African Battery Metals Share Discussion Threads

[fatfin] 24/9/2007 18:39

Have been here since march 2000 buying on the back of dotcom profits at 26p. Bed and spousing along the way to maximise capital gainswith the AIM status. My other favourite is dignity DTY whose share price is not a tru reflection as they gave a £1 per share special last year. If we now drip into a general slowdown these have to be winners in my book.

Fatfin

[shamster] 21/9/2007 16:40

They're never going to double in a short space of time but as a long term investment, over the last seven years or so, they done good. Could easily hit 300p in the next few months. 10 bagger since 2000 if they do.

[edcrane] 21/9/2007 09:01

From today's Financial Times market report ....

Albemarle & Bond rose 3.5 per cent to 239½p as broker Collins Stewart said the pawnbroker would be a "big beneficiary of the credit crunch". Michael O'Brien, analyst, said that as banks tightened their lending criteria, both the economically disadvantaged and recent immigrants would look instead to the likes of Albemarle, which lends money against commodities such as gold and diamonds.

.... if you were keen on charting you might think the shares are just about to break-out ....

[ariane] 18/9/2007 06:01

Tue 18 Sep 2007

Financial market turmoil boosts Albermarle & Bond
THE biggest pawnbroker in the UK was upbeat about future prospects yesterday as its loans to hard-pressed customers grew by 22 per cent.

Albemarle & Bond, which bought rival Herbert Brown in July, said the acquisition and growth in pawn loans to £15.8 million left it "in a strong position for the future".

Analysts said the Bristol-based firm, which has a number of branches north of the Border, was set to benefit from a consumer spending squeeze and economic uncertainty as it posted an 8 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to £7.2m for the year to the end of June.

Seymour Pierce analyst Richard Ratner said: "It is a very well-positioned business and should do well in the likely retail downturn, whilst the turmoil in the financial markets is also likely to benefit it."

The firm's overall sales of second-hand jewellery were up 8 per cent, although flat on a like-for-like basis over the year.

Albemarle's strongest performer was the Speedloan business, offering fast loans to customers who repay via direct debit. The division nearly doubled profits after a marketing push from the company, increasing its loans by 46 per cent.

The pawnbroker's pay day advance service - which lends up to £600 in exchange for a post-dated cheque to be cashed by the company on payday - boosted like-for-like income by 4 per cent.

This article:

Last updated: 18-Sep-07 01:23 BST

[ariane] 17/9/2007 10:04

Albemarle & Bond Holdings "buy"

Monday, September 17, 2007 3:57:32 AM ET
Seymour Pierce

LONDON, September 17 (newratings.com) - Analyst Richard Ratner of Seymour Pierce maintains his "buy" rating on Albemarle & Bond Holdings Plc (ticker: ABM).

In a research note published this morning, the analyst mentions that the company has reported its pretax profits for the year ended in June short of the estimates due to the opening of a number of new Greenfield sites. Albemarle & Bond Holdings announced its dividend at 5.25p, short of the estimates. The estimates for the current year may be reduced marginally, following the acquisition of Herbert Brown, the analyst says. The company is well placed for a slowdown in the retail sector, Seymour Pierce adds.

[ariane] 17/9/2007 08:58

Albemarle & Bond Hld Albemarle & Bond FY pretax profit rises; upbeat for future UPDATE


(Updating with divisional details, share price)
LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC reported a higher
pretax profit for the full year on increased revenues and gave an upbeat outlook
on its acquisitions and pawn loans.
The pawnbroker's pretax profit increased to 7.21 mln stg from 6.67 mln a
year earlier, while revenues jumped to 33.15 mln stg from 29.50 mln. Its
earnings per share increased 11 pct to 11.57 pence.
Albemarle's pawn loans grew 22 pct to 15.8 mln stg and its pawnbroking
income rose 17 pct, accounting for 54 pct of the company's net income.
"The 22 pct growth in our pawn loan book, combined with the opportunities
presented by the Herbert Brown acquisition, puts us in a strong position for the
future," chairman Charles Nicolson said in a statement.
Albemarle expects its acquisition of Herbert Brown, a jewellery and
pawnbroking business, to enhance its earnings in 2008.
Total retail sales of jewellery rose 8 pct but were flat on a same-store
basis. Sales of second hand jewellery constituted 71 pct of total sales compared
with 69 pct last year.
Income from third-party cheque cashing rose 3 pct in total but was down 3
pct on a same-store basis, reflecting the competitiveness of the market as
cheque usage declines, Albemarle said.
Net income from PayDay Advances was up 7 pct, or 4 pct on a same-store
basis.
The company said its Speedloan division had an excellent period, with the
total number of loans issued rising 46 pct on the previous year. Income
generated increased 56 pct and net profit was up 83 pct.
The company lifted its total dividend for the year to 5.25 pence per share
from 4.7 pence, after setting a final dividend of 3.5 pence.
At 8.10 am, Albemarle's shares were up more than 1 pct at 233.13 pence.
[e-mail]
faj/ms1/faj/ms1

