AGA Rangemaster Share Discussion Threads

[soysoy] 22/6/2005 09:43

still looking good

[gaussfactor] 13/6/2005 14:36

Every time these shares have a little burst upwards I suspect that there might be some big contract win imminent. Am slightly disappointed that there hasn't been an announcment by now, e.g. "McDonalds to switch to infinity fryer worldwide!"

[soysoy] 13/6/2005 12:31

YES I AM STILL IN HERE

[gaussfactor] 13/6/2005 11:59

Heading back up to the Year's high (and beyond, hopefully).

[soysoy] 10/6/2005 17:55

- Aga Foodservice Group PLC has bought the Irish stove
manufacturer, Waterford Stanley, for up to 13.8 mln eur in cash.
Aga, which manufactures Rayburn cookers, bought the Irish based business
from the US financial services group Pricoa.
William McGrath, the chief executive of Aga said: "Strengthening further our
position as an international leader in premium appliances is central to our
expansion plans. With Stanley adding to our Aga, Rayburn and Rangemaster lines
we have a tremendous product offering for Ireland, a market where our product
range is very much at home."
[e-mail]
ec

[gaussfactor] 05/5/2005 08:47

AGM today. Looking for a statement around noon if same as last year. A big contract win announcement for the infinity fryer would be a nice bonus. Need to get this share back up to 300p.

[gaussfactor] 01/4/2005 11:10

entj,
reported earlier this month. Excellent results and prospects. Next major date is AGM on 5th May followed by "Summit" (see MT Glass Post 64 above)on 12th May. Wouldn't be surprised to see some big "Infinity Fryer" contract announcements to coincide with that since this has been on trials for some time now. Suspect if a breakthrough is made in the US there could be a lot of US investors interested in this share.

[entj] 01/4/2005 10:53

Well, Gaussfactor, looks like it may have been the L&G holding just announced this morning.
Interesting.

Am I correct in thinking that they are due to report eraly next week?

[gaussfactor] 31/3/2005 10:16

Share price showing renewed strength. Something in the wind perhaps?

PS: how about selling the Infinity Fryer to schools? Less fat, less cost.

[gaussfactor] 29/3/2005 11:18

Excellent news and a very interesting website. This could take off in a big way.

[m.t.glass] 29/3/2005 11:12

Doing their bit to stir up concern that will favour their Infinity Fryer product:




SUMMIT CALLED TO INVESTIGATE FRYER HEALTH AND SAFETY

18th March 2005

Aga Foodservice Group has called a summit to debate concerns surrounding the level of safety and efficiency of industry standard sediment zone fryers, currently used in most restaurants, schools and catering operations.

Falcon, Aga Foodservice Group’s commercial cooking operation, has spent 18 months conducting extensive equipment testing. This research has revealed serious health, hygiene and efficiency concerns in relation to sediment zone fryers. The Summit, called for Thursday May 12, will summarise the research and present additional independent verification of Falcon’s findings.

Initial findings highlight the following health concerns:

• Sediment zones, where food debris gathers at the bottom of the fryer, could be a health hazard with the sediment containing potentially harmful compounds including acrylamides, that are thought to be carcinogenic

• Poorly maintained oil contains high levels of free fatty acids and impacts on food quality and fat content of food produced

• The World Health Organisation has highlighted acrylamides as a potential health hazard and encourages the food industry and other researchers to share information about new technologies that can achieve reduced acrylamide levels

• The cleaning and removal of oil from sediment zone fryers is the single largest cause of accidents in kitchens according to the latest Health and Safety Commission report.

• Although the efficiency of commercial fryers is regulated in the UK, burner performance levels are well below those permissible in domestic central heating boilers.

Falcon’s new Infinity Fryer is a model of efficiency and addresses the above issues. It:

• Uses less than half the cooking oil
• Has 86% burner efficiency, greatly higher than sediment zone fryers
• Produces food that contains less fat
• The hygienic flat bottomed design, with push-button, in-built filtration helps keep cooking oil clean

The Aga Foodservice Group is inviting customers, government agencies and food industry experts to attend its Summit to debate these issues fully. The Summit will be held at the offices of Brunswick Group, 16 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3ED.

Stephen Rennie, Chief Operating Officer of Aga Foodservice Group, commented: “Such is our concern over the health and hygiene implications of our findings that we have sought independent verification, which we will present on May 12. Unlike food manufacturing for retail consumption, the foodservice sector lags behind in respect of hygiene, health and efficiency legislation. These are serious issues that need to be debated by the industry. Food equipment manufacturers have a major role to play in raising food standards.”

