Member Info for lordloadsoflolly

Not sure about that. I added just before the last ex dividend date, paying slightly under 396p a share. Factor in the dealing commission + the 6.5p dividend paid since & you're talking a rise from the equivalent of around 395p a share to around 420p currently.

That's up approx. 6.5% in just over a month. Admittedly, largely down to luck with timing, which by no means always happens with me!

But it's important not to overlook the dividend with H&T, as it forward yields around 5% at current share prices.

TopCatz - I agree, an instructive interview.

The "insignificant extra cost per serving size" was interesting. Providing Guiney's definition of significant is the same as the food manufacturers' of course! In the same breath, he talked about it being a "value added" product, which implies it's priced at a significant premium, to reflect the extra production costs & potential benefits.

I'm not sure how he could claim the technology "wasn't available five years ago". Admittedly, Microsalt's precise technology wouldn't have been around then. But similar technology DID exist in the form of Tate & Lyle's SODA-LO™ Salt Microspheres. Though Tate & Lyle may have stopped their marketing more than 5 years ago, so possibly that's what he meant. Which would be a tad disingenuous!

The other claim I'd question is that current competitors' offerings are "bad-tasting". We've done this to death already. But fact is, customer reviews are generally positive about the taste of competitors' products.

Still, some grounds for optimism. Amongst other things in terms of zero failure rate to date on tests conducted by interested third parties.

Will be interesting to see what happens on 18th. Assuming that launch date sticks.

So far, TEK's share price hasn't exactly rocketed on news of the forthcoming IPO, slipping back from its recent 13p+ peak. But TEK isn't just about Microsalt of course. And Lucy & Bell's SPs certainly haven't helped of late.

I suspect Badprophet's post was intended to aggravate, more than engender any serious discussion.

Particularly as (s)he has so far singularly failed to justify the views expressed.

CaptLard - think I can answer that one for you.

No.

FriedmanSowell - I'd second pretty much all of that. Though perhaps our views differ on Elrico's "analytical" skills....

RNSs are there for a very good reason. Bypassing them in favour of a (possibly cheaper) option is - well - just plain cheap. Can you imagine a larger FTSE company starting to do that? There'd be an absolute outcry. Not to mention a full enquiry.

I appreciate Opti isn't even close to being in that league. And therefore SOH has to think more creatively to get his company's name out there. But cosying up to like-minded individuals (or in TW's case, possibly not like-minded, but hardly a desirable influencer nonetheless), just ain't the solution. It simply looks dodgy, cheap & unprofessional.

A similar penny-pinching attitude (assuming that's what this is) led to PBX being listed on AQSE. And look how that's worked out. Sometimes you pay for what you get.

Badprophet - regulatory proceedings would only ever kick in if obvious financial breaches had occurred. I very much doubt you can point to any. Sadly, losing money due to unfortunate investment timing doesn't count.

As for criminal proceedings. Really???? Good luck in court with that one!

An interesting BBC article on pawnbroking this morning, highlighting a surge in new loans:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66993004

It also mentions the FCA's attempts to police the industry more effectively. I found it a balanced article, referring to certain charities' more critical stance towards pawnbroking & their high interest rates. Tellingly though, customer comments are universally positive, describing pawnbrokers as a "lifeline" & a "godsend". Which is unsurprising if loan sharks are the only real alternative. This also bears out H&T's very high Trustpilot rating, with 92% being 5 stars (from over 6400 reviews).

Aquae - apologies if I misinterpreted the following comment from you. To me this implied them drawing attention to potentially price-sensitive developments: "you ought to welcome the additional publicity provided by TW and Elric if it brings to the attention of a wider shareholder base the potential here."

Baf3 - thanks. Coming from you that’s quite a compliment.

Baf3 - if you believe the Israel/Palestine conflict won’t unsettle global markets, that’s fine.

It’s got nothing to do with compassion. FWIW though, I actually think both sides are culpable.

I sense we could well see a decent short term uptick in Microsalt on launch, followed by a gradual drift back down to earth as news dries up again.

As I don't generally do short term trades and am concerned by current increased market volatility, I prefer to sit this one out. Either way, I'll still retain exposure to Microsalt via TEK.

Guess Microsalt's debut will also depend on general market sentiment to an extent. Israel/Palestine tensions are hardly likely to help in that respect over the coming days.

Best of British with that investment Agricore.

Far too many unanswered questions for my liking. But let's hope you're right for all TEK holders' sakes.

Aquae - there's an obvious fallacy in your argument.

In one breath you admit to treating the Elric & TW interviews as entertainment (i.e. nothing that would influence any sane investment decisions).

Yet in the next breath, you claim they bring Opti to the attention of a wider shareholder base. You also imply the dynamic duo's recent interviews were partly responsible for highlighting the latest Sweetbiotix RNS, which in turn boosted Opti's share price.

Can't really be both now, can it.

I fully admit I don't pay any attention to TW and haven't for some time. To many, he looks like he sleeps under a railway arch and is the worse for wear as a result.

As for Elrico providing the opportunity to "drill down on the initial answers given to try and remove any ambiguity". Really?! - I've certainly NEVER seen that.

Looked more like a mutual appreciation society whenever I used to tune in. Again I don't any more, as I value my time.

Got nothing to do with cost DireCons.

My counter-question is why would ANYONE listen to a spokesperson who a) has a clear vested interest in said share & b) is nothing more than a glorified cheerleader for SOH, incapable of asking a single probing question?

If you can’t see that, YOU must be desperate.

Nick1978 - Agreed. I presume your post (or mine) prompted some sort of response from elrico.

Can’t tell, but it’s someone on my filter list. And there aren’t that many.

I never found elrico’s chats with SOH very instructive. Not that I listened to many. It soon became clear to me they were more of a cosy fireside, mutual back-slapping fest from two individuals, both with a vested interest. Rather than any sort of probing interview from a hard-nosed neutral bystander.

Skid35 - I totally agree on your last comment.

I've found SOH's insistence on conducting potentially market-sensitive interviews with a single private investor deeply flawed & unprofessional. I doubt it's even legal. Maybe that line of enquiry's worth pursuing in fact?

Anyhow, this behaviour, Opti's consistent under-delivery v.forecast & SOH's persistent attendance of Sharestock - have convinced me not to make any additional investment in Opti.

Which is a shame, as a) I think Opti potentially has quite an exciting future & b) in other ways, I quite like SOH and kinda think he still has some integrity left (as much as you can ever trust ANY Aim CEO!)

TopCatz - window closes today I thought. Not that I'm going to be investing direct.

Presumably it has a far greater impact on BELL than TEK, as BELL's just ONE of TEK's current holdings.

And a relatively much smaller holding, percentage-wise, at that.

Tivman - but as a TEK shareholder, I'm far more interested in its impact on TEK than on BELL.

And as I mentioned previously TEK clearly states: "the information contained is not considered to be material or to have a significant impact on management's expectations of the Company's performance."

Seamanp911 - OK - I'm going to put my positive pants on. Just for you.

Bell's RNS this morning certainly suggests a very positive direction of travel.

Whilst some of the projected sales may not necesarily materialise, it's unlikely they'd all unravel.

So ggod news.

But (and you know with me there's often a but!) I just wonder why it's been announced via a Reach RNS. At the top, it reads: "This is a Reach announcement and the information contained is not considered to be material or to have a significant impact on management's expectations of the Company's performance." Also, there's repeated mention of PRELIMINARY purchase orders. What are they when they're at home? Where I come from, you either have a firm purchase order or nothing.

Still, looking promising .......