Porta Communications Share Discussion Threads

[guildedge] 22/3/2016 20:51

I think they have been trying Salpara. Hence that presentation they held last year. If you looked at the share price today it recovered slightly with no buy trade at time it recovered from 7.5% to 5.5%. This happened a week or so back too with an erratic share price. I think shares are being reserved/swapped in the background. That or MM is very undecided on what prices to set for Porta?

If HH still have 12M or so shares (they wish to sell??) that is a lot of shares to clear. If I was an II I would be waiting for the bulk of that to clear and some inidcation that Porta are turning things around. I would also buy at the low points. 6-6.5p seems to be that. Of course HH may decide to keep 4-5.58% of their stock?

If you look back at 2013. The peak was when Ruffers and HH starting buying in heavily. The rest of Joe investors followed suit and we reached 16-18p. If an II does come on board 9p will come quickly.

I still believe once these acquisitions are announced/ the results announced the directors will buy in. March 28th will also be 2 month closed period for final results. I think the directors know exactly what they are doing. 20-30 years in the industry you learn a few things. See what happens.

[salpara111] 22/3/2016 15:26

As I mentioned on this thread a long time ago, the only way the share price will be able to gain any real traction is for them to get a few new small cap institutions on board to counterbalance the selling from current holders.
You would have thought that a firm that specialises in financial communications would be able to do that.....wouldn't you?

[guildedge] 22/3/2016 14:25

All sells Jefftwo. Buys yesterday would of been 6.8p I was suprised they kept the price so high yesterday after 300k of sells. Could be HH are selling again. All based on no news.

[jefftwo] 22/3/2016 08:30

Are these buys or sells going through at the moment?

[markie7] 19/3/2016 09:06

You need to work out the difference between revenue and gross profit in these groups. Gross profit is the relevant measure, turnover is often irrelevant

[guildedge] 18/3/2016 15:19

QS. The problem with CLL is that value is already factored into the share. Actually revenue for CLL was down compared to last year. Guessing they made some cost savings and focused on margins. Although perhaps it was under valued a bit before the results.

Yes I got the story from the ES. Yes I understand about value for share holders. Right now 13p looks a lot better than 6.5p. Of course we all look at the 16-17p peak and think I wish that could come back. Management only ever valued the share at 13p. I think The share price is where it is as it has been over sold. True price should be at least 8-9p.

Yes HH have been shedding Porta stock over last year. 6m In June 2014- July 2015 period. Have you read Marlborough fund yearly report?? You can follow both the VCT 1 and 2 HH funds too. Both of the VCT funds still appear to have hold Porta. The Marlborough one has sold 6M shares. The same amount that BM bought. So the large trade last year was likely Marlborough and not an ex director.

There is no proof who sold 3M shares since Jan. Could be any shareholder. Possibly HH. Neither do we know who was soaking up stock too. PTCM are slow to update the shareholder page. HH has not informed the market either.

I am quite comfortable with this stock. I don't share all the negative views here. If revenue comes in at 35M this is 50% more than last year. Of which some comes from PPS, Publicasity, Redleaf and from growth. Revenue is still growing even with closed businesses.

I think many here underestimate the performance here and are judging the performance by the share price. Things are not as dire as some make out. If so that is already factored into the share price Albeit still over sold.

Unless someone has inside knowledge of what is going on here? Then by all means share. I can only go by what I have researched online.

[qs99] 18/3/2016 10:27

Guildedge you need to look at this slightly more dispassionately mate. if there are 15m shares they are off-loading why do you think they are off-loading? if it took a year for 11m, then why buy now with that overhang? Incentivisation package well trailed here but really poor message IMO to current shareholders or old ones. Next RNS and results will be key to whether this has any legs IMO, but there are other stocks in the sector more lowly valued IMO but with better stories, TMMG and CLL to name two (which I hold)...event HNT seems to be turning around! good luck, can't be *&%()d to worry too much on here as I don't hold and cannot now see a way back for the shares to materially change, unless something materially changes to the business!

[go_baby_go] 18/3/2016 10:07

I agree, DW has done a poor jobs and destroyed share holder value.

[oldie52] 18/3/2016 09:31

You don't seem to get the point about the incentive scheme Guildedge. Destroy shareholder value and get a massive incentive to get it back to where it was.
That is why the Standard thought it was a story and FYI Budget day is not a slow news day.
In my view DW and GG have done a dreadful job over the last few years and should be sacked not incentivised!

[guildedge] 17/3/2016 22:03

Jeff - I am not sure the big seller (HH) is out yet. Much of Porta's share drop is due to HH. HH 4% drop from 9.58-5.58% accounts for 11M shares. Still a good 15M shares to sell and we have only seen 3 or so million shares sold since January appear as trades. It's possible they have been dumping shares for over a year and just not released any RNS.

Pelliot - Yes the ES article was poor. They really must of been short of news stories posting a story on bonuses that required the share to over double in price for it to kick in. Interesting timing for Porta to announce the options. SW options got much less coverage.

Markie - Yep just a general meeting. Although I think investors have power to raise matters at the meeting? Although that may only be for EGM. Yep AGM is normally in June.

