Knowledge Sppt Share Discussion Threads

[money loser] 17/2/2001 02:16

Loss making technology company today valued at £145m with a miniscule yearly revenue of £2m which recently released a profit warning and currently in fresh territory of new lows.

Results due soon and I do not think it will be a pretty sight.

Hmmm......to go long or to go short? Advise anyone?

[gausie] 16/2/2001 22:38

i'd planned to go short if may low was breached. didn't realise it had already happened. will be joining you chaps start of next week.

[goodfella] 16/2/2001 18:37

With results due soon and the slide renewed looks like we could be in for another profit warning.

200,000 crossed at £1.80 should set the mark for Monday Morning.

£1 here we come.

[spectoacc] 06/1/2001 16:08

Right: at £4.67, KSS was on a 2001 pe of 175. Price is now £2.70, but earnings cut to 1m from 2.5m. Shares have less than halved; next year's pretax down 3/5ths. It's all estimates, but to my mind that makes KSS even more highly rated than before.

I've traded them twice on the long side for 11 and 8 points respectively since the warning; may do a PON/FTC/SEM/BVC and have a lot further to drop IMO.

[moonblue] 06/1/2001 13:15

more fun to be had on monday.............................................
London, Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Knowledge Support Systems Plc shares fell 32 percent after the U.K. software company said full- year sales will be lower than it expected because it failed to clinch contracts with several retailers.

Knowledge Support shares fell 32 pence to 253.5, the lowest price since June 7, 2000, and the biggest intraday fall since the stock began trading on March 28, 2000.

The ``failure to make the numbers at the end of the year has put more speculation on the stock, the risk has increased,'' said Owen Edwards, an analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. Edwards cut his recommendation for the stock to ``hold'' from ``buy'' before the company issued its trading statement.

Investors dumped the shares after Knowledge Support said its revenue expectations for the year ended Dec. 31, 2000, were ``dependent'' on completing at least one agreement with ``major'' U.K. retailers. Those agreements will take longer than expected, it said.

``We are one deal short,'' Chief Executive Madan Singh said in an interview. The contracts were worth between 2 and 3 million pounds, he said.

Knowledge Support had ``insufficient time'' before the end of 2000 to convert two pilot projects into license agreements with the retailers, the company said, declining to name the retailers.

Investec Henderson Crossthwaite, the company's broker, cut its estimates for the full year to a pretax loss of 2 million pounds from a loss of 600,000 pounds, said Colin Line, head of equity sales, in an interview. He also cut his pretax profit forecast for 2001 to 1 million pounds from 2.5 million.

Knowledge Support said it develops and markets software products that help companies by setting prices in competitive markets and allocating promotional resources.

[spectoacc] 04/1/2001 16:05

You were quick off the mark with that Mb. Hope you made a packet on it.

Well done - brilliant piece of trading.

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 11:08

RNS Number:6881W
Knowledge Support Systems Group Plc
4 January 2001



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4 January 2001





Knowledge Support Systems Group PLC


Trading Update



Knowledge Support Systems Group PLC, ('the Company or KSS'), which develops
and markets software systems which enable organisations to make profitable
decisions through the setting of prices in competitive markets, today makes a
further trading announcement to that announced on 2 November 2000.



Since its flotation, KSS has focused on the recruitment of sales people and
support staff, the conversion of existing pilot projects into licence revenues
and the development of a pipeline of further qualified pilot opportunities for
2001.



Retailing

The two pilot projects with major UK retailers continued up to the Christmas
period. Although initial results are encouraging and the pre-agreed pilot
project success criteria were met, there was insufficient time before year end
to conduct all the analysis, operational planning and commercial negotiations
necessary to conclude license deals. The Company's revenue expectations for
the financial year ending 31 December 2000 were dependent on converting one of
these two pilot projects into licences. As a result of this slippage, the
risk of which was pointed out in both the trading statement of 2 November 2000
and the Interim Results statement on 11 September 2000, the Company's revenues
for the year ended 31 December 2000 will not now meet earlier market
expectations. The Company's management is confident thatat least one of
these pilots will progress to contract stage in 2001. Further announcements
of progress will be made as and when appropriate.



