TUI Travel Share Discussion Threads

[novision] 04/1/2001 11:10

good call guys (n gals)

[cic] 04/1/2001 11:09

Great Stuff Specto - just closed shorts on CMC !

[viren] 04/1/2001 11:09

is this a good time to short KSS, or will the rate cut take it higher???

[matthewa] 04/1/2001 11:09

KSS down 35%!

[matthewa] 04/1/2001 11:08

Re KSS Well played guys I wish I had followed your advice.

Specto - I would nopt short ttt yet. Firstly the price has already dropped a bit the spread is wide 76-79 and I think it would be prudent to wait for US to open. I have my eye on this one don't worry.

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 11:07

well done boys and girls

[spectoacc] 04/1/2001 11:04

YEEEEESSSS! If only that had come yesterday, when my short was 3x as large . . . .

But still exactly as we all predicted - fantastic. Serious backwardation.

375-245.

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 11:02

RNS Number:6881W
Knowledge Support Systems Group Plc
4 January 2001



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4 January 2001





Knowledge Support Systems Group PLC


Trading Update



Knowledge Support Systems Group PLC, ('the Company or KSS'), which develops
and markets software systems which enable organisations to make profitable
decisions through the setting of prices in competitive markets, today makes a
further trading announcement to that announced on 2 November 2000.



Since its flotation, KSS has focused on the recruitment of sales people and
support staff, the conversion of existing pilot projects into licence revenues
and the development of a pipeline of further qualified pilot opportunities for
2001.



Retailing

The two pilot projects with major UK retailers continued up to the Christmas
period. Although initial results are encouraging and the pre-agreed pilot
project success criteria were met, there was insufficient time before year end
to conduct all the analysis, operational planning and commercial negotiations
necessary to conclude license deals. The Company's revenue expectations for
the financial year ending 31 December 2000 were dependent on converting one of
these two pilot projects into licences. As a result of this slippage, the
risk of which was pointed out in both the trading statement of 2 November 2000
and the Interim Results statement on 11 September 2000, the Company's revenues
for the year ended 31 December 2000 will not now meet earlier market
expectations. The Company's management is confident thatat least one of
these pilots will progress to contract stage in 2001. Further announcements
of progress will be made as and when appropriate.



Developing the Company's Retailing Division has increasingly become the focus
of attention during the course of last year as it became clear that the value
of potential contracts was significantly larger than originally envisaged.
Whilst this is expected to have a very positive impact on the Company's future
revenue stream the value of the contracts under discussion are such that
potential customers are expected to take a longer period to complete their due
diligence and operational testing.



In order to mitigate the effects of this longer sales cycle, KSS is focusing
on increasing the number of customer projects running so that it will become
less dependent on the fate of one or two deals as was the case last year. In
this regard, the Company is planning to commence an additional 6 pilot schemes
during the first quarter and maintain thatrate during the rest of the year.
These should reduce the dependence on individual deals and help to smooth the
revenue stream in 2001.



Petroleum

This market sector has performed well since the flotation and on 30 November
2000, the Company announced that it had completed a second European software
installation with the Multi-National Fuel Supplier and Marketer with whom a
global framework agreement had been signed earlier in the year. The Company
has also received expressions of interest from several subsidiaries of this
company, and is currently working on the rollout of its products in that
company's next major region. This further development will not necessarily
involve a pilot study.



KSS has recently appointed a new dedicated sales person and sales support
staff for this account, who will use the existing two installed references to
speed up the take-up of KSS products by the different subsidiaries of this
company, including the US divisions.



Negotiations for a license agreement for the PriceStrat product with another
multi-national fuels supplier and marketer were suspended at the year end for
further price discussions. Management are confident that this agreement will
be satisfactorily concluded in the first half of 2001.



The licence fee levels and rate of take-up in the petrol sector are in line
with the original business plan.



Telecoms

Following the successful completion of a pilot project, a licence for TelPrice
has now been signed with SFR, the leading mobile communications operator in
France. This deal provides a valuable European reference site for the company
in the Telecommunications sector thus facilitating a faster take-up of this
product in the crucial European market.



General

The Company has made great strides over the last year to develop not only its
sales teams, but at the same time has also put into place trained sales
support teams for the delivery of pilot prospects, product implementation and
on going customer support. Collectively this accounts for 58 of the 148
employees as at 31 December 2000.



The financial position of the Company remains strong with current cash
reserves being in excess of #32.0 million.



Prospects

Assuming no significant deterioration in the global economy, the Company's
Board of Directors believes market expectations for 2001 should remain
unchanged and still expects the company to be profitable for that year.



CEO Madan Singh commented:



'I am very pleased with the progress the Company has made in the 9 months
since the flotation. We have now built a strong sales andsupport team and
have an excellent pipeline for 2001. Although the failure to sign the retail
contracts before the end of December financial year was disappointing, I am
confident of achieving the growth targets we have set for the future. For
example, in Retail, with the much larger pre-qualified prospect list we need
to convert only one in four of our pilot projects to licences to meet our
objectives for that division'



The Company will be holding a conference call for analysts and shareholders at
12 noon today. To participate, please contact Tim Thompson or Nicola Cronk at
Buchanan Communications on 020 7466 5000.



For further information please contact:


Knowledge Support Systems PLC:
Madan Singh, Chief Executive Tel: [phone]

Buchanan Communications
Tim Thompson / Nicola Cronk Tel: [phone]

[spectoacc] 04/1/2001 10:56

TTT - hang on a minute, its up 11.5% or 8p, but one of its top 5 holdings is AU., who at the very best could be described as "having weakness"?

Might be a sharp short . . .

[kayak] 04/1/2001 10:53

Long AU at £14. Brave I know!

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 10:51

au i'm out lovely

[spectoacc] 04/1/2001 10:45

Also covered AU., though still looks quite weak, at 14.04.

[rizgar] 04/1/2001 10:43

covered au...couldn't believe it would stay -ve long in a day like this..

[stevelyons] 04/1/2001 10:40

The single shares are me guys,i like to spread the risk in my portfolio so i buy 1 share in a wide range....just selling into strength,lol!

[spectoacc] 04/1/2001 10:39

Kayak - Lol.

Nas limits down is no longer -95 but is now -65, which is where the Futs have been sat for sometime.

Great call on AU. guys.

[rd-racer] 04/1/2001 10:38

Croc,
sent you an email re your analyser, can you have a look when you've chance.
Thanks

[moonblue] 04/1/2001 10:37

au is lookin at 10 quid

[toogood] 04/1/2001 10:30

There was a light hearted thred last year, on the 1 share theroy debate.

[kayak] 04/1/2001 10:25

Toogood, buy, for some reason they are appearing everywhere today. Also SDL. Bullie any ideas? Someone trying to set up a very small investment trust?

[rizgar] 04/1/2001 10:24

short on au. any idea when to cover it..

[matthewa] 04/1/2001 10:23

GSK getting hammered at the moment any reasons?

[toogood] 04/1/2001 10:16

Kayak 1 share in zen just gone throught, buy or sell? What is the message?

[toogood] 04/1/2001 10:08

short au 14.90 (my broker had just gone long!)

Still long SIG (looking very nice)