Universe Share Discussion Threads

[dan_bach] 24/9/2001 19:03

More purchases by Mackie - he's now up to 7.77% after buying 62,500 @ 31p.

[dan_bach] 14/9/2001 17:45

Mackie's back in business. He has just picked up 750,000 @ 35p - that's 2.59% of the company in one go. Total holding now 7.62%.

[kdc] 22/8/2001 18:16

Got the interim report today - covers the ground without going over the top - note the NAV is around twice current capitalisation

Shares seem to be holding around the 50p level


K

[kdc] 21/8/2001 07:32

Extract from Sharecast - note the comment om smaller operators getting out of the currency market.

'Profits at Master Change continued to improve against the background of a seasonal low and the cost of new openings. The company now runs a network of 27 bureaux de change throughout Europe. There are 11 in central Paris along with sites in Antibes, Cannes, St Paul de Vence and Strasbourg. It also runs five sites in Austria, two in Belgium and two in the UK.

The Euro seems to be the only cloud in the sky, but potentially it is a black one given the concentration in Europe. But Mackie says the euro is a minor part of the business and that the dollar and yen are much more important, accounting for more than 80% of transactions. He adds that banks and smaller operators are getting out of the business, and that more tourists are coming from the former Eastern block every year.

Universe was said to be the unglamorous end of the Card Clear de-merger. Retail Decisions was the one to go for. For a time that was true. Both stocks ran up, but it was Universe that seemed to be pegged to fundamentals.

And while Retail Decisions turned in a loss and has no dividend to underpin it, Universe is profit making and yields a handy 4+%. Indeed, the Group has paid out the best part of 3p per share in dividend since the de-merger.

Following today's results, house broker Teather & Greenwood are forecasting full year turnover of £53m, pre-tax profits (after goodwill amortisation and exceptional items) of £1.5m and earnings per share of 1.7p. For 2002, they have penciled in pre-tax profits of £2.3m and earnings per share of 3.7p.

On these numbers the shares, which are currently down a penny at 48p compared with last year's high of 85p, are trading at 28 times prospective 2001 earnings, falling to 13 times in 2002. That's still attractive for a profitable technology stock with a progressive dividend policy.

In a recent research note on the stock, analyst Peter Ashworth said: "The outlook for Universe is very positive as Master Change continues to expand its operations as well as move into new areas. The management remain committed to earnings growth as well as a progressive dividend policy."

One investor likely to follow Ashworth's advice is Mackie himself. He is an active buyer, picking up over 100,000 shares in recent months (and at levels higher than the current price). Investors should consider following his lead'

[isis] 20/8/2001 11:26

sorry message above on wrong board!

[isis] 20/8/2001 11:25

Game over - but still taken a hefty loss on this one!

LONDON (AFX) - Globalnet Financial.com Inc said it has ended the merger
agreement with New Media SPARK PLC unit GlobalNet Acquisitions Inc in favour of
a cash offer with AISoftw@re SpA.
Globalnet last week rejected AISoftw@re's all-paper offer, saying the offer
"contained timing and closure risks not associated with a cash tender offer".
But Globalnet said AISoftw@are will commence a cash tender offer for all
outstanding Globalnet shares at 0.45 usd per common share and 0.045 usd per
Class A common share, compared with New Media SPARK's 0.36 usd and 0.036 usd
offer.
Once the termination becomes effective on Aug 21, Globalnet said it will
enter into a merger agreement with AISoftw@re.
Following completion of the deal, AISoftw@re will consummate a merger in
which all of the remaining Globalnet shareholders will receive the same price
paid in the tender offer in cash, it added.
shw

[isis] 20/8/2001 10:34

Having held Cardclear then demerge UNG/RTD - a few other companies are knocking around. One I find particularly interesting is IDD on AIM - ID-data.co.uk which is growing rapidly in the smartcard/GSM arena - has some large contracts ie. 10m cards for Tesco alone.
Also does biz for major banks & Barclaycard & has a 43% stake in a Taiwan based company which will be floated itself - backed by Toshiba & others.
They also chip the information on the cards, in fact they probably sell them to UNG/RTD.
worth a look as a longerterm view.

[kdc] 20/8/2001 10:11

A good point faz ...... interestingly the company are expanding their outlets in Europe rather than reducing. I would guess they are looking to be market leaders and visability is always a good thing where currency transactions are concerned. I am holding as an investment rather than trading and note they are talking dividend increases for the future. With The CEO as backstop - see no real downside.