Ends/

For further information:

Stephen Rennie, Chief Operating Officer: 0121 711 6025
Simon Sporborg, Brunswick Group: 0207 404 5959

----------------------------------------------

See also

[gaussfactor] 29/3/2005 08:42

I think the two views were both well argued and I find them positive on the whole. There are perhaps two main worries in my view, one that Aga will be caught up in any consumer "growth" downturn. Personally I suspect that the likes of Aga, with their niche product, strong brand and relatively wealthy clientele will be better placed than ordinary retailers to ride out any temporary fall in confidence. I'm not sure what effect declining house sales would have on Aga; again I suspect very limited if at all. Secondly, is Aga vulnerable because of 75% dependence on the UK? My reading of recent results is that the US in particular is set for an improved performance in the coming year. Then of course there is always the potential of the Infinity fryer. I remain a holder and believe that the share price has more upside short of a big market fall. Remember that the price can be underpinned also by buy backs.

[rb5] 28/3/2005 01:30

soysoy - why have you deliberately edited the judgements in that S. Times article? Hope you are not trying to mislead people!


For the record the real opinions in the article are:

Andy Brough: Hold
Tim Steer: Avoid for now.

I suggest you amend it.

[soysoy] 21/3/2005 21:31

Foodservice Group PLC
21 March 2005


AGA FOODSERVICE GROUP PLC - DEALINGS BY DIRECTORS

On 18th March 2005, the following directors acquired ordinary shares in the
Company:-

Name No. of shares Price paid per Percentage of Total shareholding Percentage total
acquired share issued share following issued share capital
capital acquired acquisition of the Company

William Brendan MCGRATH 5,000 315.75p 0.004% 130,029 0.103%
Stephen RENNIE 2,000 315.75p 0.002% 58,000 0.046%



21 March 2005


This information is

[soysoy] 19/3/2005 09:58

ALL TIME HIGH

[gaussfactor] 18/3/2005 14:08

Aga in cool £3m Wembley deal
Jim Armitage, Evening Standard
18 March 2005
COOKERS-to-wall tiles group Aga Foodservice expects to make £3m providing refrigerators for the enormous catering operations at the new Wembley stadium. The company's Williams division has begun installing about 500 fridges and 50 cold rooms at the vast venue.

[gaussfactor] 18/3/2005 13:54

'They're a pretty robust set of figures,' Arbuthnot analyst Mike Blogg, who rates the shares a 'strong buy', told AFX.

[gaussfactor] 18/3/2005 10:34

LONDON (AFX) - British kitchen equipment maker AGA Foodservice Group PLC posted a 7.5 pct rise in 2004 profit and said it hopes a new design of deep-fat fryer will boost annual sales by as much as 26 mln stg within three years.
'We think we've really got something very exciting to beat the drum about,' chief executive William McGrath told reporters on a call.

AGA is hoping its Infinity fryer, complete with what it claims to be a revolutionary in-built filtration system, will grab a 10 pct slice of a global market, which it estimates to be worth around 500 mln usd (260 mln stg) a year.
'Ten percent is certainly something we would see as attainable within a three to five year period,' chief operating officer Stephen Rennie said.
It says that since the fat needs removing less frequently, the Infinity product will help companies significantly reduce accidents, currently accounting for around a third of all injuries in commercial kitchens.
It says there is a major environmental benefit too since the amount of oil being used by each fryer will be cut by around 125 litres per week.
'This is a big issue. A lot of chains talk about using thousands of tons of oil a year,' Rennie said.
He noted that regulations governing the disposal of oil waste were also being tightened.

The fryer, for which AGA has already applied for a worldwide patent, is currently being trialled around the world by fast food giants Burger King and KFC.
'The trials have gone extremely well... They're extending the trials; they're putting them into more stores,' Rennie said.
McGrath added the company is in discussions with 'all the major industry players'.

The company said it expects to continue with its 'balanced approach of acquisitions and share buy-backs as market opportunities allow'.
McGrath said AGA, which last year bought back around 4 pct of its issued share capital, had the capacity to buy back a further 10 pct of the company.

He added that AGA was currently tracking several acquisition targets in both Europe and North America.

[gaussfactor] 18/3/2005 09:09

That's a good first hour for the share price, on relatively modest volume. The major players have yet to strike. I have increased my own short/medium term target to the 340/350p range though in the longer term 400p should be obtainable in my view. The business prospects look good, in particular:
"...Markets across the foodservice activities are improving and
the Infinity Fryer is set to make a major impact..."

[gaussfactor] 18/3/2005 08:04

Very impressive results with a number of parts of the business having a strong second half to the year and with some of the recent acquisitions still on the up, and with the infinity fryer "set to make a major impact". Expect a lot of facvourable comment on these results. In my view Aga remains a good solid hold.