Company News

How to turn 9.5% into 2.4% – British Smaller Companies VCT

British Smaller Companies VCT (BSV) have recently circulated their Annual Report  prior to the AGM on the 29th July. They had a good year according to the Chairman's report with the value of the investment portfolio increasing by 9.5% over the year.  But the total return (net asset value plus dividends increased by only 2.4% (a rise of 4.8p to 197.5p since launch). How can that be? The reason is simply that costs went up 56%. That includes investment advisors fees up ...

Changes at Oxford Technology VCTs

Announcements were made last week about further changes at the four Oxford Technology VCTs and the financial results for the year were also published. These companies experienced somewhat of a revolution last year after two of them narrowly escaped losing their Venture Capital Trust tax status. New directors were appointed to them at that time. This is what is said by the Chairman in one of the Annual Reports about that problem: "Since taking up our appointment, the new Directors of the ...

Greek Financial Crisis and Globo – it’s a Big Day

What better day to go to the Annual General Meeting of a Greek company (Globo Plc - GBO) than the day that Greece closed its banks and stock exchange for as long as a week? At least it used to be a Greek company and although it still has a lot of software development staff in Greece most of its operations are now in the rest of the world. Indeed it has ambitions to be a major global business based on ...

Vacation and Thorntons Takeover Bid

Back from a week's holiday during which one of my holdings (Elementis) issued a profit warning while another was the subject of a possible bid (Netcall). Neither prompted me to take action as I was on holiday even though I spotted the news. The Greek crisis is not yet over and one gets the impression the deadlines keep moving out and most knowledgeable commentators expect some last minute fudge to allow Greece to stay in the Eurozone. At least my total ...

Charles Stanley and Alliance Trust

Stockbroker Charles Stanley (CAY) today announced their Preliminary Results for the year ending in March, and also announced they had exchanged contracts for the disposal of the CSS Division. The results were somewhat better than expected, but there was a loss before tax of £6.1 million, albeit with positive underlying earnings per share. Charles Stanley have a considerable retail investor client base and it is always worthwhile for investors to keep an eye on the financial position of their stockbroker. The ...

Rensburg AIM VCT About Face on Wind-Up

Rensburg AIM VCT Plc have today (18/6/2015) announced that the circular giving details of the previously proposed wind-up of the company has been put on hold. They state that the previous announcements have "......acted as a catalyst to generate interest in the Company and several of the parties with whom the Board had held previous discussions have approached the Board with proposals which might prove to be more attractive than before". Maven Capital Partners, who had written to shareholders, is not ...

Rensburg AIM VCT Wind-up covered in the FT

There was an interesting article in the FTMoney edition yesterday (6/6/2015) on the proposed wind up of Rensburg AIM VCT Plc. The board of directors are pushing ahead with this proposal and a General Meeting to approve it is scheduled with the AGM on the 22nd July. The FT article by Adam Palin points out that anyone who claimed capital gains roll-over relief on their original investment in the VCT may not wish to support the wind-up. It quotes me (as a ...

Issuing More Shares in Investment Trusts – Finsbury Gr. & Inc. et al

Now that many investment trusts trade at a premium to their net assets value, it has become commonplace for them to issue more shares so as to "meet demand" as they tend to say. The latest example of this is at Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc (FGT) which is one of the better performing trusts. Other examples of those who do it regularly are City of London Investment Trust and City Merchants High Yield Trust. In the case of  Finsbury they ...

PLUS500 – the Last Word (Hopefully)

I have been meaning to write something on Plus500, an Israeli based provider of CFD trading, for some time. This may be the last opportunity. It is listed on AIM and was discussed at the last ShareSoc Masterclass in Peterborough, with different opinions on it from panel members. Today (1/6/2015) it has become the subject of an agreed cash offer from Playtech at 400p per share, which surely investors in the company will accept. They may be happy to get out ...

Enormous Costs of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) Legal Action

There was an interesting article by Geoff Ho in the Sunday Express yesterday (31/5/2015) on the law suit being pursued by shareholders against RBS. He reports that the RBoS Shareholders Action Group was presented with a bill for £1.2 million by its former solicitors Bird & Bird and a demand for "prompt payment" after they changed lawyers to Fladgate following concerns over costs and communication. Indeed the original demand was even higher but was subsequently reduced.  Fladgate are working on a ...