RE: Nice27 Sep 2019 13:57
MediaZest – argues set for ‘much improvement’… but is it really?
By Steve Moore | Friday 27 September 2019
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from *************). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
Audio-visual systems for organisations-focused MediaZest (MDZ) has updated including that “two large projects set for completion in November/December… should generate significant profitability in the quarter ended 31 December 2019” and “new business enquiries in recent weeks have markedly increased and several potentially significant opportunities are being pitched in coming months”. The shares have responded currently more than 14% higher to 0.08p…
However, it expecting to build upon last year’s profit is stated “pending successful upcoming pitches” (of course, far from guaranteed) and “despite the economic environment”. Indeed, “the first half of the financial year has proved difficult against a challenging macroeconomic backdrop in the UK, felt particularly keenly in the retail sector. This has been mitigated somewhat by cost savings implemented at the beginning of 2019 and ongoing contractual revenues which continue to renew at a healthy rate”.
“Mitigated somewhat” means not wholly mitigated then and there is reliance on “the second half of the year is set to be much improved”. However, last year a half year to 30th September profit of £90k on revenue of £1.8 million developed into a full-year just £6k on revenue of £3.3 million. Now there’s been another “difficult” half but we’re asked to believe in a “much improved” second half in a “challenging” macro environment – and it can only say even that is “to build upon last year’s profit for the current financial year”.
Additionally, even that £6k profit saw a net current liabilities position slightly increased - to £0.99 million - and net assets slightly lower at £1.819 million and including £2.77 million of intangibles. As such, although “further projects for Ted Baker, LuluLemon, Pets at Home, Tiffany & Co, Kuoni, HMV and Hyundai have been completed or are in progress”, I suggest the half-year numbers will re-spark concerns here and my stance remains avoid / sell.