Spirent Communications Share Discussion Threads

[bot53693752467] 08/8/2006 08:12

is that the latest Investtech?

well if there is no bid there are going to be a number of extremely long investors going into what is expected to be a poor set of results

[andaleg] 08/8/2006 07:01

A week old - so only posted for interests sake.

From Investtech :-

Negative Candidate (Medium term) - Jul 31, 2006
Has broken the falling trend down. This signals an even stronger falling rate. It also gave a negative signal from a rectangle formation at the break down through the support at 40.96. Further fall to 30.62 or lower is signaled. The stock has resistance at p 41.40. The stock is overall assessed as technically negative for the medium long term.

Edit :- I did buy back at 38.25 after selling at 39.25 some weeks ago, bound to put the mockers on things !

[baronet 1] 08/8/2006 06:51

The Independent 8th August 06

For the third successive session, Spirent registered strong gains in heavy trading of its shares. The telecoms equipment group closed 2.25p higher at 40p amid continuing hopes that it will soon be taken over. Agilent, a US rival, is the name most often mentioned by dealers as a likely bidder for Spirent.
When an economically cyclical stock such as Spirent makes strong gains in brisk trade against the background of a weak wider market, it often means that corporate action is on the way.






Another small mention in The Guardian




And The Daily Telegraph





JB

[desperate dan] 07/8/2006 21:19

Very interesting.

Didn't think that SPT would be back on radars at this juncture.

Charts look hellish good. 42.5 - 45.5 looks like almost inevitable (last words ?).

62.25 million today - stunning !

[pdriccio] 07/8/2006 21:13

Spirent Close NYSE

Open $2.82 +0.26 Close $3.08 + 9.2%

Trades As 4 Ord Shares which equates to 0.405p

[pdriccio] 07/8/2006 20:53

A Post from Knife Early March 2006

1) investors are all too aware a £50m buyback is just a matter of weeks away

2) £150m cash on the balance sheet worth 15.5p per share, leaving the operating businesses valued at just £314m or 32.5p per share at 48p market price. at 40p they would be only valued at 24.5p per share or £237m. the small, fast growing, systems division alone could be worth £50m if put on the same times operating profits as HT (ie, 288.9/25.3x4.4)

3) HT sold, debts and pension deficit cleared, and Service Assurance division restructured leaves SPT a sitting duck for a predator. with SPT share buyback yet to be in motion, perhaps this is a strong incentive for a potential predator to act quickly. read the post above outlining Agilents acquisitive intentions (article dated feb 16). if Agilent bought Spirent, can't you just imagine the papers saying this was a deal waiting to be done for a long time?

4) the stock is trading at about 1x revenues compared to Agilent at about 2x revenues, ARM about 6.4x revenues and SPT at the peak in 2000-2001 at something like 6-8x revenues. (but check these figures) At 40p, the stock would be trading at about 0.8x 2006 revenues

5) Spirent is expected to be significantly profitable and cash generative in 2006 and 2007, based on brokers forecasts. with HT gone the business it less capital intensive, R&D-driven

6) in wake of tech-meltdown misfortunes, the HT disposal, restructuring and acquisitions, perhaps surprises are now more likely to be on the upside...

note - please check all my figures, errors are possible. i am using 966m shares in issue

[desperate dan] 07/8/2006 19:13

07.08.06 :+2.25, (40) takeover talk continued to swirl around the company, dealers said. By 10.30 am, Spirent shares were up 1-1/4 pence at 39, after rising over 12% last week in exceptionally heavy trade, with more than 50m shares changing hands on both Thursday and Friday. In the first hour of trade this morning, there were two deals of 3.79m and 5.59 mln, further fuelling speculation of an impending bid, with US peer Agilent or private equity group Hanover Investors said to be building up a stake in the group. Spirent is due to publish its interim results on Thursday and UBS is looking for sales of 134.3m for the six months to end-June, with EBITDA of 5.2m and adjusted EPS of 0.64 pence.

[bigboots] 07/8/2006 18:31

Nothing but the price rise has got ahead of itself if this is the case, as everyone is hoping for a bid. Would Company X really pay a 40% premium to acquire Spirent after the rise its had 20% already and another 20% - i think not !!!

[baronet 1] 07/8/2006 17:40

bigboots -- What is wrong with an institution building a position ?

JB

[bigboots] 07/8/2006 17:20

Quite a bit of selling after the bell, hope this is not just another institution building a position for a long term gain up 20% now in a week

[bot53693752467] 07/8/2006 14:43

what thursday? another profits warning or a takeover bid? or nothing at all?

