With me having concluded in January that at an approaching 90p share price there looked to be some growth and income value on offer here and reviewing again in August at 114.5p, the following updates with the shares currently 119p.

The FTSE took quite a hit yesterday. It closed down by 1.04% at 6495.58. Yet there is good news- I believe there are a number of buying opportunities around at the moment! For the long term investor a general market sell off should be viewed as an opportunity not a cause for alarm. So here are two stocks that I am nowlooking to add to thanks to the market wobble.

This is Tom Winnifrith’s last video postcard from Greece for seven weeks. He is back in London at the weekend preparing for a presentation on how companies on AIM overstate profits with real examples. That is on Monday but is booked out but if you want to be able to advance book for Tom’s next presentation (it’s free & comes with pizza and wine) register HERE

Customer engagement software company Netcall (NET) has announced a sixth consecutive year of earnings growth in the 12 months to 30th June 2014. However, having considered that there looked to be little on offer in the shares from a value perspective earlier this year (see HERE), is there enough in the results to suggest otherwise?

I am indebted to reader DiscoStu for pointing out data from the LSE website showing what other stocks are held by investors in some of the companies I am less than kind about. It is sort of a Bulletin Board Moron nightmare portfolio. Why are these fools so attracted to POS stocks?

Since I had a strategy for investing, I have adopted the ‘High Yield’ approach to buying shares. In a nutshell, this strategy states that you should buy shares with a yield higher than average for the FTSE 100, if possible with a low PE ratio, the dividend well covered and debt as low as possible.  Does it work?

Shares in Naibu (NBU) have slumped another 10% today to just 21.5p. The company is an out and out fraud and it is only a matter of time before the shares are suspended. If it had a smidgeon of integrity, its Nomad and Broker Daniel Stewart (which likes acting for China frauds on the AIM Casino and also listed Quenron) would resign. But it seems that the greedy ethics free crony capitalist bastards at Daniel Stewart would rather keep banking fat monthly retainers.

Royal Mail (RMG) shares are trading at 419p with a yield of 3.17% and a PE of 3.25. Royal Mail is known throughout the UK as a ‘universal service’ provider of letters and parcels.

This is the second time we have made this or tip of the week. First time around was at 15.75p but the sods round at Arden then organised a placing which rather kyboshed sentiment, However…

Apparently at 31p shares in Naibu now trade on a 2015 and 2015 PE of c0.7. Any stock trading on such a rating is either the cheapest stock on this planet or an outright fraud, a Norfolk. Naibu is a fraud. My target price is 0p and this stock will lose its Aim listing soon. It could be very soon. If Daniel Stewart, nomad and broker to this POS – and the firm that listed Quenron – had any integrity it would resign at once as Nomad and broker. As such I ask two questions of Daniel Cesspit.

National Grid (NG.) shares are currently trading at 914.5p with a yield of 4.6% and a PE of 13.77. And that makes the stock look interesting.

Banco Santander (BNC) shares are currently trading at 631p with a yield of 5.94% and a PE of 19.54. Banco Santander is the largest bank in the eurozone by market value, and one of the biggest banks in the world.

TSB (TSB) shares are trading at 278p offering a dividend yield of 0% and a PE which is hard to determine; perhaps it is around 12. TSB is relatively well known as a banking brand, previously having been part of Lloyds. It is a UK focused bank, providing services to both businesses and individuals. Buy, sell or hold? 

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) shares are currently trading at 74.01p with a PE that is hard to determine of and a yield of 0%. Some estimates give the current year PE as 10 at the moment. Does that make it a buy or a sell?

So I'm pleased with the amount of people reading my share articles so far. I never imagined this would be happening say six months ago – I many be a published author and have been actively investing for years but writing about shares is relatively new. So far on this website I have written only about shares that I own personally. 

Following the comical trading statement from AIM listed POS China joke company Naibu (NBU) earlier this week – see HERE - Broker and Nomad to this Norfolk, Daniel Stewart, has published a buy note but refuses to answer my utterly critical question. The shares have slumped to 43.5p putting them on a PE of 0.95 and a yield of 13.8% if you believe the forecasts. I do not and am thus slashing my target price from 1p to 0.0000001p and will reduce it further if Daniel Stewart cannot answer this question:

StratMin Global Resources (STGR) has announced that it has signed a sales contract with an established US-based graphite trading company and that “now sales channels are being secured, production will be fine-tuned and increased to meet demand and maximise profitability”. 

Fair dues to Dave Breith, the CEO of Coms (COMS). I ripped him apart a couple of weeks ago HERE and he popped into Real Man yesterday and insisted on buying me lunch. I had a salmone e penne, he had a Thai chicken pizza. The food was great and I rather warmed to the man who accepted that my comments were fair.

I was sitting at Real Man Pizza at noon yesterday awaiting my guest, Dave Breith of Coms (COMS). At 12.30 I tried calling to see where he was. His PA called me to say he was off sick and apologising for his second last minute let down in 3 weeks – I do want to meet the guy. As we now know Breith was not sick. That was a lie born out of apparent monumental incompetence at his firm.

Commissioned researcher Edison has published a detailed note on AIM listed IS Solutions (ISL) arguing that a 2015 yield of 3.1% and PE of 14.5 are hardly demanding for a company delivering strong growth.

I published an article on Friday on COMS (COMS) with a factual error. For that I apologise. My conclusion is unchanged but the revised piece follows.



It is funny how some companies bury good news. Lombard Risk Management (LRM) issued an RNS on Friday headlined “notice of results.” I just assumed that it stated “Lombard will issue its results on such and such a date” and as such did not bother to read the actual release. Daft old me.

Fully-listed S&U plc (SUS)is a company I have long followed and the shares were added to the Income portfolio of the ‘Nifty Fifty’ website at an 839.5p offer price in November.

As most of us are aware, the spirit of the age is to reward failed people, business models, banks, and countries, while holding in contempt those who are successful. In November online grocer Ocado (OCDO) was bailed out, despite having never really achieved more than a token profit over the past decade, trading on a forecast p/e of over 200 next year.