Global Natural Energy Share Discussion Threads

[goml] 06/2/2009 08:46

my money is one the circular being released at the last possible minute.

[model635] 06/2/2009 08:17

Is the circular about to be released?

[model635] 06/2/2009 08:10

Informed buys at the open?

[chrismez] 05/2/2009 23:14

Model - re the great disappearing act - do you think that our directors have finally realised their serial follies and have gone into hiding out of sheer shame and embarrassment? I suppose the alternative is that they have been bumped off by some Russian type mafioso hired by Microgen!

[kooba] 05/2/2009 10:09

yes but it was microgen paying excess capital back,i hardly think gne moves are to raise money for microgen..in fact it has nothing to do with microgen and will continue to have nothing to do with microgen[very much doubt it will invest in microgen] apart from the principal director.

[jay083] 05/2/2009 10:06

lol - kooba, cheers.
just can't figure out what they want with this co.
If ratcliffe wants to invest in tech co.s he's got his own money....

[model635] 05/2/2009 10:05

kooba - the tender offer was only a buyback which allowed shareholders to exit their holdings

[kooba] 05/2/2009 09:54

microgen has just returned money to shareholders by way of a tender.

[jay083] 05/2/2009 09:50

just been thinking about how this might turn out... does anyone think that this might be a sneaky way of raising capital for Microgen (know nothing about the company - so correct me if i'm completely wrong). Say Ratcliffe et al. were interested in raising capital - but debt and equity both difficult in current climate - at the same time they were presented with an opportunity to aquire a stake in GNE. So the 1st thing they do is to use the cash to buy back GNE shares at a big discount to NAV (mainly cash) increasing the NAV further. In time the non-cash assets will be liquidated and Micogen make an all share offer for GNE? - is this a possiblity?

Also if GNE is to become a tech investment fund could it invest in Microgen - is this allowed?

[model635] 04/2/2009 08:05

Has anyone had a recent contact with either GNE or their Nomad. My mails and calls have gone unanswered I wonder if the old board have moved on to greener pastures?

[kooba] 02/2/2009 14:56

thanks model635.

[model635] 02/2/2009 14:43

Kooba -

"The circular which the company is intending to send to shareholders regarding
its change of investing strategy, among other matters, including the buyback of
its shares, is intended to be sent to shareholders no later than 28 February
2009."

[kooba] 02/2/2009 14:21

is there a deadline?

[model635] 02/2/2009 09:34

Whatever is going on behind the scenes will surely become known to all of us soon with so few trading days left before the deadline to publish the circular

[model635] 30/1/2009 08:34

Reading this makes me long for the old board to stay - sounds like they did a wonderful deal and are all set to go again.The only way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them - perhaps Ratcliffe will find out that all puff and bluster has no backing!!

GNE intent on petrol station comeback
By John Harrington

Date: Monday 06 Oct 2008

Petrol stations and convenience stores may not seem an obvious route to riches in the current environment.

Having sold its Petrol Express portfolio of petrol stations last month for a cracking-looking price, however, GNE's chief executive Dennis Woods is keen for a repeat performance.

Though effectively starting again from scratch, GNE still sees plenty of scope for re-establishing a petrol station presence in the UK. "There are 9,500 filling stations in the UK, of which 6,000 are independently owned," he says.

"We'll be out there immediately looking for suitable places to buy, but we don't want to overpay."

GNE is in this happy position after catching the market on the hop with the price it achieved for the Petrol Express chain.

The shares were trading at 123.5p before GNE announced the £51.56m deal. The move will enable the company to pay a 150p special dividend, pay off its debts, buy out its joint-venture partner and still have £15m in cash to invest.

There are no acquisitions in the immediate pipeline, however. The plan this year was to boost the retail presence at its petrol stations, but this was put on hold when the possibility of the disposal came about.

He expects prices for petrol stations to fall back in the medium term as they have become "very toppy."

Nevertheless, the company stands ready to buy out independent operators looking to exit the business in the current difficult trading environment, and is prepared to fund acquisitions through shares as well as cash. "We hope our paper will appeal, as it is backed by cash," Woods said.

Either way, there could be a share issue in the offing, according to Woods: "We, perhaps, need to talk to institutions to see whether they are interested in taking on board more shares. Liquidity has been an issue."

The company has already approached the institutions once, when seeking financial backing for an acquisition late last year, and was "very well received."

Whether that is still the case given that the financial background is vastly different from a year ago remains to be seen, but the cash return should be a big help as should management's experience in running a similar business.

Petrol Express had some success in luring pedestrians to its forecourt convenience stores, with the inclusion of Subway sandwich shops proving especially popular.

"I got the idea (of teaming with Subway) from my son, who is at university," Woods confessed. "He says the chain is very popular with students."

GNE still has its fuel card business, which it retained after the petrol stations sale, and that should keep it ticking over until it finds some new sites that appeal.

If current tough conditions continue he may find himself very popular with station owners looking to sell, a point he acknowledges. "We have plenty to keep ourselves busy," he says.

[goml] 29/1/2009 18:00

kooba, there's the rub. no serious investor would try to buy volume in the market because it's so illiquid. major shareholders are in one of those night clubs with fussy doormen..."you can't come in, until someone else leaves". and the converse is true as well!

[kooba] 29/1/2009 17:57

perhaps aberforth and the church commisioners would like to show their unstinting support for mr ratcliffe by buying some gne then!!!

[chrismez] 29/1/2009 17:38

Model - completely and utterly agree - please phone the directors as a matter of urgency would you. Sorry richgit - not a deliberate wind up!!!

[richgit] 29/1/2009 17:18

Some of you are winding others up by saying Mr R has no following-naughty but
then it helps some get cheap stock.


Microgen.



27 January 2009

Microgen plc (the "Company")

Notifiable Interests

The Company received notice on 26 January 2009 in compliance with the
Disclosure and Transparency Rules from Aberforth Partners LLP confirming that
its holding of 20,451,277 Ordinary Shares now represents 23.55% of the issued
share capital of the Company.

Aberforth Partners is interested in 19,411,077 of the voting rights of these
Ordinary Shares representing 22.36% of the issued share capital of the Company.
The shares are registered in the name of:

No. of shares

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc 9,993,026

(Nortrust Nominees Ltd A/c Aberfrth)

Aberforth UK Small Companies Fund 5,459,451

(Nortrust Nominees Ltd A/c Aberfrth)

The Church Commissioners for England 2,331,600

(The Church Commissioners for England (Chase GIS) Nominees
Ltd)

Aberforth Geared Capital & Income Trust plc 1,627,000

(Nortrust Nominees Ltd A/c Aberfrth)

If you require further information please contact:

A. Siddiqi, Company Secretary Tel: [phone]

www.microgen.com

[model635] 29/1/2009 16:57

20 trading days to the next deadline - will the circular tell us about an investment company or yet another twist and turn in the long running GNE saga.

Please, please dear board of directors wind us up before you go go.

[jay083] 29/1/2009 11:30

Also topped up another 1k @ 1.49. wanted a few more - but price was 1.52. still can't sell online, 10k availiable, so could well be more weakness.

[model635] 29/1/2009 11:06

And shown how sensitive the share price is!

[privileged] 29/1/2009 10:43

Added another 1,000 for 149p
taken me to a nice round 15,000.

[model635] 29/1/2009 08:07

CHRISMEZ- A vote to wind up the company would win.The directors have lost their jobs so why not.Forming an investment company when the share price represents less than 50% of the NAV in the present economic climate is equivalent to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!

Such a proposal would easily get more votes than Ratcliffe and friends.