Comptoir Share Discussion Threads

[maestro.] 16/8/2004 15:13

FILL YA BOOTS GUYS ...ITS HAPPENING!

[maestro.] 12/8/2004 23:35

big day tomoro!

[maestro.] 11/8/2004 00:06

August 11, 2004

Google's £20bn float online and on track
From Abigail Rayner in New York



GOOGLE shrugged off Wall Street criticism yesterday and fears that its £20 billion float plans would face severe difficulties after hinting that its long-awaited auction could start as early as Friday.
The internet search engine said yesterday that potential bidders would have their last chance to register for the auction tomorrow at 5pm New York time.



The secretive internet group provided a one-line statement on its website yesterday: "Google IPO – Bidder Registration Closing August 12 2004; Auction Will Commence Soon Thereafter."

Investors who still want to buy Google shares are required to sign up for a bidder registration number by visiting www.ipo.google.com. Without a number, individuals cannot take part in the sale. Registration began on July 30.

The auction of 25,697,529 shares is expected to start either on Friday or next Monday. It is not yet clear how long the auction will last but industry sources expect that unconditional trading in the shares could begin by the end of the week of August 16.

Google had been expected to begin trading as early as the start of this week, but has been delayed by a series of setbacks.

On Monday, Google increased the number of shares in the auction by more than a million so that it could hand over the additional shares to Yahoo!, its rival, to settle a lawsuit. In all, Google gave Yahoo! 2.7 million shares worth from $291 million (£158 million) to $365 million, based on Google's price indication. The class A stock settled a patent dispute over technology owned by Overture Services, which was acquired by Yahoo! last year.

The patent licence will allow Google to continue to operate its AdWords program, wihch links keywords to adverts.

Google has been beset with problems ahead of its impending float. It emerged last week that the company had failed to disclose share allocation to employees over the past three years.

The internet search engine admitted that it could have broken US Securities and Exchange rules and securities laws in 18 states for failing to register 23.2 million shares it issued to 1,105 past and current employees and consultants, and stock options to 301 people.

Earlier this week, traders were anxious about the potenntial valuation of the flotation, after a report by Jupiter claimed that revenue growth from advertising linked to Google's searches, the company's main source of income, was set to fall dramatically over the next five years.

The research, by Nate Elliott, an analyst at the fund management firm, claimed that advertisers are expected to double spending on paid research to $5.5 billion by 2009, but that the annual growth rate will drop to 11 per cent from more than 65 per cent in 2003. "This market has grown so phenomenally over the past number of years. Now it is maturing," Mr Elliott wrote.

HOW THIS WEEK'S AUCTION WILL TAKE PLACE

Potential investors in Google must sign up for a registration number at the flotation website, ipo.google.com
Only "US persons" - US residents and companies incorporated in the US - may apply for stock. Regulators will not take responsibility for the residents of more than one country
In response to the completed application form - which requires a US social security number and an e-mail address - a 20-digit registration number is e-mailed to the bidder.
Investors must have an account with a broker. When the bidding begins tomorrow, investors will make their bids - they can bid for stock in various amounts. The auction will be similar to an open auction except that bidders will not know what their competitors have bid until after the process has closed.
Google has provided guidance of $108-$135 (£59-£73) a share but if underwriters see the price rising 20 per cent above the top end of their range ($162), or below its low end, they will notify investors by e-mail. Bidders will be given an hour to revise or withdraw their bids.
If demand for the shares is overwhelming Google could increase the number in the offering. Google has also allowed itself the right to lower the price from that generated by the auction. To do that would mean more winning bidders receiving fewer shares in total.
The banks will oversee the auction and decide when to close it. That evening bidders will receive another e-mail telling them the final offering price and, if they have been successful, the number of shares that they have bought.

[maestro.] 02/8/2004 21:40

Googlemania forces IPO site launch

London, August 2 2004, (netimperative)



by Gareth Vorster

Search giant Google has been forced to launch a site to provide information about its Nasdaq flotation as a result of the massive public interest.


The new site enables prospective investors (in the US only) to apply for an identification number so as to register and participate in Google's listing on the Nasdaq.

Google expects the auction process to close during the middle of this month.

Despite being hit by the latest version of the notorious 'MyDoom' virus last week, which searches the web for e-mail addresses using search engines run by Google, Yahoo, Lycos and Altavista, Google said that money raised by its initial public offering on the Nasdaq could reach as much as $3.3bn (£1.8bn), valuing the company at more than $36bn (£19.7bn).

In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Google estimated it would sell its shares for between $108 and $135 through an online auction expected next month.

The company is aiming to sell 14.1 million of its own shares, with a further 10.5 million to be sold by existing shareholders.

Also last week, the search engine reported second quarter profits of $79.1m, up from $64m in the first. This was from revenues of $700.2m, up 7.5% from $651.6m in the first quarter.

