Touchstar Share Discussion Threads

[dolittle1] 16/2/2022 21:51

We will see.

[cocker] 16/2/2022 17:57

Oh thank you wise old elf. I can assure you there is little or no chance as I will pick up stock by the tens of thousands if share price drops any where near that amount.

[dolittle1] 16/2/2022 15:22

Going back to 40p.

[rivaldo] 08/2/2022 12:06

Cheers. I assumed HotStockRockets had tipped TST previously, just didn't know when.

Good to see TST brought to more people's attention anyway.

[bio_tango] 04/2/2022 22:11

May be worth reminding him that he is 12 days late with his article unless he is tying to generate some volume to bail out :)

[rivaldo] 04/2/2022 12:31

Just tipped as a Buy on HotStockRockets via Shareprophets (unfortunately the full tip is subscription-only):



"Touchstar – positive 2021 and performance set to accelerate, Buy

By HotStockRockets | Friday 4 February 2022

Mobile data computing services provider to industry Touchstar (TST) has announced “the unaudited full year outcome for FY21 is above market expectations in terms of profitability and cash generation” and that it believes “the rate of growth in revenue and EBITDA will accelerate in 2022 driving further substantial improvement in financial performance”. Good news."

[rivaldo] 31/1/2022 11:43

From today's Times - should be good news for TST:



"Online boom brings record investment in warehouses

Companies leased more warehouse space in 2021 than ever before, prompting record levels of investment in the logistics sector.

Thanks to the boom in online shopping during the pandemic, 70.1 million sq ft of industrial warehouse space, equivalent to more than 1,000 football pitches, was leased or sold last year, according to Cushman & Wakefield, the property agent. That was up nearly a third on the previous high of 53 million sq ft set in 2020 and more than double the take-up in a “normal” year before the pandemic.

“As ecommerce-led demand continues to outstrip supply, we are seeing rental levels and land values reach new highs across the UK, especially in London,” Richard Evans, Cushman & Wakefield’s head of UK logistics, said. Online retail was the main driver of letting as ecommerce businesses accounted for about a third of the total take-up last year. Multi-channel retailers seeking to grow their online presence and delivery groups were also “hugely acquisitive”, the company said.

About £17 billion of deals were transacted in 2021, another record. Investors have been buying warehouses and building new ones to try to meet demand, while they also have been attracted by the stability of warehouse rents and values when other parts of the property market have suffered.

Developers built 13.7 million sq ft of space “speculatively” in 2021, meaning that they had no tenants lined up before they started construction — almost double the 7.3 million sq ft of speculative development the year before."

[elited10] 25/1/2022 08:49

Nice spot, many other Aim Cos would have RNSd that collaboration

[rivaldo] 25/1/2022 08:39

Intriguing partnership news yesterday on top of the excellent trading update:



"HMK Bilcon & TouchStar Technologies announce strategic cooperation
24 January 2022

HMK Bilcon, based in Aalborg, Denmark is as solutions provider to the downstream fuel logistics market in Europe manufacturing fuel tankers and SafeCon® fuel delivery control systems.

HMK Bilcon’s SafeCon® III is the next generation of IT control systems for fuel tankers with a modern touch screen with all the latest features. New and smarter features are constantly being developed for SafeCon® III and 24-hour support is now available. Besides managing valves, pump and other components, SafeCon® III also controls the meter system to provide easier and fast loading and delivery with an improved ability to see compartment status along with many other new features.

TouchStar Technologies, based in Manchester, England have been providing ePOD systems to the Fuel logistics Industry for over 35 years. Today this accounts for approximately 70% of fuel delivery trucks on the road in the UK & Ireland. The flagship mobile application is FuelStar, which can be integrated with back office, finance and planning systems. FuelStar is often deployed on the in-house manufactured, ATEX-rated Android tablet, the TS3200.

A recent meeting between Peter Jensby, CEO of HMK Bilcon and Mark Hardy, CEO of TouchStar plc. has led to both organisations committing to a strategic partnership.

HMK Bilcon has a large market share in Scandinavia and TouchStar has similar in the UK Ireland and beyond.

Both organisations come from two different disciplines, but high levels of integration between TouchStar’s OBTC devices and ePOD Application FuelStar, with HMK Bilcon’s SafeCon® III control system mean both Peter and Mark have identified a great opportunity for collaboration within a number of geographical target markets."

