Trakm8 Share Discussion Threads

[knowbodyyouno] 25/2/2021 08:47

I don't trust their updates at all. But I'm pleased to hear the lights are apparently still on. Whilst they're the sort of BOD who would blame a bad year on a toilet paper shortage in the office, the COVID19 excuse re young drivers is certainly a plausible one. As I said before, this is their market and it's effectively been closed for some months.

Not huge volumes, so I would hope it doesn't finish the day down by much.

Does anyone know whether this is a new client or simply an upgrade for an existing client? If the latter, is it common practice to trade back in the old devices and so on to off-set the cost of the new deal?

Also, why announce such a small contract, and not other more lucrative insurance / fleet contracts, which they claim the winning of is improving? No one can blame the cynical among us for assuming that this is simply to lay a thin, but obvious, veil over what is more obviously a profit warning.

Disappointing not to hear anything about Smart Breakdown or indeed how their touting for DVS business is going.

All in all, more than a little disappointing, once again.

[andre] 25/2/2021 08:45

I think the only thing popping here is an illusion of ever making a profit again. It was marked down a lot (justifiably on that update). It's just rallying from bottom pickers.

[ch1ck] 25/2/2021 08:20

Yes I know it's very transparent but someone has just bought 90to 100000 shares from what I can see.I bought 2000 ( big roller here) and now can't buy any.Like it or not the share may pop

[andre] 25/2/2021 08:16

Appalling. They hung their hat on insurance and it's down. Trying to soften the announcement of 20% reduction in revenue with a single contract win. OMG.

[michaelmouse] 25/2/2021 07:53

Yes I'd agree given the backdrop.



New client win with over a 1,000 RH600 integrated telematics and cameras systems to The Parts Alliance Group. Modest loss for the year (similar to last year). Confident that the growth expected before lockdowns will be delivered next year. Not bad result imo. Recovery still in tact.

[ch1ck] 25/2/2021 07:44

Good news I suppose

[knowbodyyouno] 17/2/2021 09:02

I do see Furber as part of the old guard. That said, a clear out of the Watkins and Cowleys, might clear the way for people like Furber to shine more brightly. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem likely they're going to relinquish control. If what you're hearing about Mansfield is true then that's a shame as he's supposed to be the 'turn around man' and was hailed as a strong leader. Re insurance - the churn among staff, if true, isn't a good sign in my opinion - anything about how this new director is fairing? Perhaps he's clearing some chaff to bring in his own people / build his own team? Trak's insurance market seems to be young drivers, so we need driving schools / tests to start back up as well I think. Also, been quiet on the new contract announcement front, which is a little bit disconcerting. Although, they're not particularly candid when it comes to announcements.

[6jacko] 16/2/2021 19:46

Furber is great CEO material. Great leader. Adapts to change and well respected unlike Watkins clan or Mansfield. Held back By JFW’s unwilling to change or move into this century. Note more staff leaving in insurance. I’m told due to Mansfield’s incompetence and unreasonable demands. All team gone in 3 months. Huge experience and knowledge gap so predicted customer churn. Spoke to another key telematics player today who say business is booming during lockdown with plenty of wins due to insurance, theft and maintenance issues with fleet customers. Hopefully track are seeing similar growth business.

[knowbodyyouno] 15/2/2021 12:14

There seems to be a real push going on (flurry of tweets, articles and press) to tap into a specific market related to new rules for HGV operators wishing to do business in the Greater London area. Whether it comes to much is another matter, but it seems to have caught Trak's attention as a potential 'earner':

hxxps://www.trakm8.com/case-studies/chris-bowen-transport/

[andre] 15/2/2021 11:06

Nice to have some informed discussion on here.

[knowbodyyouno] 15/2/2021 10:42

Furber has been with them for years, as FD. He's got a lot of skin in the game, but I still remember his extremely optimistic presentation, just a month or so before the profit warning and subsequent share price crash. No, I think what is needed here is a complete changing of the old guard. Watkins is what 67? He should be looking for an exit strategy. One must assume his son is as incompetent as he is, so that's a non-starter. What about this Mansfield chap? Perhaps he's part of the Watkins' exit strategy. If I had to place a bet, I expect the Watkins / Cowley's and others with large amounts of skin in the game, would like the company to be sold - sooner rather than later. So, if they manage to cobble together a decent year or two, of things, I suspect we will see them unload the company - perhaps to Microlise or even the AA (unlikely, but possible). If, indeed, the comp survives that long, which of course is the million dollar question.

[trakm8fan] 14/2/2021 11:32

Jacko - I know nothing about Furber. What makes you think he could do a better job?

[6jacko] 12/2/2021 12:48

Valid points knowbodyyoulnow. Working with Sean,Barney and Nikki they are all great sales people, directors and leaders who have had massive success before Trak and I’m sure they will do so in the new retrospective companies. The issues here are JFW. Paying people to lead, paying them for expertise and then clipping the wings won’t let them manage as he’s a past it control freak. Why am I still involved? I think the company with the right leadership and all the Watkins out the way could go places, I have money invested and with JFW in place it has zero chance and he will run it into the ground! Furber in charge would be a great move.

