Escape Hunt Share Discussion Threads

[bob1995] 05/2/2020 10:28

Somebody wants out

[babbler] 05/2/2020 09:24

No thanks.

[smackeraim] 05/2/2020 09:14

When Live Group went through it's "growth" phase in 2017, it flew to above 40m market cap on similar (if not less) revenue levels, and never EVER looked like turning a profit. Granted they've been exposed now, with a earnings warning etc.. but to me this is worth more than this cap. Far more.

[optmist] 05/2/2020 08:14

Biggest pumper and dumper

[babbler] 05/2/2020 08:12

You do know why it tanked right?? Nothing to do with fundamentals. It's illiquid and an II that went bust had to do a fire sale at any price.

[babbler] 05/2/2020 08:10

Raising more next to impossible? Really? IIs were happy to invest at 60p less than 6 months ago before another fund went bust...If they raise there will be no problem.

[dave4545] 05/2/2020 08:02

Going to bounce though, no quote to buy any now at 14p and 20k pays 14.8p+ premium

[spectoacc] 05/2/2020 07:58

Seen no forecasts, but trajectory suggests profits not that far away - and a good job, as agree once the cash is gone, raising more would be next to impossible.

[74tom] 05/2/2020 07:53

“However - if you view the EBITDA turnaround, growing t/o, and remaining cash on balance sheet as a turning point, this could be the point to buy.”

How much cash remains on the balance sheet? And what is the expected EBITDA figure for 2019? As I cannot find any forecasts (and neither can Paul Scott on Stocko...)

[optmist] 05/2/2020 07:47

Escape *unts

[spectoacc] 05/2/2020 07:33

Franchise model looks poor I agree - isn't "franchise" if there's the option of quitting but keeping the business going.

And impossible to argue with what a dreadful investment ESC has been - all-time lows, tanked from float price, but also tanked from 60p placing price.

However - if you view the EBITDA turnaround, growing t/o, and remaining cash on balance sheet as a turning point, this could be the point to buy.

If you think the business is in terminal decline, then clearly not the point to buy.

[russell30] 05/2/2020 00:13

What the heck is going on with this company? It's been on AIM less than 3 years and has lost nearly all its value, its current price less than 10% initial listing price. Someone dumped millions of shares, and the company quickly releases a 'damage control' statement claiming everything is fine, and looking back at their history it seems they have a pattern of doing that to downplay trouble. They are always 'Pleased to announce' no matter the situation, and everything is always 'in line with expectations' even when they haven't met their goals. Now one of their shareholders 'playful' is flooding the comments claiming everything is fantastic with 'more branches opening all the time', but when I checked their website, several of the locations they have listed are either closed or -worse- have rebranded! I see 'ginalibo' below had also picked up on this pattern of franchisees dropping Escape Hunt and rebranding...and of the company hiding that fact. They say in their latest damage control statement that there is 'a slight reduction in the number of active franchisees'. They were supposed to be expanding their franchisees, but instead they are hemorrhaging them! Looks like they lost 4 locations in the past year (at least 2 still active under new names) and haven't picked up a single new one as far as I can tell. It's so bad that their broker Peel Hunt, which holds nearly a million Escape Hunt shares and has continuously given them a 'Buy' rating way above actual share value, has finally had to downgrade them to 'Hold' so as not to completely trash their reputation as brokers. Yikes!

[tole] 04/2/2020 18:07

https://ukinvestormagazine.co.uk/escape-hunt-solves-recreation-market-puzzle-and-books-a-strong-full-year/

[tole] 04/2/2020 18:06

Following the update, the company's shares have dipped 5.97% or 0.93 p to 14.58p per share 04/02/20 15:04 GMT. The Group's market cap stands at £4.11 million, Peel Hunt analysts downgraded their stance from 'Buy' to 'Hold' on the company's stock.Escape Hunt performed well in 2019 with demand for escape rooms gaining momentum over time. The increasing diversity of activity-focused recreation and leisure opportunities, and the potential for the trend bubble to burst, both perhaps weigh on investors' confidence in the company going forwards.

[babbler] 04/2/2020 16:50

Good job they didn't report a decrease in revenue!!

[spectoacc] 04/2/2020 15:20

Good point @playful, MMs doing very nicely - clearly a bit still to go. Probably fair for the risk taken, could have been a p/w!

[purple11] 04/2/2020 12:45

in for a few gla

[tole] 04/2/2020 11:02

Bought a few

[colin12345678] 04/2/2020 09:19

Playful how many do you reckon they left to sell as the free float is quite small?

[playful] 04/2/2020 09:17

The MMs have all the Arrowgrass stock so you could get them in size @14p but you need to be aware they still have a fair amount due Arrowgrass shuttering after wave of redemptions and a forced 10p seller here, but that what you call an opportunity!