24 Jan 2009
Alba sells their brand name
Alba sold off their brand name to Argos for 30p a share, which is more or less what I bought them for. Alba had almost zero intangible assets so I'm not expecting the book value to have changed after this sale, so I still haven't sold the company. However perhaps I should have since it reached about 55p soon after the 30p dividend was announced and stayed there-abouts until after the ex-divvy date. This dividend gives me some fresh capital for allocation and French Connection is looking interesting.
10 Nov 2008
Bought Alexon Group (AXN) on November 3rd
Alexon Group is a ladies clothing retailer. They have brands such as Ann Harvey and Bay Trading. The numbers when I bought were:
debt/equity = 1.33
price/book = 0.2
price/tangible book = 0.31
price/net net value = 0.54
So it hits all the criteria I currently use.
debt/equity = 1.33
price/book = 0.2
price/tangible book = 0.31
price/net net value = 0.54
So it hits all the criteria I currently use.
November update
Since I started the value investing approach I've been putting about 5% into each company. So far there are 6 companies, all of which have made sizeable losses which ties in with the saying that value investors "buy too early and sell too early". That's my excuse anyway.
As I continue to buy companies at a rate of about 1 a month I should be fully invested in just over a year, assuming that equities remain as cheap as they are now, which seems likely. Then of course the assumption is that as the markets recover to some extent these heavily oversold stocks rebound fast. Once they reach more sensible valuations (say, price/tangible book of 1) then I'll sell in favour of other companies that are still available cheaply.
As I continue to buy companies at a rate of about 1 a month I should be fully invested in just over a year, assuming that equities remain as cheap as they are now, which seems likely. Then of course the assumption is that as the markets recover to some extent these heavily oversold stocks rebound fast. Once they reach more sensible valuations (say, price/tangible book of 1) then I'll sell in favour of other companies that are still available cheaply.
Bought Alba plc (ABA) on October 13
Alba sell electronic consumer goods. Alba’s UK Consumer Electronics Division incorporates brands, such as Alba, Bush, Goodmans and Grundig. The numbers when I bought were:
debt/equity = 0.34
price/book = 0.2
price/tangible book = 0.2
price/net current asset value = 0.31
So by all accounts it's pretty cheap. Let's see if the management either burn all the cash and justify the current valuation or they turn a profit and so do I.
debt/equity = 0.34
price/book = 0.2
price/tangible book = 0.2
price/net current asset value = 0.31
So by all accounts it's pretty cheap. Let's see if the management either burn all the cash and justify the current valuation or they turn a profit and so do I.
22 Oct 2008
Economic crisis
A few posts ago I said:
"Unless there is a economic crisis or extreme interest rate rise I don't see how this is going to happen in just a few years (not even the 7 years of the last downturn). It seems more likely to me that we'll have a property downturn for a decade or more finally resulting in fair value, before we start the march up again. "
I think we've just been through a bit of a banking crisis so perhaps lending criteria will dry/stiffen up sufficiently to sustain about 15% a year nominal drops, which gives us a 50% drop in only 3 years. I still think that's unlikely but with inflation near 5% the drops in real terms could be of that order.
"Unless there is a economic crisis or extreme interest rate rise I don't see how this is going to happen in just a few years (not even the 7 years of the last downturn). It seems more likely to me that we'll have a property downturn for a decade or more finally resulting in fair value, before we start the march up again. "
I think we've just been through a bit of a banking crisis so perhaps lending criteria will dry/stiffen up sufficiently to sustain about 15% a year nominal drops, which gives us a 50% drop in only 3 years. I still think that's unlikely but with inflation near 5% the drops in real terms could be of that order.
10 Oct 2008
Bought Northamber at 39.40p on Sept 25
Northamber Plc is a United Kingdom-based company principally engaged in the supply of computer hardware, computer printers and peripheral products, computer telephony products and other electronic transmission equipment.
Price/book = 0.34
price/tangible book = 0.34
price/(current assets - all liabilities) = 0.39
In the last few years it's been making a small profit and paying a dividend. Price has ranged between 117p and the current lows around 30p.
Lets see what the next few years bring.
Price/book = 0.34
price/tangible book = 0.34
price/(current assets - all liabilities) = 0.39
In the last few years it's been making a small profit and paying a dividend. Price has ranged between 117p and the current lows around 30p.
Lets see what the next few years bring.
22 Sept 2008
Bought Mallett at 78.90p
Price/Book =0.43
Price/(current assets - all liabilities) = 0.53
Since 1865 Mallett have grown to be the largest and most exclusive antiques business in the world with galleries in both London and New York.
Their share price had been around 250p in the last few years but since the start of 2007 (credit crunch) it has collapsed to below 80p and well below book value.
Of course the credit crunch will impact them but in the long run I expect them to return to a fair price of at least 150p.
29 Aug 2008
Bought Titon Holdings at 33p
I bought Titon Holdings (TON) today. They are a leading UK supplier of Ventilation Systems and Window Hardware.
Notable features were low debt, with current assets (9M) enough to pay of all liabilities (2.7M), leaving 6.3M and a current market cap of 3.1M. So you could buy the whole company, close it down and take the cash in the bank (almost 2M), sell all the stock and collect receivables and make a profit.
The share price has floated around 100p for the last decade, but since the credit crunch and related housing slowdown their share price has collapsed to around 30p. The only reason I can see for this looking at the company reports is that profits halved in the last year and general market sentiment against the housing related sectors.
The plan is to sit back and wait for the cycle to turn and/or management to make the required changes and sell out above 60p. If that hasn't happened in 5 years I'll sell up and move on.
The details were:
Titon Holdings bought at 33p, market cap 3.1M, PB 0.3
Notable features were low debt, with current assets (9M) enough to pay of all liabilities (2.7M), leaving 6.3M and a current market cap of 3.1M. So you could buy the whole company, close it down and take the cash in the bank (almost 2M), sell all the stock and collect receivables and make a profit.
The share price has floated around 100p for the last decade, but since the credit crunch and related housing slowdown their share price has collapsed to around 30p. The only reason I can see for this looking at the company reports is that profits halved in the last year and general market sentiment against the housing related sectors.
The plan is to sit back and wait for the cycle to turn and/or management to make the required changes and sell out above 60p. If that hasn't happened in 5 years I'll sell up and move on.
The details were:
Titon Holdings bought at 33p, market cap 3.1M, PB 0.3
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