Vanco Share Discussion Threads

[markycrispy] 25/9/2007 09:50

from experience of the fat one he is closing now that is for sure.he always posts when he closes hoping to add strength to his position.I am buy at this level

[simon cawkwell] 25/9/2007 09:23

Gentlemen,

VAN can go much lower - certainly well under 100p.

Simon Cawkwell

[oohrogerpalmer] 25/9/2007 09:14

Surely this drop from £4.80 is way way overdone. As a % it has dropped more than Northern Rock Can't just be about the 20m Cash flow drop , something more significant is forcing this down.

[caram] 25/9/2007 09:08

Dear Simon,

I am sure you are aware of what they have stated, and certainly Goldman's recent report was thorough in this respect. Your short position must be looking very healthy - what is your target?

[simon cawkwell] 25/9/2007 08:57

Gentlemen,

Does anybody understand what is going on with this rejigging of cash presentation? Stinks to me.

Simon Cawkwell

[markycrispy] 25/9/2007 08:46

latifs - This is a well run business that is going cheap now. I have had one attempt at a trade but taken out and will try again soon !

[latifs100] 25/9/2007 08:20

is it time to buy now at 190?.. has all the bad news come out.. evil prdicted right, once again

[outlook123] 25/9/2007 07:48

O2Bursar post 265: Didn't Knight Rider work for FLAG..........?

Sorry!

:0)

[jk35] 25/9/2007 07:41

JD, may be right, according to vanco`s website interim results due to be announced today 25th september.Hope there are no delays...

[jonwig] 23/9/2007 08:59

JD, you may be right, but this is all the company has said publicly:

Further details of the Group's performance, including the cash outlook for the
year, will be provided with the interim results which will be announced in late
September/ early October.

[jaydeee] 22/9/2007 22:39

results are tuesday

[typo56] 21/9/2007 20:40

0744 GMT [Dow Jones]--Goldman Sachs decreases Vanco (VAN.LN) price target to 373p from 487p due to lowered long-term cash flow expectations and a GBP25M addition to forecast period-end net debt. Maintains a buy rating saying it sees sales as being "sufficiently attractive for the balance of risks to be to the upside." Notes the stock has fallen sharply as problems with visibility of its cash flows were compounded by the recent broad sell off in alternative telcos.

[jk35] 21/9/2007 20:37

When are results?

[deep powder] 21/9/2007 13:39

any views ahead of results????

[02bursar] 18/9/2007 09:38

MUMBAI (Thomson Financial) - " India's Reliance Communications Ltd said its
unit, FLAG Telecom Group Ltd, has signed a five-year resource sharing agreement
with UK-based virtual network operator Vanco PLC.
No financial details were disclosed.
FLAG, which owns and operates the world's largest private undersea cable
system, said this agreement provides it access to a further 81 countries,
allowing it to extend its network to over 100 countries worldwide.
Vanco will have access to FLAG's service capability across India and the
Middle East."

Thoughts anyone?

[jaydeee] 07/9/2007 17:12

Kingsize - point taken. it wouldn't surprise me for a chief exec and founder of a company wanting to take his "Baby" private if he sees it is well undervalued and he has to spend most of his time running around trying to kill rumours that question his own credibility and integrity.
However, from the little I know of AT, thankfully he has been and is completely focused on Vanco. He has been working on Vanco for 17 years and most of his wealth is tied up in Vanco. He started Vanco from nothing and took a long time to build it up. The total sum of his share sales to date is approx £15m. This sum is nowhere near enough to buy back the company without a very large credit line or bringing in a partner. It is possible that AT could raise the money (it would only be about £80m, since he still owns 50%+ and he could probably use his shares as security), but from the little I know of AT he would be reluctant to take out that kind of loan and he has had some pretty bad experiences with partners as well. It's a risk, but I think its unlikely.
I also don't know why he would appoint a director of comms if his plan was to let the shares drift and then pick them up on the cheap.

[02bursar] 07/9/2007 17:08

Well that's brought a smile to my face. Good luck England.

