The latest Investing Matters Podcast with Jean Roche, Co-Manager of Schroder UK Mid Cap Investment Trust has just been released. Listen here.
Well during the last month VM and CYBG have been the best performing banks in the Banking Sector - Happy Days. Another nice rise today.
I've more or less found the answer to my own question on the following link:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2018/07/26/virgin-money-takes-8m-credit-card-hit-ahead-cybg-takeover/
The merger was supposed to have been agreed in Mid June. However we are still waiting for any official comminication regarding a consolidation in the merged group, name of the new group etc. Does anyone have any idea why it's taking so long? At least in the meantime the SP has reached the levels that we hoped it would for a takeover to happen :)
The Ex-Dividend date is the 9th August so I expect the SP will rise a bit more until then and then drop back slightly.
This now has a feel good factor about it convincing me to buy a sizeable chunk of shares at 126.26 this morning. My daughter works as a Vet for Vets 4 Pets and I'm very impressed with the set up. I believe that from these low levels PETS could be one of the best performing High Street Retailers over the next 12 months.
As so few shareholders were able to attend the AGM I thought it might be useful to provide an update. Unfortunately for some this has not been the case and they are clearly very hostile toward the company. It begs the question that if you no longer believe in what the BoD are attempting to achieve. Why are you still invested here and why are you not attending the AGM, asking questions and venting your anger to the BoD.
Before we start dissing the BoD, lets just wait and see what acquisitions they make and what impact they have. Yes this could go one of two ways, but it's way too early to start making predictions. Give the new CEO a chance to perform in a field where he has a lot of experience.
Relisting would required a NOMAD being appointed and no NOMAD is ever going to touch this pile of junk.
They would also have to comply with the New Corporate Governance Code as outlined at https://www.fladgate.com/2018/05/aim-companies-must-comply-with-a-recognised-corporate-governance-code-by-september-2018/
Therefore forget about the prospect of any relisting and accept its over and get a life.
This is a copy of the report that I placed on the Old REDS thread on Monday - It makes sense to have it here.
4 Members of the BoD were present (and about 6 Shareholders)
FrankBeechinor, Spencer Dredge, Guy Van Zwanenberg and Diana Dyer Bartlett.
All the resolutions were passed
In response to a question it was confirmed that the company would not have to pay any tax on the disposals.
FB confirmed that with taking over as CEO that he had stepped back from his commitments with 3 other companies and also reduced his small involvement with Dot Digital.
Following the disposals SMRT has 3 offices in Bristol, Luton and Mildenhall and the premises are relatively inexpensive to run. They have a robust team of 67 staff many of which have the ability to work from home.
They are looking at about 3 acquisitions in the next year and FB sees the potential to rebuild shareholder value quickly.
This will be achieved by.
1. "Bulking up the businss to increase turnover"
2. "Filling functionality gaps with analytics and field management.
There was a third point to do with SaaS but I couldn't keep up with my note taking.
FB's commitment to his role as CEO is for at least 3 years and his aim is to turn SMRT into a company with a Market Cap of £200m - £400m.
He told a story of how in the dark day of COMS when the SP had dropped to 0.4p how it could have been easier to give up but he heard an account of a woman who had invested her life savings of £68k in COMS when the SP was 8p and that this was a big motivating factor in doing all that could be done to turn around the company's fortunes.
It certainly came across to me that they intend to reduce needless costs and thereby create a lean and effective operation.
TVR
We certainly can be thankful that they carried on and pulled us back from the brink.
FB comes across as a really genuine person who "Wears his heart on his sleeve" and does feel shareholders' pain. He is also an articulate communicator. We now need him to identify and close deals on the right acquisitions and IF he can do that and come anywhere near to his hoped for M/Cap then our patience will be rewarded.
ERV1
You're welcome :)
I also meant to add that there were about 6 private sharehloders present.
4 Members of the BoD were present.
FrankBeechinor, Spencer Dredge, Guy Van Zwanenberg and Diana Dyer Bartlett.
All the resolutions were passed
In response to a question it was confirmed that the company would not have to pay any tax on the disposals.
FB confirmed that with taking over as CEO that he had stepped back from his commitments with 3 other companies and also reduced his small involvement with Dot Digital.
Following the disposals SMRT has 3 offices in Bristol, Luton and Mildenhall and the premises are relatively inexpensive to run. They have a robust team of 67 staff many of which have the ability to work from home.
They are looking at about 3 acquisitions in the next year and FB sees the potential to rebuild shareholder value quickly.
This will be achieved by.
1. "Bulking up the businss to increase turnover"
2. "Filling functionality gaps with analytics and field management.
There was a third point to do with SaaS but I couldn't keep up with my note taking.