[pdriccio] 07/8/2006 12:29

On the second line, shares in Spirent topped the FTSE 250 leaders board, up
1-1/4 pence to 39, up a further 3 pct in heavy volume of 13.44 mln shares
traded, as takeover talk continued to swirl around the company.
In the first hour of trade this morning, there were two deals of 3.79 mln
and 5.59 mln, further fuelling speculation of an impending bid, with US peer
Agilent or private equity group Hanover Investors said to be building a stake in
the group.
Spirent is due to publish its interim results on Thursday.

[lyntwyn] 07/8/2006 09:34

If wider market turns bit more +ve SPT should get thru' 40

[boobly] 05/8/2006 09:32

Good Morning Spirent Lovers !

I haven`t posted here for a long long time , but have lurked on occasion to see what was going on .
Out of touch with this market , and SPT , but very sad to see its decline over recent months . I thought it was destined for even greater things when I left .
Anyway , very good to see the recent bounce , and as I also recognise some of the old supporters still posting here , I thought I would just add my best wishes that the recovery continues apace .
Loyalty often pays off in the long term , Best of luck to you all .

[bot53693752467] 05/8/2006 09:12

well it actually led Footsie up according to FT????


Spirent leads spirited Footsie rebound

Published: August 5 2006 03:00 | Last updated: August 5 2006 03:00

Spirent, the telecommunications testing group, yesterday grabbed the limelight for a second day running.

The stock saw continued heavy trading with 56m shares changing hands on top of 84m in the previous session amid speculation in the market of a stake builder at work.

Turnround specialist Hanover Investors was one name in the frame. Hanover has in the past bought stakes and then successfully lobbied for change at Elementis, the chemicals group, and 4imprint, the distributor of promotional products.

Spirent would fit the bill as a turnround candidate, having spent several years in the doldrums. Another interested party could be Polygon, the hedge fundthat is currently seeking to block a bid from a private equity fund for UK-quoted Telent.

However, not all bought into the stake building tale. Others said dealers were merely building positions ahead of Spirent's interim figures on Thursday. Spirent ended 6.3 per cent higher at 37¾p, up almost 12 per cent in two days.

[baronet 1] 05/8/2006 07:25

Forbes.com

On the second line, Spirent was in demand again, up another 2-1/4 pence to
37-1/4 in heavy volume as vague bid talk continued to do the rounds.




JB

[baronet 1] 05/8/2006 07:15

The Independent 5th August 2006

Spirent, 2.25p better at 37.75p, was also set alight by whispers that a takeover is being lined up for the telecoms equipment group. Over 56 million shares were traded, many times the volume on an average day, as talk of a move on the company from US rival Agilent circled dealing rooms. Prior to the speculation, Spirent shares traded at three-year lows after a series of profit warnings. Spirent is expected to unveil interim results next week, probably on Thursday. Analysts expect it to post earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of around £5.2m.





JB

[baronet 1] 05/8/2006 07:10

Daily Telegraph 5th August 2006

Telecoms equipment testing group Spirent Communications was up a further 2¼ to 37¾p. Dealers said the shares were better after an overhanging line of stock was cleared out on Thursday. Spirent announced it bought back 100,000 shares from JPMorgan Cazenove at an average price of 34.2p each to be held in treasury.

The telcoms sector was generally stronger, with Cable & Wireless up 4 to 119p. Dealers said 115½p was a major resistance level for the stock. Colt Telecom rose 7¾ to 122p.




JB

[desperate dan] 04/8/2006 20:36

Weekly volume 170.424 million ! Someone knows something ?

[andaleg] 04/8/2006 14:52

The volume certainly suggests that is probably the case.

Edit:- Spirent was in demand again, up another 2-1/4 pence to 37-1/4 in heavy volume as vague bid talk continued to do the rounds.

[domesday2] 04/8/2006 14:05

This looks to me as though it might be serious stake building perhaps in preparation for a bid? Wishful thinking?
I am not an expert but would welcome other comments on the buying pattern over the last 2 days

[thegrip1] 04/8/2006 13:58

c'mon baby make my day

[thegrip1] 04/8/2006 13:57

goldman sucks ,,,,probably buying all that stock ,,ha ha ha

[thegrip1] 04/8/2006 13:56

who said 6p ha ha ha

[thegrip1] 04/8/2006 13:55

shorter slaughter ha ha ha