Charles Jillings, CEO of Utilico, energized by strong economic momentum across Latin America. Watch the video here.
Sorry was out this morning, yes I expressed concern on the reliance on Steifel as the NOMAD and broker, alongside the dreadful PR firm that they used to insulate themselves from investors directly. Furthermore, I pointed out that the presentation they did last week contained no financial guidance on future margins and targets etc other than revised sales numbers and that the broker didn't share any such figures, unless to their paying II's through a boker note that a large proportion of their register cannot access..
The announcement of the need for finance in 15 months was also a cause for concern as a toxic thing to do when their was no need to do so (although acknowledging it was very honest).
In summary his response was to acknowledge the message from retail loud and clear last week and that the company would up their PR and look to communicate more with retail. He didn't thing proactive or vox was necessarily the right forums and would wish to do face to face events like their used to do before the pandemic. I purposefully didn't refer to the SP as I think it would have served no purpose but he maintains that they are at the stage they wish to be with the business and can now plough on with commercialisation.
My take on it was that they are determined to revise things and were 'exploring a number of options'.... I think he is an honest man with high integrity but he has made mistakes and now must listen to the market.
If you go back to the presentation slides his email and that of other members of the board are there to see. I won't post it was it would seem disingenuous to do so but the meet the company presentation has it.. sorry for delay respoonding.
the drop was not the past week the drop has been ever since FDA approval. The reasons are pretty straightforward, firstly the capital reserve for commercialization was depleted given 18 months of delays and secondly they attempted to gauge large investors for another raise and didn't like what they heard in response, so have cut their cloth accordingly and left the market with huge uncertainty now.
What strikes me about the company is not the tech (that is excellent) it is the fact that 27 staff have seemingly just sat on their backside for 18 months; yes they couldn't sell commercially or even enter into negotiations but to tell the market this week that they haven't even written the instruction manual yet is frankly ridiculous. I think the II's they approached again with that presentation weren't impressed and neither was I.
My position here is simple, they either demonstrate rapid progress in the next four months or I will take my losses and run. They cannot go slow now and squander first mover advantage (which is what they are doing to preserve cash); it is a race and not being the hare but a tortoise isn't going to cut it!
The market has given a rocket up the back side of the board but will they heed it? I once again find myself very wary of foreign companies listing in London; always an agenda and Richard's opening comments on the presentation were almost insulting when it came to listing on AIM. He is a nice guy, I don't doubt that but nice guys is not what we need, we need real leadership now from the board and the lack of Director Buys currently says a lot (we are not in a closed period).
Eye open and hope for the best!
I agree YV which I why I don't bother commenting on this board much now. Eric is top drawer as a CEO and I am happy to let it take care of itself for the foreseeable.
The dilemma for may here is the fact that the tech really is outstanding and the utility value for diagnosis is second to none, but the management board are clueless. Not about the tech, but about the way UK capital markets work and the changed landscape of liquidity for the next few years. You simply cannot take investors for granted anymore and this is what they have done. You cannot ignore the concerns outlined in over 100 questions to the presentation and treat investor concerns as noise with just a nod of the head but no explanations. They seem incapable, at this very moment of making the company a good investment; on the contrary they only encourage people to step out and wait for the discounted raise that they have telegraphed to the market clearly will need to happen. If they go into partnership they will be seen as the weak hands by their partners who will expect more than an ounce of flesh for their dollar. It appears to the market to be lose lose situation.
My dilemma is a choice shared by most and I've got a far chunk investing here, do I hold on and hope that things improve and measure them against a yardstick they haven't shown, or do I sell out, take the loss and move on.. In these markets it is a real concern when a Board of Directors show themselves to be so naive.
I would love to call you out ironknut as a holder of this BUT sadly I can't ..I am fuming at the board of directors for insulting UK investors with the same old same old. We know the tech is good we wanted answers to questions on sales forecasts, margins, profit projections but we got 'the cash lasts until May next year!'
The market filled in the blanks rightly or wrongly, and assumed that the cash burn rate will be the same with little revenues or margins to offset it. In all my years of investing I have never witnessed such a poor presentation with a through away remark of we will answer all investors questions in the presentation and answered none! Arrogance or just plain ignorance in the extreme and it proves to me that the CEO is past it and the board treat the whole capital thing as they would a research grant for a not for profit org.
They tap UK investors for capital that, by their own admission today they would never have been able to do in the states. There is a reason for that....and that until today was a very very important point I chose not to consider... The timelines for even converting the research units to commercial is 12-24 months. So loss making for three years if things go well and hatch waxam protection for 2yrs after that. The best thing this board can do for share holder is a strategic review and sale. They won't of course because of hubris and I now fear we will fade into the distance as so many UK listed companies do and be picked up for cents on the dollar as their first mover advantage is squandered away. The time they should be going big is the time they are now cutting back to save cash because they failed to convince the market of their commercial plan. Big let down for me !!
https://twitter.com/Ub3rmik3/status/1622590630424637442?s=20&t=3fqZhpxBULXFMnLiTbluag
pinch of .....