[ariane] 17/9/2007 08:04

Albemarle & Bond Hld Albemarle & Bond FY pretax profit rises; upbeat for future


LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC reported a higher
pretax profit for the full year on increased revenues and gave an upbeat outlook
on its acquisitions and pawn loans.
The pawnbroker's pretax profit increased to 7.21 mln stg from 6.67 mln a
year earlier, while revenues jumped to 33.15 mln stg from 29.50 mln.
"The 22 pct growth in our pawn loan book, combined with the opportunities
presented by the Herbert Brown acquisition, puts us in a strong position for the
future," chairman Charles Nicolson said in a statement.
Albemarle expects its acquisition of jewellery and pawnbroking business
Herbert Brown to enhance its earnings in 2008.
The company lifted its total dividend for the year to 5.25 pence per share
from 4.7 pence, after setting a final dividend of 3.5 pence.
[e-mail]
faj/ms1

[ariane] 17/9/2007 07:36

extract




Albemarle & Bond Hld Final Results


RNS Number:9177D
Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC
17 September 2007

ALBEMARLE & BOND HOLDINGS PLC

PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2007


Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC announces preliminary results for year ended
30 June 2007.

Key Highlights

* EPS up 11% to 11.57p from 10.42p

* Proposed final dividend of 3.5p up from 3.2p bringing the total to 5.25p
compared with 4.7p last year - up 12%

* Post year end acquisition of the third largest pawnbroking chain in the UK

Commenting on these results, the Chairman, Mr Charles Nicolson, said: "the 22%
growth in our pawn loan book, combined with the opportunities presented by the
Herbert Brown acquisition puts us in a strong position for the future."

Enquiries:

Charles Nicolson Albemarle & Bond Holdings Plc 0117 933 3213
Chairman

Greville Nicholls Albemarle & Bond Holdings Plc 0118 955 8100
Chief Executive

David Pattinson Albemarle & Bond Holdings Plc 0118 955 8100
Finance Director

Susan Wallace David Venus & Company LLP 01372 465330
Secretary

Josceline Grove Public Relations Consultant W: 0117 933 3213
H: 01798 344500

Nick Reeve Smith & Williamson
Corporate Finance Limited 0117 933 3344



Date of issue: Monday 17 September 2007

PAGE 1



CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2007

2007 has been a further year of growth. Earnings per share increased by 11% to
11.57p (2006 10.42p), with profit before tax increasing to #7.21m (2006 #6.67m).
The directors recommend a final dividend of 3.50p (2006: 3.20p), bringing the
total for the year to 5.25p (2006: 4.70p), an increase of 12%.

During the year we added 11 branches, 4 being acquisitions and 7 greenfield
sites. This is the highest number of greenfield openings since 2001 when we
opened 10. As expected these openings have inevitably impacted on profit this
year but should enhance future earnings. The total number of branches at the
end of the year was 86 which is 15% up on last year (2006: 75).

We are delighted to state that pawn loans grew by 22% to #15.8m (2006: #12.9m).
#0.6m of the pawn loan growth came from acquisitions leaving the growth from
branches open at the previous year end at #2.3m or 18%. Pawnbroking income grew
by 17% and accounted for 54% of net income - slightly up on last year.

Total retail sales of jewellery are up 8% but on a same store basis virtually
flat. Sales of second hand jewellery were 71% of total sales compared with 69%
last year.

Income from third party cheque cashing was up 3% in total but down 3% on a same
store basis. This reflects the competitive state of the market as cheque usage
declines.

Net income from PayDay Advances was up 7% or 4% on a same store basis.

Speedloan has had an excellent year. The total number of loans issued during
the year was up by 46% on the previous year. This is a result of a very strong
marketing effort and the introduction of commission agents. Income generated
increased by 56% and net profit by 83%. The Speedloan debtors balance has risen
by 55% from #2.9m to #4.5m.

The success of the company has been reflected in its share price and this means
that employees and directors who have exercised share options have had to pay
tax on the gain at the date of exercise. The company in turn has had to pay
employers national insurance on these gains and this has cost an additional
#112,000 over last year. The company has received corporation tax relief on
these gains and that is why the effective tax rate is only 25%.

