Playtech Share Discussion Threads

[trentendboy] 24/5/2016 09:39

I agree - Hills made a major strategic error upsetting PTEC.

I own both but bought more LADS recently (although still underwater).

PTEC are the real winners - PTEC got a good deal with LADS and 10% ownership is a godo incentive to sort out the Coral's issue as well.

The idea Hills could do internally what PTEC did externally is laughable.

What is true is that PTEC need to make a big deal and soon given all the cash they have stashed

[nod] 24/5/2016 03:11

https://www.hl.co.uk/news/articles/william-hill-vs.-ladbrokes-looking-beyond-leicesterAn interesting article by Hargreaves which highlights how the big bookies struggle without PlaytechWilliam Hill vs. Ladbrokes: Looking beyond LeicesterHargreaves LansdownAn early partnership with FTSE 250 gaming technology specialist Playtech gave William Hill a head start online.Extracts ...An early partnership with FTSE 250 gaming technology specialist Playtech gave William Hill a head start online. That partnership drew to a close in 2013, when William Hill bought out Playtech's stake in the William Hill Online joint venture.More recent online ventures have been less successful. In attempting to launch its long-awaited unified mobile and online platform, Project Trafalgar, William Hill seemed to meet its Waterloo. The first few weeks were beset by glitches resulting in the Managing Director of Online leaving the business in January.The online operation contributed to William Hill's profit warning in March, after it saw an increase in self-imposed time-outs – where punters choose to ban themselves from gambling for a set period of time. Regulatory changes now require all companies to make it much easier for customers to self-exclude, but the change seems to have hit William Hill hardest. In its latest trading update, William Hill reported online wagers were actually in decline.By comparison, Ladbrokes was slow off the mark in digital, making several attempts at creating its own online offering with little success. However, a recent partnership with Playtech (yes, them again) seems to be producing results. Group online revenues grew by 12.9% in 2015, and online's share of total revenue increased 2 percentage points to 20% in 2015.SummaryUltimately what sets Ladbrokes and William Hill apart is not their abilities as bookmakers so much as their ability to second guess how technology will change their markets.William Hill took the early lead, by bringing in Playtech to fast-forward its move into the online space, while Ladbrokes foundered as it alternately tried to go it alone, or made on/off attempts to strike a deal with 888.com. But more recently, it appears to be Ladbrokes that is making faster progress online.Now, Ladbrokes has the merger with Coral to drive earnings forward, if it can manage the integration of the two businesses with aplomb. Playtech is backing the deal and has become Ladbrokes' biggest shareholder, taking a 10% stake.Cost savings are all well and good, but in the long run, the gambling industry is moving online. Both these companies need to focus on their digital divisions, whilst managing the inevitable decline in High Street demand. So far, Playtech has not put a foot wrong in the development of the online gambling sector. Perhaps investors should keep a close watch on what it does next, when deciding where to place their bets on UK gaming stocks?

[nod] 19/5/2016 06:16

Article in Daily TelegraphPaddy Power Betfair, Playtech and Foxtons have become the latest companies to be swept up in this year's Shareholder Spring after investors rebelled against pay at the two gambling businesses and the high-profile estate agency.Some 31.8pc of shareholders that voted at Paddy Power Betfair's annual general meeting came out against the freshly-merged company's remuneration report, dealing a bloody nose to the business, which is led by boss Breon Corcoran, just months after it was created in February. Meanwhile, Playtech, the gambling software company, was also hit by a rebellion in which 16.9pc of shareholders rejected last year's remuneration.

[nod] 18/5/2016 13:26

PTEC long ago made clear it was looking for a game changer. After that its investments were in financial betting companies. Some of these acquisitions failed because of protectionism. In the same way that poker ambitions got nowhere because of protection .I think the focus of acquisitions and growth will still be on financials.

[ramridge] 18/5/2016 12:35

Hi Nod. Interesting comment. So if poker is not a good idea, where do you think they should invest, assuming that returning cash to shareholders is the bottom option?

[yesrupnel] 18/5/2016 12:10

Thanks for your thoughts Nod.

[nod] 18/5/2016 10:58

PTEC walked away from poker after the US fiasco and has not indicated that poker is important for them. Poker is still much less than 1% of its revenue globally. Also, if it has any aspirations of getting into the US with online gambling then PTEC is best to leave poker well alone, as the Yanks hold it sacred as theirs only. While poker is tempting for the worlds best like PTEC i think they have been wise to stay well clear of poker even in other countries as the US seems to think it has global control.There may be a hint in the comments that a special Dividend is on the way. Teddy will be happy with this to invest in his own private projects that have greater growth potential. He's a smart one and has a major influence on the dividend payout.