Developing the Company's Retailing Division has increasingly become the focus
of attention during the course of last year as it became clear that the value
of potential contracts was significantly larger than originally envisaged.
Whilst this is expected to have a very positive impact on the Company's future
revenue stream the value of the contracts under discussion are such that
potential customers are expected to take a longer period to complete their due
diligence and operational testing.



In order to mitigate the effects of this longer sales cycle, KSS is focusing
on increasing the number of customer projects running so that it will become
less dependent on the fate of one or two deals as was the case last year. In
this regard, the Company is planning to commence an additional 6 pilot schemes
during the first quarter and maintain thatrate during the rest of the year.
These should reduce the dependence on individual deals and help to smooth the
revenue stream in 2001.



Petroleum

This market sector has performed well since the flotation and on 30 November
2000, the Company announced that it had completed a second European software
installation with the Multi-National Fuel Supplier and Marketer with whom a
global framework agreement had been signed earlier in the year. The Company
has also received expressions of interest from several subsidiaries of this
company, and is currently working on the rollout of its products in that
company's next major region. This further development will not necessarily
involve a pilot study.



KSS has recently appointed a new dedicated sales person and sales support
staff for this account, who will use the existing two installed references to
speed up the take-up of KSS products by the different subsidiaries of this
company, including the US divisions.



Negotiations for a license agreement for the PriceStrat product with another
multi-national fuels supplier and marketer were suspended at the year end for
further price discussions. Management are confident that this agreement will
be satisfactorily concluded in the first half of 2001.



The licence fee levels and rate of take-up in the petrol sector are in line
with the original business plan.



Telecoms

Following the successful completion of a pilot project, a licence for TelPrice
has now been signed with SFR, the leading mobile communications operator in
France. This deal provides a valuable European reference site for the company
in the Telecommunications sector thus facilitating a faster take-up of this
product in the crucial European market.



General

The Company has made great strides over the last year to develop not only its
sales teams, but at the same time has also put into place trained sales
support teams for the delivery of pilot prospects, product implementation and
on going customer support. Collectively this accounts for 58 of the 148
employees as at 31 December 2000.



The financial position of the Company remains strong with current cash
reserves being in excess of #32.0 million.



Prospects

Assuming no significant deterioration in the global economy, the Company's
Board of Directors believes market expectations for 2001 should remain
unchanged and still expects the company to be profitable for that year.



CEO Madan Singh commented:



'I am very pleased with the progress the Company has made in the 9 months
since the flotation. We have now built a strong sales andsupport team and
have an excellent pipeline for 2001. Although the failure to sign the retail
contracts before the end of December financial year was disappointing, I am
confident of achieving the growth targets we have set for the future. For
example, in Retail, with the much larger pre-qualified prospect list we need
to convert only one in four of our pilot projects to licences to meet our
objectives for that division'



The Company will be holding a conference call for analysts and shareholders at
12 noon today. To participate, please contact Tim Thompson or Nicola Cronk at
Buchanan Communications on 020 7466 5000.



For further information please contact:


Knowledge Support Systems PLC:
Madan Singh, Chief Executive Tel: [phone]

Buchanan Communications
Tim Thompson / Nicola Cronk Tel: [phone]

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 09:10

mm's sticking together like glue or even pooh

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 08:27

there are no buyers for this stock staying swhort

[moonblue] 29/12/2000 15:25

http://www.manugistics.com.....COMPETITION

[moonblue] 29/12/2000 14:04

found this on MF bb
.....This sounds familiar "Talus Solutions is the worldwide leader in Pricing and Revenue Optimization. For two decades we have been delivering high value software and services that have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in incremental revenues and profits for our clients.

Our Pricing and Revenue Optimization solutions help you determine how to drive the highest possible return from selling your products to the right customers at the right time through the right channels at the right prices. Our customers realize immediate, measurable, and often dramatic increases in revenue and profit.

Employing advanced technology and sophisticated business processes, Pricing and Revenue Optimization is becoming 'the' lever that CEOs use to increase revenues and profit from existing customers and win new ones. Whatever your business–from airlines to manufacturing, e-business to traditional sales channel, products or service–Talus Solutions delivers profitable growth."

these guys recently merged with Manugistics valued at $366 million on $40 million revenues, which would suggest KSS is trading at a premium? comments?