K

[faz] 20/8/2001 10:04

Interesting results and some very interesting comments above. Although the internal market will be thinned by nine countries adopting one currency, I'm inclined to think that trade between sterling, yen and dollar and the Euro could be more profitable per trade on econoies of scale - less cost to hold/hedge mega amounts of Euros than small amounts of say drachmas.

The company cannot be accused of shyness in the way it presents its business and Mackie certainly supports his own company, through constant buying on any weakness; it would be nice to see other Directors buying.

A safe haven at least for the next six months IMO.

[isis] 20/8/2001 10:02

I find that a bit strange as most people who visit Europe - are Europeans. I had a similar problem with AAP/BAA when they cut out duty free - although both have picked-up since.
I think they should move most of their Bureax De'change outlets to non-euro zones, just in case.

[kdc] 20/8/2001 09:26

Apparently over 80% of their current transactions are Dollar/Yen etc related and they anticipate an increase in volume on Euro based transactions in the short term as peeps rush to get rid of their bits + pieces on Euro related currencies. Seems to me they know what they are doing ..... note the CEO is always topping up his personal holding.

K

[isis] 20/8/2001 09:17

Much or their turnover comes from currencey transactions - Euro (hard currencey) comes into play from Jan 02 - it is bound to affect profit margins,
Unless everyone who visits Europe is American/Japanese/British etc.

[kdc] 20/8/2001 08:51

Great figures this morning and more to come


Universe Group PLC six months to June 30

Pretax profit - 431,000 stg vs 111,000 stg

EPS - 2.9 pence vs 2.3 pence

Turnover - 27.3 mln stg vs 22.0 mln

Interim dividend - 0.78 pence vs 0.73 pence


K

[argy2] 13/8/2001 11:46

Blighter

Looks that way.UNG has been ramped by at least two tipsters recently.Results are virtually known,look for sell-off once they are out...profit-taking by 'insiders'.

[blighter] 13/8/2001 11:23

Anybody know why UNG have taken off this morning?
Should be on its way up - but then should have been for weeks what is special about today?

Results are due Next Monday - is this buying on rumour ahead of selling on fact?

[rabiddog] 31/7/2001 21:14

For excellent articles on UNG just read the BB articles on Motley Fool written by 'SkegbyHouse'. He seems to be very close to the main players.
In my opinion this stock is a 'no brainer' and is completely undervalued. The downside is negligible - all media articles I have seen are bullish but seem to have little impact on the stock price. As you rightly point out we shall wait and see.

[argy2] 31/7/2001 11:55

Figures for UNG are due around 20th August and should make good reading.Current projections are for profits and earnings for this year of £2.9m and 6.4p rising to £3.5m and 7.7p next year and £4.5m and 9.9p in 03.That implies a current year p/e of just 6.7 falling to a mere 4.6 in 03.All of which is accompanied by a current yield of over 5%!Directors were also buying around the 47/48p level recently.
Looks interesting even in these markets and could have a run up to those figures in 3 weeks time IMHO.We shall see.

Good luck ARGY2

[ntv] 13/5/2001 21:25

it might be worth asking a director ie:mr mackie what they really mean by their recent i think chris made some good points i will try and gets some comments from the horses mouth and post back asap

[fearless666] 05/5/2001 23:21

M

I'm interested in your views, if you do not mind. What are they for the foreseeable future??

Vicky

[isis] 05/5/2001 16:39

As an ex-holder of UNG & Alpha - I am thinking of buying back in at some stage. Alpha & the shareholders were well aware of the of the situation with Duty Free, the damage was done when they failed to sell off the retail part for the reserve price & then were lumbered with it & the impact was worse than expected, but as ChrisG says they are now coming back.
UNG could be hit with the Euro coming in more than we realise, obviously only time will tell - alpha look the safer of the 2 at the moment.

[morose] 05/5/2001 14:54

It was tipped by TW on his website a while ago at roughly the same price as it is now - hasn't done much of late despite all the rosy predictions.
If Tom's tipped it stear clear is my motto having lost a shed load of cash on his tips in the last few months..

[1400] 04/5/2001 19:37

Check out EPS for 2000 I think you'll find they came in at 5p
per share. Current pe is approx 10, and 8 based on estimates going forward. Stock looks a great buy and nice dividend too. Please explain if I'm wrong
about pe. Thanks.

1400

[mercedes] 04/5/2001 13:55

cazcazcaz

Welcome to the fold...........