Hill Station Share Discussion Threads

[tiredoldbroker] 22/1/2008 16:47

Well, today's news showed they did have a desperate need for working capital, and the terms may well cap any recovery in the share price during 2008: I can see that you need to give something away to raise more than the present market value of all the shares in issue, but the 200% redemption premium on the loan stock means that if the value of the business rises by £1.8m, all that will go to the loan subscribers and only after that will shareholders truly benefit. No alternative, I guess, but the subscribers have given themselves quasi-equity which ranks ahead of the shares in issue.

[market maker2] 15/1/2008 19:58

Lets hope for a sun soaked uk 2008

[davidlloyd] 11/1/2008 14:41

Quiet here, isnt it.

[tiredoldbroker] 17/12/2007 08:24

I'd agree that they are probably eating into the cash which was needed to support them until March 2008, and I'm also slightly worried about what they paid for the So Real acquisition, given that SR seems to be a very new business - certainly, Ragus (an ingredients suppliers) was calling SR "newly formed" in July 2007 (See - though Companies House shows it was formed in 2005.

[davidlloyd] 06/12/2007 10:40

Harry,

My concern was the potential hidden meaning in the last Trading Statement...


'The net proceeds of the placing were intended to fund the acquisition of the
trading assets of So Real Ice Company Ltd as well as providing sufficient working capital for the Company through the winter months and into the next `ice cream season' in March 2008.
Trading since August 2007, through to October 2007, has continued to be
difficult with sales being significantly below budget which has had an adverse
effect on the financial condition of the group.......

Consequently, the Company is currently monitoring its working capital position
and short term financing requirements.'

To me, the statement implies that they have already eaten into the working capital that was supposed to last out until March '08. That is my opinion only but it would seem a fair 'translation' of the city speak. The implication of this to me was that they are potentially going to run out of working capital before march 08, and therefore need more support to survive. The share price certainly supports this hypothesis.

DL

[harrylyme] 05/12/2007 16:45

giardap - are you saying [HLL] has a deal with Tesco?

Can you say "which product" you've seen at half-price?

DavidLloyd - surely the recent funding has resolved Cash issues, at least until the spring (08?)....?
+ I understasnd the new Brands are integrated and the factory is producing well. The share price snag was the Dilution and seasonal Sales whinge. That strikes me as being made-worse with yet more "similar" products - although it has given them many-more customers to talk to. I would have like to see some diversification and much better investor-communications.
However the most important thing is cash - and I think that is now flowing the right way. I fear for anyone that bought at 10p since the Dilution really means you paid too much.

[market maker2] 05/12/2007 12:59

looks like option 1 won

[market maker2] 05/12/2007 10:30

David - I agree, you have summed that up in a nut shell. lets not hope for option 1.

[davidlloyd] 05/12/2007 10:01

One of the following:
(1) MM's trying to lure in some buyers to get rid of stock
(2) Large buy in background yet to be reported
(3) Whispers of funding/ support

Hopefully either 2 or 3. Suspect 1. :-/

DL

[market maker2] 05/12/2007 09:25

maybe a delayed buy or better news on the way, lets hope

[giardap] 04/12/2007 13:53

Local Tesco selling product at half price - hopefully will entice some buyers who will stay long term and help sales. Their Vanilla is the best I've tasted

[davidlloyd] 04/12/2007 09:30

Thats a big 'IF', market maker2, but yes, if it can hold out, could be a multibagger.

DL

[market maker2] 03/12/2007 20:31

Good product but lots of bad luck, if the company can hold out till next summer we may have a mega hot one with sales through the roof.

[davidlloyd] 29/11/2007 11:50

Unfortuantely the old issue of cash flow is what controls whether the share price is an absolute steal or not, hupgomwat. You can have the best product in the world but if you aint got money coming in to pay your outgoings then the company is worth jack. It seems a real shame as the product is good, I agree. IMO it needs a white knight (or to be taken over) - with a cash injection to stregthen the balance sheet to ensure survival. If no interest then this may well go under in this credit environment and given the seasonality of sales in this business the timing of the earlier trading statement is very bad. Still feel that it is a Buy IMO (but Very risky!) on the basis of potential outside interest - but be prepared to lose the lot.....

[hupgomwat] 20/11/2007 19:00

Pity my buys yesterday were not reported to the market, otherwise it might have gone up then....always annoying when either it's not reported or a BUY is listed as a SELL and vice versa.

This has fallen far too low and is an absolute steal at this price....the ice-cream is f*"%*ng gorgeous and will sell any weather. I know cos I bought a tub on my way in from work....will be tucking in, ASAP.

[market maker2] 20/11/2007 16:55

All the trades today were buys, maybe its bottomed out and due a bounce.

[tiredoldbroker] 20/11/2007 16:50

No, it's far too late for any supermarket deal to result in new products hitting the shelves this Christmas. Things like that are sorted out months in advance, not days.

[market maker2] 07/11/2007 09:52

With the run upto christmas could there be a supermarket deal on the table ?

[mrphil] 02/11/2007 15:29

Just completed their year end so I wonder what the figures are like, or should I say, I wonder just how bad the figures were? Maybe they should offer 1000 free shares with every pot of ice cream!

[double6] 02/11/2007 14:04

Big sell lurking, not yet shown ??

[market maker2] 29/10/2007 16:48

seems very quiet here

[jonc] 07/10/2007 20:11

Hmm not sure it is the same as the loseley icecream brand!!!