Future Share Discussion Threads

[cyberian] 06/11/2003 01:29

Always interesting to see some large trades going through close to full offered price....maybe simply Institutional portfolio switching/adjustments. They are large and as I say well above the Bid price....a bit speculative but sense that bigger players see value at these levels....we could therefore see a new run-up
in the shares...about time!! Could also be a bit of stake building for potential suitor but this is a wild guess and not too serious a possibility.

[darias] 31/10/2003 08:11

Another Guitar magazine bought.

The strategy will either result in massive profits in 2005 or ............

[gotnorolex] 30/10/2003 17:26

Double bottom!
Now ahead for a tripple top?

[traderxxx] 29/10/2003 17:46

I don't know why I bought this stock, is lack lustre and so many other good stocks in the market. Nil return on investment and here we are in a new bull market. I might have to hold this for years. lols

tx

[liquidkid] 23/10/2003 09:57

Cash acquisitions is what caused FNET to blow up last time around and the end result was a 120% share dilution and a 20p share price. I'm sure this time they'll do it better - it's the only option that can be used to produce any significant growth as present. They might be jumping the gun with the games mags though as the present cycle looks to be coming to an end - Sony last night reporting "poor performance for its PlayStation2 game machine. its game business took a heavy toll on Sony's bottom line in the second quarter. Operating profit in the division plunged 91% to Y2.18 billion for the July-September period."

[darias] 22/10/2003 14:10

>>Liquidkid

The company appears to have researched the mags pretty well - a number of provisos in the final deal which safeguard fnet's position. Surely the purpose of cash in a company such as Fnet is to ensure that there is future profitable growth. These acquitions appear to have acheived that.

Still each to their own particular point of view. However the markets have responded positively to the deal.

[traderxxx] 22/10/2003 13:54

This deal is earnings enhancing and I like this company so now I have 10,000. lols

tx

[liquidkid] 22/10/2003 12:28

FNET makes another acquisition today. That's £3.2mn for unofficial PSM & XBW plus £10mn for Guitar World in Sept. Had a £17.3 million cash pile at 30/06 interims. Trying to buy their earnings growth to justify the big valuation, Maybe change the title to Future cash gobbling machine?

[darias] 21/10/2003 08:22

Seems as though recent falls could not shake out holders.

Will we see a continuing rise past year highs. This is the best period for FNET holders - Christmas and all. However Christmas comes every year.

Regards.

[bargain] 14/10/2003 14:16

Very large share purchases and Broker trades so far today. Some action brewing somewhere. Agree the Company is a good one for prospects ...

[cyberian] 13/10/2003 09:18

Fingers crosssed....we may have seen the correction end with a floor of 54p. Maybe there has been some stock building or portfolio adjustments or even the MM's taking some cheaper stock on their books. The next few trading days should reveal more, but at least some positive interest is returning. FNET is a relatively safe hold in a growth situation with the added possibility of a trade take-out.

[cyberian] 11/10/2003 12:51

Despite level of large sales at just above the bid in recent days it could suggest that there is a continuing taker of stock by a single party. This could be an intersting development or we may continue to see the same pattern at current levels. Allldepends on whether provider (seller) is finished or not. With the markets behaving better and with FNET entering into their most interesting and valuable trading period we should see a gradual improvement in share value. Certainly there is considerable growth in the US and the need to be informed through the FNET publications is even more critical with expanding hardware/software products/developments.

[cyberian] 10/10/2003 17:10

Have decided that a bit of a modest clear-out has taken place with a buyer taking-up some stock at 54.5p. The offered price going up late to 57p may suggest that the drift is over and better trends are ahead. Have to watch it for a few days but decided to nobble a few at this time to lock-away. Other comments/views welcome. Dont believe there are too many retail holders and some bottom fishing may attract a few....it looks to me that Institutions see future growth and happy tp stay with stock. The next 2/3 months are significant and with the large revenue increases they reported earlier in the US I think we should see a gradual improvement in sentiment with this company.

[banter] 09/10/2003 22:04

i think they were sells myself. tipster gave a stop loss of around 55p so i would have thought the price will go below that, they also gave a price of 100p, long way to go

banter

[traderxxx] 09/10/2003 21:38

Nothing to do with market drift, this stock is operating its own bear market while the rest of the market is uptrending. Today it broke out of the uptrend channel and that is a serious development. On the positive side I saw 2 X 750k buys today so it is being accumulated but somehow they are depressing the price, probably so they get the stock at the price they want to pay. Question is, how far down do we go and is the money better invested in a happy stock instead of this dog of war.

tx

[cyberian] 06/10/2003 23:42

Simply market drift as MM's are not seeing much interest at present....this will change as we are riding into the company's main trading period and the basic strategy is in place. Plus one has the appeal of a trade take-out as a real posibility as the company's fundamentals are excellent.

[traderxxx] 06/10/2003 21:51

Whats wrong with this stock? I thought the fundamentals were great but it is fast becoming a dog. The professional money seems to have no interest whatsoever. Have I missed something?

tx

[cyberian] 26/9/2003 14:32

BUY recommendation in Shares magazine...cites all that we know...confident of improving trend....quotes CEO as not yet confirming divi this year or next!!