Subsequent to the year end we completed the acquisition of the third largest
pawnbroker in the UK, a long established jewellery and pawnbroking business,
trading under the name of Herbert Brown. The net acquisition cost of #27.7m
was funded in part by additional borrowings and in part by the issue of new
shares. This business made a pre-tax profit in excess of #3.0m in the year to
March 2007. We believe that we can add value to their pawnbroking and other
financial services and in turn Herbert Brown can add value to our jewellery
retailing. We expect this acquisition to be earnings enhancing in 2008.

We believe that the 22% growth in our pawn loanbook combined with the
opportunities presented by the Herbert Brown acquisition puts us in a strong
position for the future.

I would like to thank all our employees for the hard work and contribution
they have made to make these excellent results possible.

CHARLES NICOLSON
CHAIRMAN

Our website can be found at www.albemarlebond.com

[steelman48] 18/8/2007 15:12

AMLA

You said:
"Despite regular increases in profit every year and what seems to be a well run business ABM just hasn't convinced the market that it is a safe investment."

Please have a look at a 5 year chart and see if you're still convinced of the validity of that statement. Yes, the share price performance this year has been sideways, sideways to down now, but as one for the money says, this is familiar phenomena for this time of the year, exacerbated presently by the wild swings in the main markets.

You also said:
"Am unhappy about the oft investigation and will wait on the sidelines"

IMHO if the OFT didn't have a look at this they wouldn't be doing their job, it's just par for the course, but I can't see the management of ABM or it's advisors undertaking the expense of this takeover without looking closely at competition issues. I don't think that the OFT will have any concerns unless the acquired branches are in the same towns as the existing ones. You wouldn't travel to a different town to pawn your wedding ring if there were a pawnbroker on the local high street would you? Having looked at both the ABM and the Herbert Brown websites, this only occurs in 7 (out of 26) of the locations listed, 1 is in Manchester, 2 in Newcastle, surely there will be further competition in towns the size of these. The remaining 4 are Doncaster, which has at least 3 independent pawnbrokers, Sunderland which has 2, Pontefract and Wakefield, which as far as I can see only have Herbert Brown and ABM, so are the only 2 places, according to my logic, where competition, or the lack of it, could be an issue.
The T/O is a done deal, and IMHO, based on the above, will remain so.

No, Gold hasn't risen as expected (expected by who?) in the recent market turmoil, but it hasn't crashed either, and if we look at the main touted reason for the said turmoil, IE: too easy credit and resultant defaults, which may or may not result in credit tightening, then surely this only brings more and more people to the doors of ABM and others like them.

FWIW I bought some more into my sipp on Thursday @ 213ish, it's the highest I've ever paid for em, but I can't see much risk. I think the T/O will be good for this Co. and when the market settles down, .... well I hate to state targets, so I won't.

[one for the money] 14/8/2007 13:28

AMLA: Its always runs sideways (and is volatile) in the summer months (see the long term graph) but picks up just before Christmas and over the new year. Fundamentals unchanged - with more personal debt around it looks a good bet, even at these levels. Also pays a reasonable divi. A rare share for AIM IMHO. See HAT as well - thats got promise.

Cheers
john

[amla] 14/8/2007 11:48

The chart for this year looks dire,sideways and volatile.Seems to be an unloved share at the best of times.Despite regular increases in profit every year and what seems to be a well run business ABM just has'nt convinced the market that it is a safe investment.
Seems to be tarred with the same brush as DFD etc.Also,gold has'nt risen as expected in the recent stockmarket turmoil.Less consumer cash means less purchasing power anyway.
Am unhappy about the oft investigation and will wait on the sidelines.Hope the lower resistance is not broken.Good luck to all holders...you deserve better and so does ABM

[luderitz] 14/8/2007 11:38

Bit of a sell off this morning, down 11p.

[waldron] 07/8/2007 08:52

Pawnbrokers Svensk Pantbelaaning, Helsingfors Pant to merge, launch IPO
Date : 07/08/2007 @ 08:40
Source : TFN


Pawnbrokers Svensk Pantbelaaning, Helsingfors Pant to merge, launch IPO


STOCKHOLM (Thomson Financial) - Swedish pawnbroker Svensk Pantbelaaning and
its Finnish peer Helsingfors Pant
are to merge prior to launching an initial public offering, hopefully next
spring, Svenska Dagbladet reported.




[e-mail]
jms

[luderitz] 03/8/2007 17:18

Interesting news but no change in share price all day, also volume only a little up on three month Average.