Kimboy. This is a 3 year option. I really doubt the share will reach 260p in 3 years. If it does would you really be complaining?? The share would be up over 3700% or so. Seems unlikely in 3 years.

[qs99] 17/3/2016 17:18

Anyone looking at PTCm should IMO and dyor look at cello.....cracking results today, organic growth, reducing debt and 10% increase in divi....happy days and up 20% in last few weeks, broker notes from today I have seen v positive but again dyor!

[kimboy2] 17/3/2016 15:03

The obvious question to ask is exactly what will they be doing for this 'incentive' that they weren't doing without it.

Perhaps one for the chairman and major shareholder.

I notice that the 'incentive' is capped at 10% of the shares and after that they get cash.

I calculate that if the price gets to 260p they will start getting cash instead of shares. They will then be pocketing circa £100m between them, though if it gets to 260p I don't suppose I will be bothering much by then.

[jefftwo] 17/3/2016 12:10

Yes DavidIf the directors were football managers they would have been kicked out ages agoWe want winners not losers to Run PtcmIncentives should kick in at 20/25p and not 13p.With the big seller apparently out this could happen far too easily.Probably a good time to buy however what a greedy bunch of ........ Imho

[davidosh] 17/3/2016 11:58

What happened to the days where people did a good days work for a good days pay and earned a reasonable bonus on top if they really performed exceptionally well ??

Are these guys not paid very well ? Do they need such incentives to get out of bed ? Do they think getting the share price back to where the last money was raised two years ago is actually satisfactory reward for shareholders who funded that £7 million spree !!

These nil cost option packages are becoming the norm and are not good for investors IMO

[pelliot] 17/3/2016 10:31

Evening Standard: (not a great read from a firm claiming to influence the media)

Porta PR banks on hiding behind Budget

There’s nothing like Budget Day to bury news of a corporate trousering, as the PR folk at Porta Communications know full well.

The listed firm — owner of spinners Newgate and Redleaf among others — chose this quiet day to slip out news of its new share incentive scheme for chief executive David Wright, managing director Steffan Williams and finance director Gene Golembiewski.

Shares in Porta are at present worth 6.38p but the big bucks kick in above 13p. The trio will land £1.36 million in shares collectively if they can get the price to 16.3p — which happens to be where it was two years ago before it collapsed by 60%.

[jefftwo] 17/3/2016 08:27

Directors know exactly what is going on after all they produce the management accounts.A little disappointed that DW is involved in this after the dos service he has given to me and other shareholdersAnyway is the share price going to rise? Of course it will and they all know it. This is classic legal corruption that gives AIM a bad reputation imho

[guildedge] 16/3/2016 20:06

The fact is 6.38p is what the market currently values Porta at. Sure were all upset that the share has not performed as we all hoped. 13p would be double the current market value. Many of the directors already have schemes at 10p anyway. If this encourages the directors to perform, then that is great. I am sure many would be glad to see Porta at 13p.

I actually think Management would hope to see Porta much higher. Remember they will know how Porta has Performed in 2016. They will also know what acquisitions or deals are ahead in short term. I actually think they are very switched on here.

I doubt DW will go any time soon as this scheme suggests he will be there for 3 years.

Any thoughts on this General Meeting on 6th April??? Is this just for the share option vote?? Is this for the AGM?

[oldie52] 16/3/2016 11:07

"250 people working on FTSE 100 clients". Do all the other clients get any service at all?
Drafting skills and attention to detail 0 out of 10

[markie7] 16/3/2016 10:27

the plan is explicitly acknowledging it will take an "outstanding performance" to get the share price back to the point where they raised money from institutions.

[qs99] 16/3/2016 10:16

Pelliot your post sums it up nicely....IMO.

Be interesting to see how any remaining institutions vote on this....

[geoffmorris] 16/3/2016 10:11

I have been in this share since before TSE and think that I have given the management every chance to build the company!

However, this latest proposal is taking the mickey! I am very happy to pay excellent bonuses for excellent performance BUT to pay yourselves wonderful salaries and to reduce the value of the company by a factor of 2 or 3 is a disgrace. To then seek to award yourselves further bonuses for getting the shares back to where they were indicates that they have lost touch with reality!

The proposals will probably be voted through by "block" votes, but as the meeting is scheduled for midday, I would hope as many shareholders as possible attend the meeting so that David Wright and his team can see the strength of feeling!

[karm] 16/3/2016 09:53

Agree, No share holder value there with such large salaries. Remove DW i say.

[pelliot] 16/3/2016 09:49

So if the share price returns to the same price it was 5 years ago when the company started trading properly, shareholders are expected to give the same CEO and the rest of his team £1.3m of equity. Will someone please call the institutions and ask their opinions?

I agree with Kimboy. What is the board giving back to shareholders given that they have halved the share price - other than a headache!?

DW and GG joint salary year ending 2013: £245k share price at 16/03/14 - 14.75p
DW and GG joint salary year ending 2014: £500k share price at 16/03/15 - 7.00p
DW and GG joint salary year ending 2015: £???? share price at 16/03/16 - 6.38p

What will the annual report say to help us fill in the £????. Can't imagine the cost of the whole 7 member board going into 2016? That's what I call creating shareholder value!! So let's give them £millions of shares!