[elited10] 25/1/2022 07:25

The prospects for 2022 are encouraging. There are signs of renewed activity from our customer base, confidence is returning, decisions previously put on hold are now being made - next year could be a time when the true value of the Touchstar business model is validated. As this goal is achieved, we will remain disciplined. Any capital deemed surplus to requirements that cannot produce adequate returns within the business will be returned to shareholders...from 22nd April 2021

[russman] 25/1/2022 07:15

Figures are going the right way.
What can they do with the growing cash pile.
It earns zilch.
Buy a small complimentary addon, strip out some overhead.
EPS would rocket.

[bio_tango] 24/1/2022 11:07

Good to see Ian's hard work starting to pay off. Still think they need to show growth of both top line and bottom line for any rerate to occur. They have been good in making business leaner but really need to demonstrate that they can grow the business.

[rivaldo] 24/1/2022 10:02

Good - the quieter the better, which means more opportunities to top up :o))

WH Ireland's new note today leaves forecasts for 2022 unchanged at this stage, being £1.3m EBITDA, £0.5m PAT and 5.5p EPS.

They don't state where they expect the current £2.5m cash pile to be at the end of this year, other than to note that this represents 35% of the total m/cap, and that the EV/EBITDA ratio is just 3.5....

Here's their conclusion:

"WHI view:

This morning’s update illustrates the robust internal actions taken over the last few years, including the focus on increasing recurring software revenue, combined with an improving wider market outlook in core sectors and a strong tender pipeline. Although there will be challenges during the current financial year, we believe that the momentum the business is now demonstrating is very encouraging and is importantly supported by the group’s highly robust balance sheet. The FY 2022E EV/EBITDA of 3.5x and net cash representing c.35% of the present market capitalisation illustrate the potential for multiple expansion"

[cocker] 24/1/2022 09:13

I guess that's when you know you're unloved, when you're top of the leader board and barely a soul in sight.

[rivaldo] 24/1/2022 07:16

Lovely stuff :o))

- profits and cash above expectations
- PAT at 200% above 2020 should be around £260k
- £2.5m cash at the year end against a £6.6m m/cap, plus much improved order books
- recurring revenues approaching 40%

Most importantly:

" the prospects for the Group appear more positive and more certain than for a long time;

the rate of growth in revenue and EBITDA will accelerate in 2022 driving further substantial improvement in financial performance"

Congrats to Ian and Mark in particular. It appears the stars have finally aligned for TST....

[cocker] 18/1/2022 07:27

An upgrade on Web from Lake Land and a review of how it's impacted their business. This week we will find out exactly how well things have gone and I suspect a positive outlook to accompany the TU.

[russman] 10/12/2021 17:47

TST needs to bulk up or sell up.
Too small.

[varies] 03/12/2021 11:33

Thanks, Rivaldo.
I have been looking at the Chelverton Growth Trust (CGW) results that you refer to and to the CEPS results for the half year to 30 June 2021.
As we know, the CEPS holding represents 57% of CGW's portfolio and the TST holding 21%. The total value of this portfolio seems to be about £6 million.
CEPS has been through a long re-organisation and hopes to make profits in 2023. It is heavily indebted to its manager, Mr David Horner.
CGW's directors tell us that CGW is now of a size that is no longer viable and they are considering how best to return value to shareholders. They intend to make an announcement on this subject in the early part of 2022.
Whilst it would be possible for CGW to distribute TST shares to its own shareholders as part of this return, this might prove a cumbersome procedure and expensive in proportion to the value involved. It would surely be more practical to sell them as a block. Might CGW perhaps offer them to TST ?
Curiously enough a recent transaction by a CEPS subsidiary has involved a company called Millington Lord and I wonder if there is any connection with the Mr and Mrs Millington who have recently acquired a declarable interest in TST.

[rivaldo] 16/11/2021 14:28

Chelverton Growth Trust has a £637,000 stake in TST (21% of its portfolio). It's just released its results to 31st August, and had this to say about TST:



"Touchstar continued to develop its focused and streamlined business. It reported an improving position in its recent interim results and has built up strength in its balance sheet. It is expected that the results for 2021 will show further progress and that 2022 will really start to reflect the strength and quality of the revitalised business."

[russman] 10/11/2021 17:58

Take the cash pile out of your ratios.

[cocker] 10/11/2021 17:04

From an investors point of view I have been very well rewarded and with the huge cash pile, I see little down side given the positive noises coming out from within.

[arthur_lame_stocks] 10/11/2021 16:37

The only thing that is going to convince me that this is not a duff company is some proper, sustained top line growth. If they can achieve this then the margins are good enough that this might finally repay some of your faith.

[varies] 10/11/2021 15:13

There has been an anticipation of jam for several years but no jam has yet reached the table.
Could 2022 be our Annus Mirabilis when it is spread before us ? PSR and PTNBV should come too (whatever they may be)along with the earnings.
How about EPS of 10p and a 3p dividend ?