[kingsize] 07/9/2007 01:44

New Director of Corporate Communications - perhaps this means that they have finally realised that the mess their share price is in is entirely of their own making and the resolution is also in their own hands.

It seems clear to me that the market does not understand how their business works and is not interested in finding out. Some education is clearly in order and hopefully the company will now be providing it.

JayDeee, I think you have missed something about vulnerability to a take over. Whilst AT may not sell to anyone else he will have the option to take the company private on the cheap if the share price keeps dropping and that would be a nightmare scenario for me.

[jonwig] 06/9/2007 10:34

JD - I'm sure you're right.
I haven't researched this company (as you can tell ...) let alone invested in it, but was struck by the two things I mentioned in my post - pretty unprecedented.

[jaydeee] 06/9/2007 09:53

jonwig - i doubt the shareprice leaves them vulnerable to a takeover. AT still controls over 50% of the shares, and he is not a seller.
I also don't think they are looking at acquisitions. It will be difficult for them to find an acquisition anyway that is trading on a lower PE than Vanco right now!!
I just think they realised they need to get a much wider shareholder base and more supporters. There has beeen some revolting press and anylsyt reports, which if beleived, would mean that the FD and MD and Delloittes should all be sitting in prison for inflating numbers and basic fraud!!
Anyone who has followed the company will know that this is not true, but the company has to date not been able to get the message across, either through lack of expertise or time (probably both). By bringing on a top telecoms analyst as the Communications Director, it sends a few messages.
1. Would the Company be able to recruit both a new FD and Comm Director if all the reports about its dodgy accounting practices were true? especially when one of those guys is a top analayst and must know all the tricks of the trade.
2. They are serious about fixing their reputation.
3. They believe in their own numbers.

It will still take a while to fix this mess, but at least the Company look to be fighting back.

[jonwig] 06/9/2007 08:14

Two things VAN have done recently which I haven't seen before, anywhere.

An RNS (5 June) setting out comprehensive details of their accounting practices (it reads like a tutorial!).

Appointment of a Shareholder Communications Director. The fact that he reports to the FD means that he isn't a "proper" director, but they felt it important to give him that status.

They are clearly stung into doing these this, and I'm sure it isn't just comment by a high profile negative poster who does the rounds of the internet's backwaters.

So why? Possibly ...

The low share price leaves them vulnerable to takeover?
They want to use their paper to fund acquisitions themselves?

On the other hand, they might just be good eggs.

[02bursar] 06/9/2007 08:04

Vanco announces the appointment of a Director of Corporate Communications

Vanco plc, the pioneering global Virtual Network Operator (VNO), today announces
the appointment of Morten Singleton as its Director of Corporate Communications.
Morten will report to Group Finance Director Pete Johnston, who began working
for Vanco as of 1 September 2007.

Morten joins Vanco on 10 September from WestLB where for three years he has been
a Director of Communications and Media Equity Research, covering fixed, mobile
and alternative operators in European telecoms, including Vanco. Prior to this,
Morten was the European Telecommunications Research Analyst at Williams de Broe.

Morten began his career in 1990, spending ten years at Arthur Andersen where he
qualified as an ACA and subsequently specialised in telecommunications business
consultancy. He was a founding member of the Arthur Andersen European telecoms
centre of excellence. Morten holds a 2:1 degree in Geography from Brasenose
College, University of Oxford and an MBA with distinction from Manchester
Business School.

Commenting on his appointment, Allen Timpany, CEO of Vanco, said,

"Morten brings with him an excellent knowledge of the investment markets and the
telecommunications industry. His appointment will enable us to offer investors a
significantly better insight into our business. It will also help investors
better position Vanco in the wider Telecommunications industry and to understand
the significant opportunity."

Interesting appointment and comment by AT.

[wipo1] 05/9/2007 20:00

Yeah something not right, I smell a rat!

[tommy25] 05/9/2007 14:19

no chance, more chance of a profit warning coming though.

[tachycardia] 05/9/2007 14:03

is there any chance of bid coming for the company at this 172 million market cap?