logo-loader

Sitting on a very nice profit on Greencore which has soared higher and paid a dividend too!

Published: 15:57 21 Nov 2012 GMT

no_picture_pai

MARKETS 

Well, despite some sudden dramatic moves here and there when all is said and done at the end of the day cliche cliche etc the markets are going nowhere really up or down.

Doesn't really matter much to stock pickers because good stocks can still do well and we can still make money out of shorting bad ones. 

But right now there is nothing much to push the market way higher but also nothing much to push the market way lower. The question now is, will we get a santa rally this year? Here's hoping!

It's thanksgiving coming up in the states so it's likely to be a very quiet end of week on the markets which suits me just fine!

I noticed late yesterday Optos (LON:OPTS) had slipped quite dramatically but what was interesting is firstly they had slipped to an area where support had come in a few times, and secondly a statement was due today.

Given today's statement would have to have been really bad for the shares to fall more and I couldn't see any real bad news in its previous update I took the chance and bought some late on yesterday getting 167.75 and 168.5. They have risen a bit on the statement as I write though not as much as I thought they would after the statement.

The statement  was fine and it looks cheap under 189p ish - if its Daytona sales can really get going it could be a future star. I should think at the very least there is a good chance will hit the 210 area again. However if it fell below 160 it would be a worry. 

I bought back  Filtronic (LON:FTC) at just over 31. Took some very decent profits on this recently and held onto some from 16p. this looks a good time to get back in after its fall. It its 4g business works out could easily be worth double, but there is some risk too. 

MS (LON:MSI) hit its stop and was sold averaging around 234 for a loss of £304 but I have bought back this week at 215. Statement is due any day so a bit risky  but it's a small trade really so I could survive if things aren't good. However things would have to be very bad for it to be rated much lower given its strong cash balance.

Lavendon (LON:LVD) hit its stop averaging 134 for a loss of £ 349. Its statement was okay though and looking for a reentry point sometime. 

I sold some of the Corin (LON:CRG) as a counter bid looks unlikely and will probably sell the rest soon - doesn't seem worth waiting for the extra 1p on the bid so I sold the 17,000 shares at 69 on Monday for a profit of £1,258 leaving 10,000 shares left.

PORTFOLIO HIGHLIGHTS

Quite a few shares reporting in the last week or so and here are my thoughts on those:

A reminder I've been a Telecom Plus (LON:TEP) distributor for many years so it is the one share I would say I was emotionally involved in and biased! 

Telecom Plus issued its half year report, all appears on track with the best sign being the massive lift in the dividend providing a handy yield.  I get massive cheques twice a year and it is a great income. I think this one will just continue to grow and grow and one day will be in the ftse 100.  Website profits of well over £100,000 and personal profits of nearly £300,000.  

I am really lucky and have the option to buy another 4,000 shares at an option price of just 164 which if I bought and sold would give me an instant profit of nearly £30,000. I have to buy them by February so I shall be sending off my cheque very shortly!

Aga (LON:AGA) reported and it was some surprise the statement was pretty decent, not what the market was expecting and so the shares have been rising., 

Long termer Vectura (LON:VEC) also reported - a good pipeline here and it has tons of cash - could be a future very big star and hoping to hold on longer term. 

Carclo (LON:CAR) also reported - at first glance it looks pricey but its CIT technology looks a winner and the shares could easily have a massive run up from here given time and patience. Nice profits on this one. 

Good report also from Chime (LON:CHW) which looks solid  -   still in this from 50p so a nice times four and a great profit on the ones bought more recently in the 140s and the spreadbet

Dialight (LON:DIA) has risen strongly again after revealing this week it had won a decent new order, directors have been buying too - another one I just continue to hold long term and not worry about the ups and downs.  Profits are well over £100,000 on it. I remember so well buying these at 150 ish at a seminar in 2009 ! I never thought I'd still have them three years later at over a tenner.  

The Vitec Group's (LON:VTC) report showed the recent weakness hasn't been justified and I think they will improve again from here. 

Trifast (LON:TRI) has held nicely at higher levels, can it make that push up into the 50s ? I still think it is terribly cheap under 60p. If its next statement continues the good news a rerating up into the 60s is possible bringing with it big percentage gains. 

Coastal (LON:CEO) went down today after a takeover approach ended - but the approach price was way too low and actually for shareholders I think it is good news as this company continues to grow I would rather let things take their course and get a bid in six months that is way higher! Potential top up actually if it goes down much further. 

Direct Line (LON:DLG) has proved a nice winning trade. I guess I might be tempted to bank some profit if it heads much over 200 but there is a good dividend and it might turn into a decent long-term winner.

Iomart (LON:IOM) is doing really well, not sure whether it can clear the 200 level, nice profit could be more there.

An. continues to motor up and must be seen as a bid target now after rejecting a low ball offer.   

LOQ (LON:LOQ) shares which announced a brilliant contract win in the Netherlands - massive profits in this one where I have trebled my money but I feel more to come! It has cracked 300 for sure, can it get to 400? 

St Ives (LON:SIV) holds very nicely above 100 and needs to tackle 106 to head higher. 

In the shorts department Abcam (LON:ABC) cracked sits around 360 so a nice short profit.  Carpetshite continues to devy gravity or any explanation as to why its shares are rated like a tech company's.  

Sepura (LON:SEPU) continues to go for it.  Nichols continues to slowly rise day by day and profits are now rolling in nicely... I'm hopeful of a bid at around the tenner mark.  Long termer Entertainment One (LON:ETO) holds its own after a decent though not spectacular report. I think investors do forget about the valuation of its library which is massive, underpinning its share price.  - still over doubled on the initial buys - and sticking in for much more upside will be the wise move I think. Could well take a while though and eventually I think it will be taken over.

GB reports next week, had a very good run so it is kinda tempting to bank a little of the profit and one wonders if as usual the price might go down even if the report is good.

Sitting on a very nice profit on Greencore (LON:GNC) which has soared higher and paid a dividend too! Though it isn't moving much for now.       

 

Chesnara reports strong 2023 results with improved cash generation and...

Chesnara PLC (LSE:CSN) chief executive Steve Murray discusses the company's full-year results for 2023 with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion, describing them as strong and particularly highlighting £53 million in commercial cash generation and a dividend coverage of around 150%. The company has...

30 minutes ago