[riggs] 23/9/2003 16:18

cyberian ... correct, sell instructions sent out at 12 noon :(
But his performance overall as been A+ ... you can't win em all ;)
I agree the future still looks very encouraging and should be good to hold on to longer term. Tipster is only looking at short term holds on all tips, and these all have tight stops. Goodluck everyone.

RiGGs

[cyberian] 23/9/2003 14:47

Guess the on-line tipster has said sorry and all his fans are selling what they bought at about 68p a couple of weeks back...only expanation for the high number of small sales today....now heading iver 100. The future still looks very encouraging for FNET and would not be worried with this modest fall.

[bargain] 18/9/2003 18:20

Some 11 million traded today were all reported together but out of sequence, timed in between a move on the bid to the offer so they cannot be adjudged sells or buys. Clearly the buyer/seller did not wish people to know either way. Dirty tricks by the city in my book, but probably were transactions between that Institutional seller as cyberion reports and the corresponding trade buyer. Nothing like transparency, eh?

By the way, no nothing to do with that tip sheet - in fact an update from them since then has been to continue to buy/hold, the results are fine and the balance sheet is strong. Cheap stock and all that. Personally I think the company has strong potential ...

[cyberian] 18/9/2003 15:16

What is RHPS stand for? My broker simply says that an Institution has just cleared his interest and that someone has bought with the shares starting to firm up now the big seller is complete. We shall see...quite normal I am told after a set of results. Makes one wonder if we will see a trade bidder...any thoughts?

[chrislewis7] 18/9/2003 14:33

Red Hot Trader a RHPS spin-off.

[cyberian] 18/9/2003 12:01

On furher reflection I now wonder if the company is more exposed to a trade buy-out especially now that the COO, Colin Morrison ex EMAP etc. will be leaving at the year-end? He has obviously performed an excellent job in sorting out the excesses this company engaged in a few years back. Citywire credits him in their review of Tuesday's announcements as the guru who struck the new ventures/editions on a very low cost basis rather than the man who re-engineered the main core editions after the mad expansionary period. Get the impression from the Chairman that he has done his job and that they still have a very good team to take the company forward. As the analysts have said the company should have full year figures which at least put them on a PE of 14, which against EMAP's PE of 23 is quite attractive. Obviously the latter is a much larger, and dynamic company but they may be running over the merit of a link with FNET. There are also other European and US interests who may also have an interest. Basically, our company looks good value at current levels without the potential trade take-out possibility. there is no premium in the price yet for this potential. Perhaps that is how it should be but then we come back to our lack of clear reason for Morrison departure....only the real insiders would know. In the meantime quite a safe hold in ones portfolio....incidentally were there any clues in the recent internet source tip alluded to by another poster which provoke all that buying interest at 68p a few days earlier?

[darias] 16/9/2003 07:52

RNS Number:7933P
Future Network PLC
16 September 2003

16 September 2003



THE FUTURE NETWORK PLC

Interim results for half-year end

The Future Network plc (LSE: FNET), the international magazine group, today
announces its interim results for the half-year ended 30 June 2003.

Financial highlights

Turnover #80.6m (2002: #74.0m) Up 9%
Circulation revenue Up 10%
Advertising revenue Up 7%
Adjusted operating profit #6.5m (2002: #4.7m) Up 38%
Goodwill amortisation #5.6m (2002: #4.5m)
Pre-tax profit #1.1m (2002: #0.9m) Up 22%
Adjusted earnings per share 1.4p (2002: 1.1p) Up 27%


Operational highlights

Games magazines Good growth
Computing magazines Difficult market
Entertainment magazines Growing portfolio
UK business Solid performance
US business Strong out-perform
Mainland Europe Moving forward
Ten magazines launched in first half Expansion continues
Business remains heavily reliant on second-half Q4-loaded

Definitions:

Adjusted operating profit: operating profit before amortisation of intangible
assets and other operating income

Adjusted earnings: earnings before amortisation of intangible assets and other
operating income

ABC: Audit Bureau of Circulations


Commenting on the results, Greg Ingham, Future's Chief Executive said:

"Overall, the performance of the Group has shown progress, with both revenues
and profits ahead of last year. UK profits have been held back by increased
launch spend, which has been more than offset by strong performance in the US.

Across the Group, games magazines have provided the strongest revenue growth,
with UK entertainment magazines also performing well, and computing magazines
generally doing well to show any growth in testing market conditions.

Circulation revenues account for 70% of Group revenues and have grown by 10%.
Advertising revenue has grown by 7%.

Second-half trading has started satisfactorily overall. Shareholders are
reminded of the importance of the second half of the year, particularly the
fourth quarter, which historically has generated a significant proportion of
Group profits.

Although we remain cautious about market conditions overall, we continue to seek
expansion both by acquisition, including Guitar World in the US for #10m, and by
magazine launches across the Group."