Will have to wait and see what transpires.

[nielsc] 03/8/2007 14:02

These kind of things can hang over companies for a while. I wouldn't really have thought ABM was big enough to have the OFT sniffing around them. I'm sure it won't come to much in the end.

Higher interest rates which look like they are on the cards will definately help ABMs business though. As I've held from about 120p I will continue to do so and just take the growing and pretty secure dividends that are paid.

Cheers,
Niels

[waldron] 03/8/2007 13:57

Albemarle & Bond Hld UK's OFT probing anticipated acquisition of Herbert Brown by Albemarle & Bond


LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The UK's Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said it
is considering whether a relevant merger situation has been created, in relation
to the anticipated acquisition by Albemarle & Bond Holdings Ltd of Herbert Brown
& Son Ltd.
The OFT said if such a merger situation is found relevant, it will further
consider whether this could result in a substantial lessening of competition in
the UK that warrants reference to the Competition Commission for investigation
and report.
[e-mail]
kal/cmr

[jebenn1] 12/7/2007 14:24

Steelman, agreed, some very odd movemments in the last few weeks.
I wonder if the market got a whiff of a deal but were either just generally wary of any change or they didn't like the price being paid. And now for some reason they do like the price?
Ahhh we're just guessing.

Generally though, increasing difficulty making interest payments on mortgages and general debt should be good business for ABM.
Also, I think there might be a slight move to gold as a safe haven as the sub-prime binds in the US cause trouble - ABM benefits from this because of all the jewellery it ends up selling on.

Good luck to all.
J

[steelman48] 12/7/2007 13:20

Well that's woken the market up, there was quite a big fall over a few days prior to the announcement, I wonder why?

[waldron] 11/7/2007 13:12

Albermarle & Bond upgraded to "buy"

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 6:28:33 AM ET
Seymour Pierce

LONDON, July 11 (newratings.com) - Analyst Richard Ratner of Seymour Pierce upgrades Albermarle & Bond (ticker: ABM) from "outperform" to "buy."

In a research note published this morning, the analyst mentions that the company has acquired Herbert Brown for £34.76 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive by £2.92 million in the new financial year, while boosting Albermarle & Bond's profits by 34%, the analyst says. The company is likely to report its full-year results in-line with expectations, Seymour Pierce adds.

[quickmind] 11/7/2007 11:51

"In addition, the company said it expects its full-year results to be in line with market expectations, allowing the affect of new openings and exceptional costs from the exercise of share options."

affect? People say illiterate Britain. Here's evidence.

[waldron] 11/7/2007 08:14

Albemarle & Bond Hld Albemarle & Bond to buy Herbert Brown & Son for 30.75 mln in cash, shares


LONDON (Thomson Financial) - Albemarle & Bond Holdings PLC said it has
agreed to acquire Herbert Brown & Son Ltd, an independent jeweller and
pawnbroking chain, for 30.758 mln stg in cash and shares.
The deal includes a freehold property which will be sold immediately for
3.04 mln, Albemarle added in a statement. Of the remaining fee, 26.745 mln will
be paid in cash, partially through a separate share placing, while the rest will
be paid through the issue of 1.82 mln new shares.
The cash component of the deal will also be partially funded through a new
21 mln stg facility with Abermarle's existing bank.
Herbert Brown, which operates a network of 26 branches in the North of
England offering retail and financial services, reported an operating profit of
3.2 mln stg on turnover of 13.7 mln in the year to March 31, 2007.
Abermarle said EZ Corp Inc, one of its existing substantial shareholders,
has undertaken to subscribe for 3.02 mln shares at 2.20 stg each, while a
further 1.02 mln shares have been placed with institutional investors at the
same price, with the proceeds used to fund the cash portion of the acquisition.
In addition, the company said it expects its full-year results to be in line
with market expectations.


[e-mail]
tsm/slj

[one for the money] 02/3/2007 08:17

Probably moving house! Or is he on the way out?

Cheers
john

[luderitz] 01/3/2007 18:36

Suppose we all need a few readies to live on.

[steelman48] 16/2/2007 10:37

Thanks John

Looking back further these also look to be the shares that Mr Nichols recieved from the exercise of options in December



So he's realised about 174k from his options by my calcs and although these are new shares, he's done it, as you say, without selling the shares on the open market.

[one for the money] 16/2/2007 08:22

Steelman

There may have been an opportunity for the director to move his shares into some more tax-efficient wrapper - or maybe he provided the block of shares so the market didn't have to find or place 88000 shares.

Cheers
john