Great coverage in the FT1 Aug 2017 12:54
I came across this good article in the FT from last month - reads well:
Https://www.ft.com/content/f183933c-626a-11e7-91a7-502f7ee26895
"Man in a van delivers growth
It is growing at 50 per cent annually, has made 22 acquisitions in a decade and doubled its share price in two years. Must be a tech start-up? No. This business makes a profit and is rooted firmly in the “real” economy just off the M62 at Castleford.
Premier Technical Services Group (PTSG) is an unlikely go-go stock. It does unglamorous things in glamorous places. It provides the maintenance cradles that can be lowered around the Shard, the Gherkin and other tall buildings. It tests electrical and firefighting systems and has been in demand since the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
PTSG debuted on Aim in February 2015 and last week used equity for another buy. It raised £15m through the placing of 12.5m shares at 120p, a slight discount to the 130p price.
It bought Brooke Edgeley, a Manchester-based lightning protection and steeplejack company for £14m. Paul Teasdale, chief executive, says: “We do specialist services only in a good niche and with high margins. We are not a mainstream maintenance services business.”
It has another 60 possible targets in a fragmented industry. Mr Teasdale says it wins repair work on the back of maintenance, so that every £1 in a maintenance contract is doubled. He also claims to deploy his “Man in Van” army more efficiently than rivals.
PTSG increased revenue to £39.2m in 2016 from £25.8m in 2015. Adjusted profit before tax, excluding exceptionals, was up 49 per cent to £7.5m. Investors are convinced, with BlackRock the latest to join through the fundraising. Mr Teasdale co-founded the business with chairman John Foley and two others in 2007. He and senior directors still own about 51 per cent. The challenge will come as it grows and outside investors become the majority."
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