FB's commitment to his role as CEO is for at least 3 years and his aim is to turn SMRT into a company with a Market Cap of £200m - £400m.
He told a story of how in the dark day of COMS when the SP had dropped to 0.4p how it could have been easier to give up but he heard an account of a woman who had invested her life savings of £68k in COMS when the SP was 8p and that this was a big motivating factor in doing all that could be done to turn around the company's fortunes.
It certainly came across to me that they intend to reduce needless costs and thereby create a lean and effective operation.
Anyone going to the AGM later this morning?
Totally irrelevant, as the new Ticker wil be SMRT.
Thanks Kitkateat for making me aware that the troll is still around. I have that particular troll on Filter as its post are usually pathetic. So yes, I am doing as you suggest.
I appreciate that both aspects go into making a building Smart, however I believe MB's expertise is more in the Infrastructure, IBC etc. Whereas FB's is more in the Software side. I don't think that they would have needed to mention the possibility of him gong to Excel IT until the move is confirmed. The RNS merely notified us of MB's "Intention" to step down. No date was given, therefore another RNS will be required in the future to notify us of the date of his departure and should he be moving to Excel IT then it will no doubt be confirmed then. We will have to wait and see.
After the RNS in May, one of my first thoughts was that "As MB is so into Smart Buildings, he might move to Excel IT and become their new CEO or at very least a Director". Today's announcement of his departure still makes me feel that this is a strong possibility. It is good to see that he will remain with us for several months to ensure a smooth transition. This again will be importants as in his recent 16 minute Director's Talk interview he referred to the close links that will exist between the 2 companies. Clearly if he does move to Excel IT then this will help to maintain the close relationship between them and us. MB has done very well is rescuing REDS from oblivion and should be congratulated for this. Hopefully in his new position, which I expect will be at Excel IT, he will continue to maintain his links with REDS for the mutual benefit of both companies. One other another positive, is the at least we are no longer going to have certain people griping about his salary.
Unfortunately many people are too lazy to read the RNS’s therefore my post was meant as an encouragement to do so. For over 3 years I have worded my posts very carefully, they have been very circumspect and moderate and I would challenge anyone to find otherwise. This company is not COMS, it has a new CEO and BOD and has moved on from Telephony to Smart Buildings and will soon reinvent itself as a Software Company. Anyone could go into anyone else’s posting history and find errors. The important thing is learning from the errors and MOVING ON. It a shame that some people are incapable of MOVING ON and persist with snide remarks.
A quick analysis of the figures of the 3 divisions suggests that the Software Division is by far the best performing of the 3 divisions in the company. I've copied some of the figure below from the Final Resuts comparing last year's and this year's figures, but suggest you review the full figures yourself in the RNS. (Apologies in advance if the spacing goes awry). Year ended 31 January 2017 Systems Integration Managed Services Software Revenue 24,586,000 15,310,000 1,625,000 Adjusted profit before taxation 888,000 1,524,000 321,000 NOW COMPARE THESE WITH THIS YEAR'S FIGURES Year ended 31 January 2018 Systems Integration Managed Services Software Revenue 24,213,000 18,023,000 5,338,000 Adjusted profit before taxation 463,000 2,207,000 1,660,000 It is very clear that the Software Division is the Jewel in the Crown and this bodes well for the future. I would suggest that for any existing or potential investor, the sections of the RNS entitled: "Strategy" "Software Development" "Acquisition" & "Outlook" are essential reading.
This was the link given on Twitter for the interview https://bit.ly/2JiKjCM However not sure if it will come work on here.
Thanks LR4850 Analysing the SP movement since the release of the interview with Directors Talk suggests that the 15+ minute interview has answered a lot of the questions that shareholders have had about how the remaining software division will function once the other parts have been sold and the type of relationship that we will have with Excel I.T. Services. It is likely to benefit both Companies as REDS and Excel I.T Services will no longer be competing against each other for the Infrastruction and Managed Services Contracts enabling Excel to perhaps go for higher margins. It also sounds as though that there will be cross referral of each others products when a customer requires both the infrastruction and software. MB only fully took up the reigns here less that 30 months ago and set about a major restructuring which saw the loss making telecoms side of the business ditched in favour of Smart Buildings. This decision rescued us from oblivion and has enabled the Company to become more profitable that it has ever been previously. He has negotiated a very good price with Excel IT and clearly feels that concentrating on the Software side of the business will see higher margins and therefore enhance shareholder value more quickly than by keeping the status quo. It is a brave move and once again he needs us to keep the faith as REDS once again reinvents itself. Based on what he has achieved so far and having heard his plan for the future I am likely to retain my considerable share holding here but do plan to attend to GM to fully satisfy myself that I am happy with the new direction that the Company is taking. Hopefully there will be a Q&A session as there was at the last AGM.