Rare Earths Share Discussion Threads

[themariner] 20/6/2006 12:22

See all my earlier postings: going nowhere, poison pill comedy club side, owned by the banks following breach of banking covenents, prior accounting scandals, desperately poor management, comedy clubs in high rent spots even though they're destination venues, masses of "papering" at clubs, rival comedy format potentially on the way (row with former owners a possibility?), Risa Bars are "booze britain" personified, Walkabouts are old and tired, Jongleurs a missed opportunity now possibly too late to fix because comedy "experience" provided is so mixed (excessive papering leads to horrible audiences), several potential bidders have looked, tasted and walked. Industry fundamentals ok but turning down (health message getting through...), repeated profit warnings. New management provided bounce and needed credibility but even the new guys are struggling to deliver anything but intentions...

What more do you need. Share price could entice at 50p. It's walking wounded.

[finess] 19/6/2006 20:02

Getting cheaper by the day, why .

[mitzis] 08/6/2006 08:57

happy to hold for the next bid at 120p whenever that will be..

[11entrepreneur11] 07/6/2006 04:20

i invite you all to come and discuss shares and world issues on my new blog the adress is:

[themariner] 06/6/2006 10:36

Several bidders (this one, reportedly Alchemy, and previously Robert Tchenguiz, probably others too)have now looked at Regent and all come to the same conclusion. And now, the announcement that not only are talks off but a profit warning as well.

I've been saying for a while now - those comedy clubs are a poison pill. Regent wrote the book on how NOT to go about setting up a chain of them and are now reaping what they sowed. Remember too that although they still have the booking services of the former owners of Jongleurs (possibly a huge deterrent to a takeover as it seems more like a dependency on such people, who could walk), but the very same people are in the process of testing out a rival comedy club concept (OPUS, in Manchester), AND gone on record that they are seking to compete with Jongleurs anyway!!!

It's hopeless. It's owned by the banks anyway and still struggling to get its debts down! Look for a share price of 50p again soon. No one wants it and this latest walk away proves it.

[slj] 06/6/2006 07:14

Termination of discussions

RNS Number:0965E
Regent Inns PLC
06 June 2006

Regents Inns plc

Termination of discussions

On 27 April 2006, the Board of Regent Inns plc ("Regent Inns" or "the Company")
announced it had received 'an approach which may or may not lead to an offer
being made for the Company'.

The Board confirms that discussions in relation to this approach have now
terminated.

Current trading

As noted in the Chairman's interim statement of 7 February 2006, trading
conditions on the High Street were difficult after the New Year and this has
continued to be the case. Walkabout and Jongleurs have generally traded
robustly, however, off-peak trading has fallen and, in addition, a small number
of sites have traded below expectations due to particular competition and
licensing challenges. A variety of management actions are being taken to address
these issues.

Regent is well positioned to benefit from improved trading as a result of the
FIFA World Cup.

The Board is confident of the on-going prospects for Walkabout and Jongleurs and
continues to seek value-enhancing consolidation opportunities.

The Board will update the market on current trading in the form of a pre-close
trading statement in July.

[slj] 27/4/2006 17:07

Regent Inns Takeout Price Seen 120p-130p

Thursday, April 27, 2006 5:45:20 AM ET
Dow Jones Newswires

0829 GMT [Dow Jones] Regent Inns (REG.LN) +10% at 119p on news of a bid approach. Altium Securities' Greg Feehely is certain Regent Inns will be bought this year and sees a take-out price of between 120p and 130p. Regent is too small to cope with the escalating costs, he says. "We have long commented that Regent must eat or be eaten," he says, "we now believe the latter is the most likely outcome." Rates buy. (MIC)

[demandred] 27/4/2006 16:53

nice 250k buy at 1.17!! Someone is confident of this going higher

[slj] 27/4/2006 13:14

Financial Times

News of a bid approach from an unnamed party for Regent Inns sent shares in the pub operator 10.2 per cent higher to 119p. Traders speculated that a bid - if it were to materialise - could come in as high as 145p a share.

[skyship] 27/4/2006 09:32

Well, it had to come.....but we're only halfway there at the moment. Personally I can't imagine anything other than a successful conclusion to the talks; so the question is what price will achieve the Directors' acceptance: 140p, 145p, 150p!? Views anyone?

[slj] 27/4/2006 08:46

Regent Inns confirms has received offer approach

LONDON (AFX) - Regent Inns PLC said it noted the recent rise in the its
share price and confirmed it has had an approach which may or may not lead to an
offer being made for the company.
The approach is at a very early stage and there can be no guarantee that an
offer will be made, it added.
A further announcement will be made as appropriate.

[slj] 12/4/2006 14:55

RNS - Director bought 25k @ 96p

[slj] 30/3/2006 17:34

30/03/2006 00:00

Written by: by Paul Charity


Regent Inns, Hardys & Hansons and Young's are the obvious possible bid targets as sector consolidation gathers pace, a City analyst has claimed.

Rumours of bids for Whitbread and Mitchells & Butlers have sent their share values soaring in recent weeks and the trend towards consolidation is likely to engulf others public companies.

