Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
https://www.ft.com/content/9c8d2906-aead-11e9-8030-530adfa879c2
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-6929651/MARKET-REPORT-UK-cyber-security-firm-NCC-Group-bouncing-bid-rumours-swirl.html
Rumours are circulating around the City that NCC Group, a British cyber security company, could soon be snapped up by a predator.
Its shares have been creeping up over the last few weeks, after warnings of a UK slowdown knocked 31 per cent off its value in January. Over the last month, they are up 19.4 per cent.
NCC, which specialises in 'ethical hacking' to help businesses find weaknesses in their systems, was born when the Government's National Computing Centre sold its commercial divisions in 1999.
Beady-eyed observers have their money on private equity firms, IT giant IBM and, possibly, computer company Dell as potential bidders.
Sources close to the company said it was not in takeover talks, but that hasn't stopped traders speculating that an offer could be on the horizon. The stock was up 2.9 per cent, or 4.8p, at 172.2p.
http://irservices.netbuilder.com/ir/ncc/newsArticle.php?id=2338511&ST=NCC RNS Number : 9447B NCC Group PLC 16 January 2018  NCC Group plc First half results reflect significant improvements to revenue and gross margins since H2 in the prior year and deliver financial performance in line with the Board's expectations. NCC Group plc (LSE: NCC, "NCC Group" or "the Group"), the independent global cyber security and risk mitigation expert, has reported its half year results for the six months to 30 November 2017 ('the Half', 'H1', 'the Period'). Operational and financial highlights Continuing operations (1) H1 - 18 �m H1 - 17 �m Change % H2 - 17 �m Change % Revenue (�m) 118.2 110.3 +7.2% 107.5 +10.0% Gross profit (�m) 46.6 40.6 +14.8% 38.1 +22.3% GM% (2) 39.4% 36.8% +2.6% pts 35.4% +4.0% pts Adjusted (3) operating profit 14.1 16.2 (13.0%) 9.2 +53.3% Operating profit 6.6 7.4 (10.8%) (54.6) +112.1% Net cash flow from operations 14.7 12.2 +20.5% 15.8 (7.0%) Net debt (44.4) (48.8) +9.0% (43.7) (1.6%) Cash conversion ratio (5) 71.0% 57.5% +13.5% pts 106.0% (35.0% pts) � Group revenue from continuing operations grew by 7.2%: o Organic(4) retained Assurance growth 14.3% - all four territories double-digit growth o Escrow organic growth 1.8% (2.1% before FX) � GM% improved by 2.6% points from 36.8% to 39.4%: o Assurance GM% from continuing operations grew by 2.7% points to 32.3% through utilisation gains o Escrow GM% recovered by 4.9% points through better cost control and improved verification testing delivery processes � Adjusted operating profit from continuing operations fell to �14.1m (2017: �16.2m) due largely to planned overhead increases committed in the prior year and adverse FX charges of �1.3m which more than offset GM gains � Operating profit fell from �7.4m to �6.6m for the same reasons noted above � Adjusted basic earnings per share 3.7p (2017: 4.7p), Basic earnings per share 1.4p (2017: earnings 2.0p) � Improved net cash flow from operations of �14.7m (2017: 12.2m) driven by improving working capital management; � Relocation to new Manchester HQ completed incurring �3.7m capital expenditure in the Period � Interim dividend maintained at 1.5p per share Strategy progress update � Assurance division now reorganised along geographic lines. � Changes to sales structures and go-to-market strategies in the new Target Operating Model will complete by Q4. � Focus on realisation in professional services starting to yield some margin benefit. � Benefit also delivered by selling more value-added specialist services for s
Adam Palser appointed as NCC Group CEO Today it was announced that Adam Palser will join NCC Group as Chief Executive Officer on 1 December 2017. Adam�s wealth of experience and track record of success in the professional services B2B and cyber sectors, make him a great fit for NCC Group as it continues to deliver on its strategic objective of being the global leader in cyber security and risk mitigation. Commenting on Adam�s appointment, Chris Stone said: �On behalf of the Board I am delighted to welcome Adam as NCC Group�s new CEO. He comes with a wealth of business experience and a track record of success in the professional services B2B and cyber security sectors. I am confident that NCC Group will flourish under his leadership.� Adam Palser commented: �NCC Group is an exciting business with a wealth of talent in the cyber security and risk space. The $75 billion global cybersecurity industry is growing rapidly as awareness increases of the external threats faced by all organisations; NCC Group is well placed to protect them using its tools, skills and experience.� �I am very much looking forward to working with Chris, the Board and my new colleagues to ensure that NCC Group can fulfil its potential and play its role in protecting the systems and networks on which modern business and society relies.� Adam was previously CEO of NSL Ltd, the public services provider, which had over 3,000 employees. He joined NSL in 2015 and led the successful transformation and sale of the business for its Private Equity owner, leaving in March 2017. Before that he held a number of senior roles at QinetiQ between 2003 and 2013, most recently as EMEA Business Development Director. Prior to that, Adam had responsibility for QinetiQ�s cyber, information warfare and professional services businesses. The Group expects to report its half-year results, for the six months to 30 November 2017 on Tuesday, 16 January 2018.
I reckon this will go up considerably once they have sold the SWT and Web Performance wings of the business and get a nice cash injection of a few 10's of million. They will also be showing that they are willing to make big changes to focus on key areas of the business.
Well done all... i sold out at 19.50 what a loooong process that was. Hardly worth the ups and downs as i was in at an ave of about 17 lol Good bye and good luck in the future.
I've just sold... It was only last week i was siting here with half this amount. I won't get greedy. I am out.
20p is a ridiculous price. Hytera have done a great bit of business there.
Well done to all... We finally made it... I actually only made a little bit of profit here in the end but there was some nice money to be made only a week or so ago when they dropped to 9p, however like most of us here i had enough of this share to pile in on such a great price. Oh well... CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE
This share is seriously ****ing me off now. The one share i own that is involved in a take over and it is the worst take over ever... it's only a 70 million company ffs
Great article. Really makes you wonder WTF the government are doing.
Been in these shares for a few years. Already way too deep here however at these prices you cannot lose. Long term i can see £4, short term could easily double your money. Great entry point. At these prices it really is the strongest buy out there.