Aterian Share Discussion Threads

[techair] 02/8/2004 13:23

Atlantic Telecom founder claws his way back
By Dominic White (Filed: 02/08/2004)


What do you do when your telecoms business goes bust and your shares, valued at £110m during the dotcom bubble, become worthless?


Graham Duncan: 'I had 8m shares, worth £110m. But they went to zero'
Sell your house and set up another telecoms business - that is, if you are Graham Duncan, the Scottish founder of the ill-fated Atlantic Telecom.

In the wake of Atlantic's collapse in late 2001, Mr Duncan has sold his seven-bedroom, 19th-century mansion near Aberdeen for £1m and begun an altogether more modest life. Having moved his family south to Edinburgh and bought a much smaller property, he has invested the remaining money in his new telecoms business, Glen Communications.

Based in a small office on an industrial estate in Dalkeith, Glen - "a good Scottish name, I think" - employs 10 people and sells phone, internet and computer services to small businesses. The contrast with the former Atlantic, which started as a cable franchise but expanded into fast internet services during the giddy days of the boom, could not be more acute.

In its heyday, Atlantic employed 1,200 people across Europe and had a market capitalisation of more than £2billion. But within 18 months Mr Duncan had to put the group into administration when it became unable to service the high-yield debts it used to fund its misguided international expansion.

"I lost everything, to be honest," said the entrepreneur. "I had 8m shares, which at their height were worth £110m. Unfortunately, they went from there to zero.

"I never sold any, apart from a few hundred thousand pounds worth. I didn't feel I could sell any more because of the message it would send out." However, it was the curse of Marconi that also sealed Mr Duncan's fate. In December in 1999 the now-infamous telecoms equipment company took a 20pc stake in Atlantic.

"I agreed with Marconi that I wouldn't sell my shares for two years, but of course the company went bust before that time was up. It's a sad story but I am where I am. I'm 53 years old and I still believe I've got as much drive and enthusiasm as I had 20 years ago. I owe it to myself and my family to try to build something."

One City analyst who knows Mr Duncan well said: "He's a pretty gritty Scotsman, and he's got a lot of belief in himself."

This contrasts with Nicholas Berry, the scion of Lord Hartwell, former proprietor of The Telegraph, and one of the few investors to call the telecoms bubble right. He invested £5m in Atlantic in 1994 and sold out in February 2000 - for £37m.

[johnroger] 02/8/2004 12:57

Portman deal subject of Techinvest comment, they maintain the buy rating at 62.5p

[maywillow] 23/7/2004 07:22

RNS Number:1387B
AttentiV Systems Group PLC
23 July 2004

23 JULY 2004

ATTENTIV SYSTEMS GROUP PLC

("AttentiV")

New Licence Signed with Portman Building Society

AttentiV Systems Group, a leading developer and supplier of software to the
financial services sector, is pleased to announce that it has contracted with
the Portman Building Society for the implementation of AttentiV's retail banking
solution, Summit, which includes the Activate mortgage application processing
module.

Portman Building Society is paying AttentiV a licence fee to use AttentiV's
Summit product to support mortgage applications and accounts servicing across
its network of branches. In common with other contracts of this nature, AttentiV
also expects to earn additional revenues through the provision of support,
maintenance and other consultancy services over a period covering several years.

The decision follows the merger of Portman with the Staffordshire Building
Society, which completed on 31 December 2003, and will extend the use of the
original Staffordshire system to cover the Portman Building Society's mortgage
operation. The implementation project has already commenced and will ensure that
the Society meets the deadline for Mortgage Conduct of Business compliance on 31
October 2004.

Robert Sharpe, Chief Executive of the Portman Building Society, explained:

"We had a requirement for a regulation ready mortgage application processing
system and the merger with Staffordshire Building Society provided an
opportunity to review our systems across the Group. The Staffordshire has been a
user of AttentiV's Summit system for some time and it made perfect technical and
commercial sense to us to standardise on the same proven system with AttentiV."