Content for the new site includes the entire Google Prospectus, a list of press releases, frequently asked questions about the IPO and instructions for how to participate

[maestro.] 02/8/2004 21:39

Dotcom boom times return, but with cooler heads

London, August 2 2004, (netimperative)



by Netimperative staff

Happy days are here again. Or at least that's what you might be thinking if two of the latest reports into the technology and Internet business are anything to go by.


The first is from Regent Associates, whose 'European Technology Acquisition Review' report reveals that acquisition activity for the first half of 2004 within the technology sector reached levels not seen since the height of the dotcom boom in 2000.

The monthly report, which tracks M&A activity across 10 European technology industries, said the actual number of transactions so far this year increased by 68% to a total of 1118 deals, compared to 665 in 2003.

Not only that, but deal flow is even increasing quarter on quarter in 2004 with 513 acquisitions in Q1 and 605 in Q2.


Commenting on the results, Peter Rowell, chairman, Regent Associates said: "There appears to two very clear catalysts behind this 'acquisition binge'. Firstly the improved financial performance of many of the major companies and secondly, the substantial resources held by the private equity community."

However, although the UK is still the largest and most active market in Europe, UK technology acquisitions actually eased by 3% compared to Q1 2004, since the UK is considered ahead of most other economies. The prediction is that activity will ease in continental Europe in the next quarter or two.

In particular, the "Electronic Media/ Content" sector leads the 'acquisition binge' with the highest yearly increase in acquisitions, with 229 transactions this year compared to 93 in the equivalent 2003 period, an increase of 146%.

Meanwhile, new research by Palo Alto Software, a developer and publisher of business planning software for entrepreneurs, has found that confidence is returning amongst new and young entrepreneurs, with 74 per cent of MBA students intending to set up their own business upon graduating this year.

Some 60 per cent of those interviewed will launch their new business online. The research was conducted in June 2004 from an, admittedly rather small, sample of 40 final-year MBA students from courses across the UK.

However, they are planning these businesses based on the lessons learnt during the bubble. Students identified the most important lesson they could learn as 'Planning ahead for opportunities and challenges rather than following mad hype'.

Tim Berry, CEO and president, Palo Alto Software said: "This research highlights the main characteristic of the new breed of internet entrepreneurs - intelligent caution, which leads me to feel confident about the future success of internet commerce."

Right to Reply

[mad4it] 01/8/2004 01:01

ok m, I understand.

Good luck with your trading.

[maxk] 01/8/2004 00:22

oi! mad, what about a visit to the ronny threads? Your visit would be very welcome! HTD would be a plus too!

[mad4it] 01/8/2004 00:11

Look mate, there's SO MANY better companies to put your hard earned money in than that list of 'gamblers anonymous' shares.

Perhaps TMN will come good...every dog has it's day!

But your approach is all wrong, IMHO.

You know I've always been decent to you on this site, despite what others have said about you. But, DAMN! You never seem to learn!

Words fail me!

I wish I could sit you down, have a pint or two with you, and clue you in on how to be a pro trader.

If you ever want a natter, post an email address.

[mad4it] 31/7/2004 23:58

That's a list of sh*te, maestro.

It's way beyond time you started learning from your mistakes!

...and stop borrowing money on your credit cards to buy them!

GENUINE best wishes

mad

[maestro.] 31/7/2004 23:51

blast off very soon guys...

[maestro.] 27/7/2004 22:37

fill ya boots guys...loads of bargains like QXL,AFN,TMN,TAD,PCM,DTC,NMS...get in now for a ride of a lifetime!

[maestro.] 21/7/2004 16:24

amazon and ebay results out soon..

[borderriever] 07/6/2004 19:38

Just hope it doesnt do a LASTMINUTE.COM. I blame that share for the last bubble bursting,its ipo was covered by most media at the time, everyone then woke upto the ridiculous market valuations across the tech sector, and dully collapsed.
Ive got a bad feeling googles gonna do the same thing.

[maestro.] 07/6/2004 19:22

not long now...dotcom boom mk2

[maestro.] 13/5/2004 06:44

one of those stocks has its results out today...fingers crossed!

[borderriever] 07/5/2004 12:46

Almost got out myself around 24p,thankgod i didnt,held since 2001.Still think itll move further north as it was around 220.before the last bubble well and truly burst.I reackon google will fly then fry,dont really matter as us Brits cant get any anyway.

[borderriever] 07/5/2004 12:30

Hows about Sportingbet,even though they dropped the unfasionable .com bit last year.Have trippled lately,hopefully much further to go,a few buy notes r out there already{dyor,etc,etc}

[maestro.] 07/5/2004 11:07

will check it out mate..

[the knowing] 07/5/2004 11:06

What about

www.superscape.com