[knowbodyyouno] 12/2/2021 09:46

I think the point about relationships is a strong one. No doubt Barney will take his connections and relationships with him and there definitely could be some loss in that. However, I also think we must question his and others like Morris successes, given the predicament Trak finds itself in. Watkins and others at the top have done an awful job of steering the ship - there's no doubt about that at all - but senior people like Barney and Morris, who have been there for years, were the guys supposed to pull in the customers or at the very least motivate their teams to do so at a clip. They simply haven't delivered. I wish them well, of course, but we need people that deliver.

Re Hunt-Mason, who knows why people get emotionally attached to a company or indeed a BB, but there is plenty of evidence that they do.

[6jacko] 12/2/2021 08:55

Barney and Hunt-Mason? I do know both of them extremely well. Barney brought all the insurance business to Trak and owns all the relationships so to say he’s a loss is a massive understatement as everyone made a huge thing about the growth coming from insurance. Since Shaun and Barney left that area it is rudderless and massively at risk with no experience left. Hunt-Mason seems to be building an empire outside telematics and has no interest in trak success or failure.
No postings on here guys as nothing new sane old and waiting for some changes. Preferably at the top for anything significant to happen!

[knowbodyyouno] 12/2/2021 08:09

I assume Jacko is Hunt-Mason, that would make the most sense in the timeline of things. However, it matters not. What matters is that things improve. I think they will - others disagree, we take our positions and wait.

[trakm8fan] 11/2/2021 18:14

Nothing new re cameras manufactured in China. JFW bought the camera business which always manufactured abroad. They were basic dashcams so no telematics. I'd suspect they manufacture the all singing all dancing rh600 in Birmingham but that's a guess. I don't have the inside trak.... of the bears. Barney going seems sensible to me - well definitelynot a concern. He did 4 or 5 years right? If sales staff are not great then why not churn the key players and get fresh faces in. I was beginning to think maybe Jacko insider was Barney which is why he had gone quiet recently. We are still waiting for kids to start learning and taking tests for insurance boost. Then AA to go crazy or at least start some meaningful volumes. Lets not forget we were told an automotive customer ordered 45000 for delivery this year. That's around 20% increase over previous 220000 ish from before.

[knowbodyyouno] 11/2/2021 09:04

Personally, I would rather a stronger cash position, than existing 'on a shoestring', as Blonde/Jacko describes it, but it's perhaps not surprising given the COVID-19 situation. The good news is the company has so far survived. I'm sure it was touch and go at one point, yet here we are 1 year later. Building Hunt-Mason's plans / success isn't a bad thing in my book - nor is outsourcing manufacturing (if I read that point correctly). We'll have to see what the results are like - I can't see how we can expect them to be good. Although, it also depends on how you define good in the present context. Personally, I'm more interested in the outlook. Update in April according to Trak's investor relations.

Edit: I also wouldn't read too much into Barney Thompson's departure. I get the impression that telematics (and sales generally) is an extremely transient industry. However, one way of reading Trakm8's constant job opportunities would certainly be to point towards an unusually high attrition rate. Of course, it would be even better if JFW fell on his sword, but the chances of that appear to be close to zero.

[trakm8fan] 10/2/2021 19:46

Ok thanks Jacko. I thought you had disappeared. Existing on a shoe string is fine by me. Results soon so waiting patiently.

[6jacko] 10/2/2021 15:26

Trakm8 fan. Peter just an other fat cat creaming off the top, hes just implementing the strategy Hunt- Mason started. Insurance business unit director left and gone to head up tracker and they are constantly looking for new sales staff to backfil attrition. Nothing happening so not posted they are just trying to ride the storm on a shoe string. I'm not hearing on any major wins from the sales team left, seeing quite a few on optimisation wins through The Algorithm People so im told the that seems to be the chosen route to market through the reseller channel these days rather than direct. less overheads and reseller owns the issues not Trak. new product releases on Cameras and DVR's but all bought in from China now rather than manufactured in UK.

[magpiecrow] 27/1/2021 11:53

Glad the greek Demi stopped posting. ill let UB know anyway. You wil get a letter from them soon enuf.

[trakm8fan] 22/1/2021 09:06

Couple of chunky deals went through yesterday.

First a buy of 20000 @ 16.878p.
Second was a sell of 79806 @ 14.5p.
Third was a buy of 50000 @ 15.4p.

[axdelta] 21/1/2021 18:35

I would say that is a fair assessment of the situation.

[michaelmouse] 19/1/2021 12:54

Unless you're familiar with Trakm8 (and very few investors are) then I think that the significance of the AA acquisition will have been missed by most.

The AA's future has been secured now (it was always a risk before) and they're committed to their Smart technology offering with Trakm8.

The AA have the funds readily available now to push forward with their Smart telematics technology more rapidly than previously, and this should benefit Trakm8 in a very significant way.

It'll be very interesting to see Trakm8's outlook for next year (April 2021-March 2022). Imv the AA contract alone now justifies the current market cap. never mind their other significant customers i.e. Saint Gobain, EON, Iceland, Scottish Power, Direct Line Group, Euro Car Parts, Ingenie and LexisNexis etc.

As with all micro-caps there are many risks of course, but massive gains if things begin to go well or pick up.

[knowbodyyouno] 19/1/2021 12:31

By the mid-price I'm assuming it's a buy, rather than a sell, as recorded by LSE.