The Activate module will be used by the Portman Building Society to automate the
processes involved in dealing with a mortgage application through its various
stages to completion. Following completion, the mortgage will be controlled by
the main AttentiV Summit system for its full operational life.

Activate will enable the Society to provide a consistent product offering and
consistency of information given across all branches, an essential requirement
when complying with new Mortgage regulations. A single system with a standard
approach will ensure that customers are dealt with efficiently and in accordance
with regulatory requirements.


ENQUIRIES:

AttentiV Systems Group plc Tel. [phone]
David Webber, Chief Executive

ICIS Limited Tel. [phone] or
Archie Berens 07802 442486
Caroline Evans-Jones

Editor's notes:

About AttentiV Systems Group plc

1. AttentiV Systems Group plc listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM)
of the London Stock Exchange in March 2004. It owns all the businesses that used
to trade under the name Lynx Financial Systems Limited.

2. AttentiV has over 25 years experience as a provider of technology-based
business solutions to the financial sector, supplying package and custom-built
software and services to banks, building societies, mortgage lenders, leasing
companies, finance houses and collection agencies across the UK and Europe. The
company has UK offices in Houghton Regis, Sheffield, Leeds, and Congleton.

3. AttentiV's Summit and Portfolio software suites offer package solutions for
mortgage, loan, and savings operations, along with systems for instalment credit
and asset finance, debt management, dealer support, and retail banking.

4. AttentiV supplies systems and services to leading companies, including:
Abbey National, Barclays Bank, Britannia Building Society, Co-operative Bank,
Intelligent Finance, Bristol and West, Nationwide Building Society and Toyota
Financial Services.


About Portman Building Society

Portman Building Society has been established for over 150 years and is the
fourth largest UK building society with assets exceeding #14 billion as at
January 2004. Portman employs over 2,000 staff serving over 1.5 million members
through a network of some 150 branches, predominantly in the South of England.
Its head office is in Bournemouth.




This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
CNTUUUNRSVRBUAR


Attentiv System(ATN)

[ariane] 23/7/2004 06:45

July 23, 2004

Rumour of the day



ATTENTIV SYSTEMS, the AIM-listed developer of mortgage processing software which floated at 55p in March, held steady at 60p, despite word that it has won a contract from Portman Building Society for its Summit system. The initial licence fee is said to be £1 million, with the potential to match that sum every year through maintenance and support fees.

[grupo guitarlumber] 07/6/2004 22:29

look after yourself jr

[johnroger] 07/6/2004 21:07

Thanks Grupo - have been away for two weeks so missed results. Techinvest still positive in June issue and advises "continue to buy" at 65.5p

[grupo guitarlumber] 21/5/2004 07:58

LONDON (AFX) - AttentiV Systems Group PLC reported a jump in pretax profit
in the six months to March 2004 to 1.56 mln stg from 225,000 stg a year earlier
on the back of strong sales growth.
First half turnover from the software developer was up 10.5 pct to 14.4 mln
stg. Attentiv said operating margin increased to 10.7 pct from 1.6 pct a year
earlier.
Commenting on the results, chairman Peter Bertram said the business has
consolidated its position of strength as the premier software provider in the UK
mortgage market and undertaken a successful flotation on AIM.
These achievements and, in particular, the improvement in operating margin
and significant new sales wins, positions the group for future profitable
organic growth, he said.
The group also said it does not plan any significant increase in headcount
in the second half of the financial year as the management continues to focus on
increasing efficiency and productivity within the business. However, the sales
function is to be strengthened with the recruitment of additional experienced
resource focusing on new business sales.
The board said trading since March 31 2004 has continued in line with
business plans and the board continues to be encouraged by the levels of sales
activity within the UK and Ireland mortgage market for Summit as financial
institutions continue to review their strategic plans following the adoption of
the mortgage conduct of business in Autumn 2004.
Additionally, the board said there are significant levels of interest from
the existing customer base for additional software solutions to support the
introducers of mortgage business.
There continue to be a number of prospective future opportunities for the
Portfolio product family and the board expects to receive decisions on these
projects over the forthcoming period. Operating costs will continue to be
maintained in line with the level of business opportunities available for the
product.
"We believe that the group is well placed for profitable organic growth in
the financial services sector with a continued focus on improvements in
operational efficiency and margins," Bertram concluded.

