Alterian Share Discussion Threads

[cockneyrebel] 20/9/2011 16:34

Quiet here isn't it?

Even tho the CEO bought 260k last week and the chairman has just had 38K.

Interims are in about 6 weeks time - wonder what their timing is like? :-)

CR

[aishah] 19/8/2011 10:49

Wonder if this'll get some attention on Autonomy's takeover?

[b1ggles] 15/7/2011 14:02

Seems an odd announcement @ 12:57. Is it just something they forgot earlier when they annouced a directorate change or is there more to it?

[the shuffle man] 15/7/2011 08:41

Davidosh you need an invitation to join.

IMS didnt really have any useful updates today. We need news on contract wins. Where are they?

[davidosh] 14/7/2011 17:00

The AGM was today and there is a good account of it here (registration with ShareSoc needed but it is free)....



I am not a shareholder in ALN but it does not sound very attractive and only one shareholder turned up. Mind you 10am in Bristol is a big ask for most!

[pjb_1972] 23/4/2011 21:40

Apparently they are laying off staff. Redundancies are being sorted at the moment.

[pjb_1972] 18/4/2011 13:56

They've been keen to flog the company for quite some time. The way I see it, it was more attractive some years ago as a buyer would probably only really be interested in their core db technology rather than all the bells and whistles but it would be too expensive for that these days.

[yump] 18/4/2011 11:29

Perhaps it was run like a one-man band and the worries of the operational guys were ignored. Its interesting that other management haven't resigned.

[cascade sofa] 18/4/2011 11:06

This stinks. How could the previous management not known about the state of their pipeline.

[pre] 18/4/2011 10:58

....interesting...

[pre] 18/4/2011 09:02

looks favourable...expect move up to +£1.30-£1.40 now as mkt digests this imo...

[b1ggles] 18/4/2011 08:29

I'm unsure whether this morning's RNS is good, bad or indifferent news.

Looks like the market's not too sure either....

[kirs] 15/4/2011 04:45

They always had a big account that they renewed in March. So if the clients wants to mess you about, then you are screwed. I could never understand that given it was renewed annually, why it wasn't accrued monthly, rather than a big hit of revenue. But that is one for the auditors. The difference wouldn't be great over time, but conversion to this method of accounting would have a hit in any one year.

So for me it was miss the renewal - you lose 10% (£4 million) revenue, but you may or may not get it back later. But then to say there is maybe another £2 - £4m or revenue that is missing, smells like ..... Well not teen spirit.

Yes new FD, started in Jan with a bit of a hand over from old FD. So miss of the renewal, and the maybe some revenues had been pre-booked once the FD gets his feet under the desk, and has a read over the contracts....

CEO falls on his sword. Hamill would have presided over all of those March board meetings when they were booking the deal to make their number. I am sure the ex CFO and CEO will take the hit, but I doubt this part was hidden from the board.

Two schools of thought. Stay clear, can't trust the company, not sure how the integration of the acquisition has worked out (not sure if anything of the profit warning relates to this), too complicated and a bit smelly. Or buy now, as decent contracts, good technology, market consolidation, and someone will come in and pay some premium to take them out... Bristol neighbours and rivals, Smartfocus, has just been bought out, and it makes sense that these companies belong to a bigger organisation.

[cascade sofa] 13/4/2011 16:33

Would have thought that there would be a management process where the state of deals / deliveries affecting revenue recognition would have been monitored on a daily or at least weekly basis, and thus the management team would have been able to update promptly.

I see that the CFO is quite new on the block, has he come across prior period issues, ie are the reasons for the shortfall historic de-bookings?

[felix99] 13/4/2011 15:58

its all about revenue recognition these contracts and how much you take as profit on new deals. Whilst 60% make be flat and recurrring your 40% is all from new deals etc which are very subjective as to what you recognise and in which year etc.

So doesn;t take much on this to blow a profit forecast out of the water downwards - or conversely upwards with a lack of new deals or a load of new ones

The joys of software. Refer to Torex if you want to go to town on it. 2 directors just got into trouble there

[daytraders] 13/4/2011 15:30

ah i see, cheers!

[cascade sofa] 13/4/2011 14:30

I don't get how a business which talks about 60% recurring revenue and which should have stable revenues and a fairly fixed cost base (gross margins appear fairly stable) can get into such a mess. Twice.

[felix99] 13/4/2011 14:04

According to refs yesterday the multiple was 17 . So every £1m profit down is £17m wiped off - so its not unreasonable the drop ? Could be more lol

[garth] 13/4/2011 13:44

Had they got too high in the first place Daytraders?

[daytraders] 13/4/2011 13:09

£35million wiped off this morning, surely profit cant be down by that amount.

[friendzarin] 13/4/2011 11:52

Cazza

Our posts crossed.Go back to 1186 and read a few posts from there to see what happened last year.Bluebelle and myself were making exactly the points you raise re internal governance/forecasting etc.It seemed very smelly then to both of us but I havn't keep in touch since selling. Based on that experience nothing would surprise me with this B O D.

[felix99] 13/4/2011 11:49

Personally I would run a mile. They announced an estiamte and then 3 weeks later they have dug and found it to be wrong.

Wait till the auditors review their latest estimate - that will be warning 3 imho.

Can;t see anyone taking this out now and I remember article saying the valaution on this was daft unless they flipped it this year - so it would either double and be taken out or crash and burn.

Gto to think must be an Inst or two that are fed up and will dump at any price . ? Be surprised if not below a quid today or tomorrow when peeps see the news - or US wakes up this pm?

[the shuffle man] 13/4/2011 10:48

Is all the bad news fully priced in now or are we going to get another nasty surprise next week.

Is it a case of holding on to try and recover losses or cut them now.

They say profit warnings come in 3's lets hope this isnt true in this case.

Comments please