[moonblue] 29/12/2000 14:03

found this on MF bb
.....This sounds familiar "Talus Solutions is the worldwide leader in Pricing and Revenue Optimization. For two decades we have been delivering high value software and services that have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in incremental revenues and profits for our clients.

Our Pricing and Revenue Optimization solutions help you determine how to drive the highest possible return from selling your products to the right customers at the right time through the right channels at the right prices. Our customers realize immediate, measurable, and often dramatic increases in revenue and profit.

Employing advanced technology and sophisticated business processes, Pricing and Revenue Optimization is becoming 'the' lever that CEOs use to increase revenues and profit from existing customers and win new ones. Whatever your business–from airlines to manufacturing, e-business to traditional sales channel, products or service–Talus Solutions delivers profitable growth."

these guys recently merged with Manugistics valued at $366 million on $40 million revenues, which would suggest KSS is trading at a premium? comments?

[spectoacc] 22/12/2000 00:59

About another £1m of late reported sells - shows why such a sharp drop.

What I want to know is, who the heck is going to take this many shares off the MMs?

[dobcroft] 22/12/2000 00:23

8) Goodfella is shorting, so likely to be considerable bad comment circulated on the Bulletin Boards.

[adamh] 21/12/2000 14:13

9) chart indicates its heading for the toilet

[hoops] 21/12/2000 11:30

Or how about

THE K*SS OF DEATH

[pommy] 21/12/2000 11:27

come on if you want us to take it seriuosly, please comeup with a more imaginitive title

Like 'No Support for Knowledge Softies'

[m.t.glass] 02/11/2000 10:33

Date: 02 Nov 2000 07:46:59
Service: AFX
LONDON (AFX) - Knowledge Support Systems Group PLC said that with two months of the financial year remaining, meeting or exceeding revenue expectations will be largely dependent on the signing of certain software licenses which may fall just before or after the year end.

The management, neverthless, remain very optimistic about the company's
prospects.

Chief executive officer Madan Singh said the group is well placed to drive
the business towards achieving the aggressive growth targets and financial
metrics that it has set.

In the group's Petroleum division, the first sale of a Country License for
the PriceNet product under a global purchase agreement with a Multi-National
Fuels Supplier and Marketer has been implemented. The implementation of a second country licence is underway and will be complete by the end of the year. A third order received has been scheduled for implementation in 2001.

The board said discussions over further orders under the same purchase
agreement have commenced with other subsidiaries. KSS believes that this
contract alone has the potential for revenues over the next three years in
excess of 15 mln stg.

In Retailing, the company has already built a sales team of 10 to address
specifically the mass retailing market. The company has commenced pilot studies
with 2 major UK retailers.

To exploit the full potential of the PriceStrat product in the Petroleum
convenience retail market, the Retail Division has been enlarged to include the
former Petrol Division.

In Telecoms, the group said that over the last 3 months it has recruited and
trained 3 staff to support and assist Alcatel in the marketing and selling of
the TelPrice product. "We would expect to see the benefits of this investment
within the next 6 months through increased deal flow in the Telecoms sector. In
partnership with Alcatel, a successful pilot of the TelPrice product has been
completed with a major European mobile telephony provider," the board added.

In general, the board said recruitment is progressing better than forecast
both in the UK and USA. Current headcount stands at 120 against the 89 reported
at the end of June. The group plans to have 220 employees by Dec 31 2001.

In anticipation of continued strong growth the company has secured an
additional 4,300 square feet of office space in St James Buildings, Manchester.

The company is committed to continuing its recruitment efforts to increase
both the size of the sales force and the capacity to support pilot studies and
product implementations.
slm/
------------------------------------------------
website is www.kssg.com

[winchc0mbe] 05/9/2000 12:18

Thanks for your thoughts greystone and AnthonyJB im off to bed.

[greystone] 05/9/2000 12:03

Sold mine out at 600p last week. Maybe too early, but I'm not convinced the results will follow the charts...... Happy to take a profit and cast the net elsewhere. G.

[anthonyjb] 04/9/2000 23:34

1/52 is a bit of a giveaway! I've read many medical reports prepared for litigation purposes :-) btw InvestorEase does not give the date for the next announcements. Recently retired forensic accountant!

Good luck with your investments and hope to catch you on another thread sometime.

cheers,
anthonyjb