[yesrupnel] 18/5/2016 09:22

Maybe they could buy Pokerstars

[ramridge] 18/5/2016 08:16

I have gone long with this share today. Lots of things attracted me, but in particular, operating margin around 34%, profit margin around 33%, Free Cash Flow Euros 140m, net cash Euros 400m (based on 31/12/15 accounts).
They have the fire power to make a tasty acquisition this year. Upside is IMO very good.

[togglebrush] 18/5/2016 07:07

AGM RNS extract
'
As we stated at the time of our 2015 full year results, should suitable acquisitions not be available, consideration will be given to returning cash to shareholders as we look to maintain an efficient capital structure.
'
We remain confident of continued success and strong growth in 2016 and beyond."

[trentendboy] 17/5/2016 12:36

Should get a trading update to boot.The SPO update today was a good one

[togglebrush] 17/5/2016 09:45

Financial Calendar
'
18 May 2016 Annual General Meeting ... TOMORROW
'
25 Aug 2016 2016 Interim Results

[undervaluedassets] 20/4/2016 11:59

I agree it is a shame that the deal fell through (I think the bid for Plus500 actually saved Plus500 even though it was never completed. It stopped the sentiment tsunami that was sweeping through the Plus500 shareprice at that time )

As for PTEC I think that they should take their time . Nothing wrong with cash. Better to be prudent and do something sensible with it than rush.

Discount the cash from the market cap PTEC and the valuation is really very low for a company with this kind of growth profile.

Meanwhile profits (and yet more cash) continue to roll in from the many deals that PTEC has out there already..

[trentendboy] 19/4/2016 08:34

Tend to agree. Might pick up a few more.I like the positioning of PTEC but it is getting competitive out there.Their relationship with SCH is of interest as is their plans for the large cash pile.They need to do something sooner rather than later.Also the plus500 shares need looking at but seems nicely profitable. Shame the deal fell through

[weemonkey] 18/4/2016 09:55

Share price below that on results day a few weeks back . .

Rare opportunity as results were stella and outlook extremely healthy .

[nod] 16/4/2016 02:30

How many share of Plus500 does PTEC hold?There's a fair bit of share trading going on over there. I think JP Morgan sold around 6% last week

[old fool2] 14/4/2016 11:41

Plus 500 - quarterly figures out on Monday 18th April

[undervaluedassets] 11/4/2016 08:12

All the Uk listed gambling firms use PTEC gaming software

[nod] 08/4/2016 13:03

What's that ... The Pope preys and bares all in woods?

[harry the haddock] 07/4/2016 12:04

teddy sagi associated with off shore companies and linked to the Panama papers??? i'm shocked; Next you'll be telling me that the Pope prays and bears defecate in the woods! lol

[nod] 07/4/2016 11:45

The Panama Papers, leaked this weekend by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, show 16 offshore companies linked by a few degrees of separation to online casino software development company Playtech's CEO Teddy Sagi.Sagi has been mentioned in the vast dossier of anonymously leaked documents that have been dubbed the Panama Papers, and which have dominated headlines worldwide since hitting the news.Journalists across the world have been sifting through the enormous and unprecedented body of material that comprises 11.5 million documents relating to the customers of the Panama-based law firm known as Mossack Fonseca.The firm's services include the incorporation of companies in offshore tax havens, and the documents offer a fascinating glimpse into the way in which the world's super-rich keep their fortunes out of the reach of the long arm of the taxman.Shell CompaniesTo be clear, Sagi is not believed to have committed any crime, and we should also note that there is nothing inherently illegal about creating a shell company in an offshore tax haven to anonymously hold property and bank accounts.Sources told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the offshore companies were not incorporated by Sagi himself. Rather, they were purchased, with Sagi as the sole shareholder, mainly for the purpose of dealing in real estate.As well as owning Playtech, Sagi has been instrumental in buying up and developing large parts of London's Camden Market, where Playtech's headquarters are based in the UK.According to Haaretz, documents reveal that officers from Bank Leumi's Jersey (Channel Islands) branch serve as directors of Sagi's companies, a service seemingly provided by the bank.Last December, the bank was investigated and fined $400 million by US tax authorities for helping more than 1,500 US clients evade their taxes. Neither Sagi nor Playtech were named in any way in that scandal.

[undervaluedassets] 31/3/2016 10:52

gonna be huge . . and good for PTEC's new suite of games.

This is play on the buckets and spades for the betting sector - the infrastructure of gambling. biggest gaming software provider.

[yesrupnel] 25/3/2016 10:11

The chief executive of Amaya- the world's largest online gambling firm - has been charged in Canada with insider trading.

[weemonkey] 17/3/2016 15:27

nice price today. lower than that on recent results day (which were a record)

release of movie "Batman v Superman" set to be helpful here.

nibbled a few more .

No stamp duty - nice