[e-mail]
slm/

[grupo guitarlumber] 21/5/2004 07:57

congratulations jr

[grupo guitarlumber] 21/5/2004 07:46

LONDON (AFX) - AttentiV Systems Group PLC six months to March 31 2004
Sales - 14.37 mln stg vs 13.0 mln
Pretax profit - 1.56 mln stg vs 225,000
Operating profit - 1.54 mln stg vs 208,000
EPS - 2.5 pence vs 0.4

vjt/

[kantona] 19/5/2004 23:35

1st set of results just two days away, on 21st may.. the price has been holding firm ... volume has been low ..apart from 2 days ago when over 200k traded mostly buys ..

[johnroger] 06/5/2004 10:50

Very positive Techinvest write up in May issue with price at 68p "shares still offer very good value. Continue to buy"

[ariane] 30/4/2004 16:55

RNS Number:2163Y
AttentiV Systems Group PLC
30 April 2004

SCHEDULE 10

NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1) NAME OF COMPANY

ATTENTIV SYSTEMS GROUP PLC

2) NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

GAM LONDON LIMITED

3) Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of
holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a
non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

SHAREHOLDER NAMED IN 2

4) Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the
number of shares held by each of them.

GAM UK DIVERSIFIED FUND 2,194,000
GAM EXEMPT TRUST - UK OPPORTUNITIES 356,000
GAM STAR UK DYNAMIC INVESTMENTS 451,100

5) Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.



6) Percentage of issued Class


7) Number of shares/amount of stock disposed


8) Percentage of issued Class


9) Class of security

ORDINARY SHARES OF 5P EACH

10) Date of transaction



11) Date company informed

29 APRIL 2004

12) Total holding following this notification

3,001,100

13) Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

4.95%

14) Any additional information



15) Name of contact and telephone number for queries

PHILIP WOOD - FINANCE DIRECTOR [phone]

16) Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for
making this notification

PHILIP WOOD - FINANCE DIRECTOR

Date of Notification 30 APRIL, 2004





This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END

[ariane] 27/4/2004 04:52

nice to see its going the right way for you.

[johnroger] 26/4/2004 21:02

New high at 68p today but not many paying attention so far.

Techinvest have advised that they will be providing a write up of the company in the May issue so now could be a good time to buy!

[johnroger] 18/4/2004 11:23

Sunday Telegraph

Be Attentiv

Take a look at Attentiv Systems, the provider of software to financial services firms, which floated on Aim at the end of last month. Attentiv's software was used to process 20 per cent of all mortgages last year.

One problem with software groups is that revenues can be lumpy as companies rely on major licence deals. In contrast, Attentiv has a broad business - software licences account for just 11 per cent of sales while implementation and maintenance contracts, typically lasting between three and five years, make up 40 per cent.

Attentiv is believed to have won a mortgage processing contract with Royal Bank of Scotland worth close to £15m over the next five years.

That should help drive up pre-tax profits from about £2m for the year ending September 2003 to well above £3m this year. At 62.5p the company is valued at just over 14 times this year's earnings - well below the sector average of 20 per cent. Buy.

[mad4it] 17/4/2004 17:31

Let's hope they fare better than the last company to use the ATN ticker symbol!

;)

Thanks for the info John, I'll keep an eye on them.

[johnroger] 17/4/2004 17:24

Thanks Ariane.

Investors Chronicle comment prior to float.

5 March 2004

New Issue: AttentiV


Things have been looking up in the technology sector lately,with recent new issues such as Cambridge Silicon Radio, Torex Retail and Civica getting off to flying starts. The latest to take advantage of the recovery in the market to go public, in this case on Aim, is financial software supplier AttentiV.

