Touchstar Share Discussion Threads

[rivaldo] 02/2/2017 09:08

Actually PJ1, I was interested and had a Google, and it seems that the rules have changed since July last year - the closed period is now only 30 days before publication of interims and finals. I'd be grateful if someone could confirm that's now the case.

Whatever the case, TST were most definitely not in a closed period after the trading update. Unless they were pursuing another transaction, such as being close to finalising an acquisition. In which case they certainly wouldn't have told you they were in a closed period :o))

[pj 1] 02/2/2017 08:32

rivaldo-I phoned them after the profit warning and was clearly told they were in a closed period. So there must be something else?

[rivaldo] 02/2/2017 07:12

Good to see the Chairman buying another £30,000 or so of shares at these levels.

PJ1, TST are only in a closed period from mid-February, i.e 2 months before the mid-April prelims date. The rule is either 2 months before that date or the period from the year end to the prelims date if that period is 2 months or less.

[pj 1] 01/2/2017 21:15

I thought they would be in a Closed period until Results?

[eburne1960] 01/2/2017 16:25

Chairman buys 35/-

[retiringtype] 01/2/2017 16:25

I see that Ian Martin has been buying too:

"Touchstar plc ("Touchstar" or the "Company"), specialists in real time data capture and mobile computing solutions for the retail, logistics and transportation sector announces that it has been informed that on 27 January 2017 Ian Martin, Chairman of the Company, purchased 25,000 shares at 80.6 pence per share and on 30 January 2017 he purchased a further 10,000 shares at 84.5 pence per share.

Following these purchases Mr Martin and his wife hold 310,250 shares in the Company representing approximately 4.9 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital."

[martinthebrave] 30/1/2017 15:37

Thanks Rivaldo. Bought a few more this morning on the strength of the WH Ireland note. GLA.

[pj 1] 30/1/2017 14:01

Quite a turn up for the books! I'd expected a slow decline until Results

[hastings] 30/1/2017 13:17

No worries. Certainly interesting and although TST still has to deliver, I'm guessing that 2017 could pave the way for some positive momentum.Ian Martin has agreed to a catch up on results day so I'll pen something then.Current rating looks cheap enough and if this year does mark a turning point, then the shares would surely trot back up to levels achieved a couple of months back.

[rivaldo] 30/1/2017 12:10

Interesting - WH Ireland this morning have upgraded to Buy and increased their target price to 119p (from 101p) following a recent visit to the company.

They forecast historic 6.6p EPS for 2016 and 12.6p EPS for this year.

Thanks for the note mate.

[hastings] 12/1/2017 17:22

PJ 1, you are forgiven ; so stay put.

[pj 1] 12/1/2017 17:17

Me and my big mouth. Please ban me from the thread!

[rivaldo] 11/1/2017 08:49

RNS - Thomas Charlton continues to buy and is now above 6%, with almost 380,000 shares:

[pj 1] 10/1/2017 12:48

I expected a much bigger hit than materialised here, which possibly reinforces that indeed the contracts have been delayed into 2017 rather than possibly 'lost', which should theoretically give a possible ahead in Q1?

Shame the Co is not more communicative.

[varies] 06/1/2017 09:51

let us hope for some good contract announcements soon or, conceivably, a return to the scene of Trak8m or some other interested party.
This has been a disappointing share to own these last 6 or 7 years and I did think that the rise to 115p before Christmas (over 7p in the old BVM form) might herald better times. As it is, yet more patience is obviously required.

[rivaldo] 06/1/2017 09:17

Glad to see Paulypilot's positive sentiments above, which are similar to my thoughts posted earlier.

WH Ireland had some interesting things to say in their update note. They retain their 12.6p EPS forecast for this year (2017) and state:

"Prior to Christmas, we spent the day at the Manchester HQ and three things jumped out: 1) the main areas of the business (onboard retail, transport/ logistics and security/ access control) are working in a much more integrated fashion and this is reflected in a rebranding all under the Touchstar name; 2) the developers have been busy working on next generation products providing truly fully integrated solutions (including back office integration, ie owning more of the pie); and 3) this is a business moving decisively towards an SaaS model with the introduction of cloudbased software solutions with contracted revenues of up to five years in duration"

"Valuation and recommendation

The H2 undershoot appears to have been driven by factors which should not be expected to recur in 2017. Arguably, if anything, the New Year should start strongly given order deferral from H2 2016 whilst the bad debt at Access Control looks like plain bad luck, being the first in the company’s long and extensive history. There will naturally be disappointment this morning but even applying a cautious 8x P/E to our 2017 forecasts suggests fair value of 101p per share, our new target price".

[arthur_lame_stocks] 06/1/2017 07:55

Well i'm glad I got out for a small profit in the long run. Held on here for a few years but it has been going nowhere for a long time.

[larva] 05/1/2017 20:01

Why gamble on horse dung

When there is plenty of nice ones around

[pj 1] 05/1/2017 14:27

I have failed in managing to speak with any of the Directors today. However, I have gleaned that the bad debt was with a Blue Chip client, via an intermediary. The intermediary has gone bust so from experience there will be no dividend paid, so hopefully a harsh lesson for the future has been learned there.

Emphasis was placed on the deferred orders being 'deferred'. However, we all live in the real world and that is always the case isn't it?

I do wonder if the delayed orders are also related to the said intermediary, which has delayed the whole process(es)?

Hope this helps a little. PJ

[rivaldo] 05/1/2017 12:28

GHF, thx for the WH Ireland info.

As previously stated, it seems to me that the two problems of deferrals and a bad debt are one-off and non-recurring - and the former will likely benefit this year's results. I'll hold.

[napoleon 14th] 05/1/2017 11:57

Sorry for you guys, but it's not that terrible, just disappointing.
I stayed out, knowing BVM & all the patience it consumed.
A name change doesn't change the genes!

[mr hangman] 05/1/2017 10:26

Let me guess, another one presenting at Mello..

[aishah] 05/1/2017 10:20

Yes, very disappointing. Looking to offload and re-invest elsewhere.

[pugugly] 05/1/2017 10:03

Very cautious looking forward (imo) Message received is that managment have very little forward clarity on trading for this year

"Whilst it is very early to comment on the prospects for the current year, at this stage the Board remains comfortable with the current market expectations for 2017."

Of course they are comfortable until orders postponed become orders cancelled and from my experience a postponed order often fails to be resurrected.