Paul Hickman, analyst at KBC Peel Hunt, said: "Not since the 2003 disappearance of the quoted fitness sector and restaurants, has there been such a tremendous impulse towards public-to-private activity in the leisure sector."

About his top three list of additional possible targets, he said:

Regent Inns: "The strategy at Regent is to be an on-market consolidator. Arguably this has not only failed so far, but also is becoming absolutely hopeless in the current conditions. The experience with Urbium and Inventive may be repeated but at six times Ebitda this is an increasingly obvious target itself."

Hardys & Hansons: "Although the share price currently tracks the £182m revaluation (of its assets) closely, that only represents 10 times Ebitda. This is acknowledged as a high-quality estate that has wisely been investing in large food houses for years. It could well become a competitive bid between say Wolverhampton and Greene King, attracting a 10% premium at 800p a share.

Youngs: "The major value resides in the real estate. Against net asset value of £13 we estimate the potential brewery realisation at a minimum of £5 and the hidden revaluation of the pubs at a minimum of £8. After allowing for the cost of relocating the brewery that still adds up to a minimum fair value of £23, and we set a median target of £30."

Hickman added: "Consumer uncertainties, rising costs and regulatory obstacles such as smoking are likely to sustain lack of satisfaction in investment performance on-market. When the best in class, Mitchells & Butlers, can only absorb cost increases, the traditional rationale for earnings growth is challenged. These are the conditions for successful bids."

[skyship] 17/3/2006 15:56

Yet another bar operator looks likely to be a bid target - Luminar this time:



Bought into this one precisely for that reason and the great looking chart; but it has disppointed in the short-term. Perhaps things may be hotting up again.

[donut114] 16/3/2006 11:21

Time to punt this stock, target 120p for short, for longer term ?.!!!

(BDI)Bond International S Bond International reports FY pretax up 42 pct as sales rise 45 pct
LONDON (AFX) - Bond International Software PLC reported a 42 pct rise in
2005 full year pretax profit to 2.67 mln stg from 1.88 mln on a 45 pct rise in
sales.
The company said sales increased to 13.9 mln stg from 9.6 mln, with
continuing operations experiencing a 19 pct rise to 11.4 mln stg, and sales from
the acquisition of eEmpAct Software Inc contributing 2.6 mln stg.
Bond said it has proposed a maiden dividend of 1p per share. It added its
basic EPS increased 19 pct to 8.00p from 6.71p.
Looking ahead, the company said its current year orders were higher than a
year earlier, and the launch of the latest version of its Adapt software will
have a positive impact of the coming year.
[e-mail]
ks

[skyship] 23/2/2006 17:40

Just sitting & waiting and every so often looking at this great Reverse Head & Shoulders (Badtime - hi there - after yr comment last month, run a line along the 100p level and it's fairly obvious - though agreed only of interest to chartists). Interesting trades recently as in the past REG trades have tended to be ATs, now somone accumulating with conventional O trades. May well top-up as this is beginning to suggest corporate action - perhaps one to buy at 102p bid....

[slj] 22/2/2006 12:40

There's definitely someone out there accumulating these for 100p....

[watch the clock] 10/2/2006 14:31

I.C tip today

[slj] 10/2/2006 09:42

A lot of buying going on at 100p. Nearly 3 times average daily volume traded yesterday, virtually all buys at 100p. 236k buys gone through at 100p this morning so far, all 'O' trades therefore not moving the price.

[slj] 07/2/2006 20:20

[Dow Jones] Altium maintains buy on Regent Inns (REG.LN) despite sales slowdown amid tough trading conditions. "Whilst we will clearly be reviewing our numbers post the analyst meeting, the issue for us now is 'will these results act as the catalyst for it to be acquired?'" says analyst Greg Feehely. "We have long commented that Regent must 'eat or be eaten' - we now believe the latter is the most likely outcome." Shares -9.2% at 99p.

[themariner] 07/2/2006 10:06

Like for likes up 0.5% (real terms DOWN), operating profit only "doubled" because of a lack of exceptionals this year. This company is valued at something like 9 times EBITDA. It should be more like 5 times to reflect the fact that it's going nowhere and still can't pay a dividend. New management have provided stability but you just can't see where the shareholder value is coming from. They even said they cut prices at Jongleurs to keep them full at Christmas. If you can't get a premium price for a "unique" product at Christmas you really are in trouble!

It's pretty clear REG has been looked at by bidders but if a bid was coming it would have come by now. The share price still reflects this diminishing proposition and will now fall as the froth comes off this company and reality sets in.

[slj] 06/2/2006 19:32

Altium Capital reiterated their 'buy' stance on Regent Inns today.

[tole] 04/2/2006 14:27

Noticed this was tipped in shares mag on thursday - noting the strong popularity of its Walkabout chain - which is always very busy imo.
Interims due on 7th Feb - and with its cashflow/trading/property portfolio makes it vulnerabe to a takeover bid from private equity houses or otehr pub companys

[tole] 03/2/2006 13:18

Panmure Gordon upgrades GCap to 'hold' from 'sell' and reiterates 'buying' 888.com. It says buy Amec, Luminar, Psion, REGENT INNS and Star Energy, but to 'hold' Mitchells & Butlers.