Under the Lynx name, AttentiV has developed two platforms: Summit, for the retail banking sector, and Portfolio, which is designed for other forms of asset-based finance such as vehicle and equipment leasing, personal loans and debt management. Portfolio can be integrated into customers' existing systems and used in a number of languages. The client list for Summit numbers more than 40, and includes more than 45 per cent of UK building societies. A fifth of new mortgage lending in 2002 was processed using AttentiV systems, the company says.

There are over 15 users of Portfolio, including Alliance & Leicester Commercial Finance and Toyota Financial Services. The new customers AttentiV won last year include Preferred Mortgages and Darlington Building Society.

The issue, sponsored by Investec, who will also be AttentiV's broker, is expected to raise over £30m and enable AttentiV to take advantage of the considerable sales opportunities it sees in the market place at the moment. Companies marketing and selling financial products are faced with ever-increasing regulatory and compliance legislation and cost pressures, while the high level of consumer debt is expected to boost demand for Portfolio's debt collection capabilities.

In the year to 30 September 2003 AttentiV, which operates out of offices in Dunstable, Leeds and Sheffield, reported sales of £25.7m and operating profits of about £2.0m after exceptional charges. This year, operating margins are expected to improve from the present level of 7 per cent thanks to better efficiency among staff (currently around 390), and tighter control over production and software development. The issue, via a placing, is expected to get off the ground at the end of this month or early April, though details have yet to be released. The board won't have a significant stake post-float, but its members and other key staff will be incentivised through share option schemes.

Giving a view is difficult when pricing details are not yet clear, but at least drawing comparisons should be easy. There are dozens of listed financial software companies, including London Bridge, Innovation Group, Financial Objects, Marlborough Stirling and, on a larger scale, Misys.


Tony Lugge

[ariane] 17/4/2004 16:00

good luck with your thread and investment jr.

[johnroger] 17/4/2004 15:10

Telegraph comment

Pay AttentiV to this stock

Amid the clutch of technology companies to have floated in recent months, AttentiV Systems Group stands out as one of the more interesting propositions.

Ignore the silly name, the company is actually surprisingly simple to understand as it sells software to the financial services industry. Its products help companies such as Standard Life and Royal Bank of Scotland to handle the processing of financial services.

More than a fifth of the UK's mortgages last year were processed using software designed by AttentiV and over 40pc of building societies are customers.

Last month's float, on Aim, has also given it a kick, providing £5.5m of new funds for future investment and working capital.

AttentiV's parent, Lynx, sold its 100pc stake in the float for £27.8m, but there was plenty of appetite for the shares among big investors. The shares remain highly liquid.

Of course, this is a small business (worth just £37m) and there is a risk that the IT sector recovery could stall.

However, on forecast earnings of 4.2p a share for the current year, the shares, at 61.5p this week, are selling off a forward multiple less than 15, against the sector average of 20. Worth your attention.

[johnroger] 14/4/2004 17:13

New buy for me yesterday at 62p.
Any views as to prospects?

[johnroger] 14/4/2004 17:12

AttentiV started trading on AIM on March 31 2004 at 55p.
About 20% of all mortgages are processed using it's software and 45% of UK building societies are customers.
Sales this year forcast at £30m with profits before tax of more than £3m.

[britishbear] 31/3/2004 08:37

Must be another company taking the name. Still hold these in theory but its still allll over I am sure. Last RNS was this......

RNS Number:5274O
Atlantic Telecom Group PLC
12 December 2001


ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC (THE "COMPANY")
NOTICE OF CANCELLATION OF AN OFFICIAL LISTING OF THE ORDINARY SHARES OF 25 PENCE
EACH (GBR0000612670) OF THE COMPANY

Further to the suspension from the Official List of the above securities, the
Company has requested that the UK Listing Authority cancel the securities from
the Official List effective on 15 January 2002.