MARKETS
Generally while smaller shares are doing ok the general market is on the down a bit. Still fears about Greece (when is it ever going to get sorted?) - sometime might be sorted or not or fudged this weekend.
But things have remained remarkably good for my smaller stuff, so much so that actually I've had a quiet time. And a week's holiday in Spain when all I did was check the laptop once or twice a day. Shares I'm in in the main are staying put or going up, or not going down much - what more could you want? However I have made one or two trades!
I bought some Aldermore (LON:ALD) sounds like some kind of Harry Potter house.. But actually it is quite an interesting one, a small bank (well small compared to say Barclays (LON:BARC)) valued at a tad under a billion.
It was launched onto the market recently with little fanfare. But it's going to get a place in the FTSE 250 which meant funds have had to buy in and indeed that was announced last night.
It lends to people and smaller businesses, at the moment it has lent 5.1 billion and has 4.7 billion in deposits. It doesn't have any branches.
It is pretty hard to value . I don't like buying the big banks as I find them hard to value too but this one looks like a small bank that might grow very nicely and so I've put some away in the ISA on a longer-term view of perhaps a couple of years.
It's quite volatile but the trend is basically up since its launch and I will try and hold it through any volatility.
Let's hope it becomes a banker. I've bought more of Empiric (LON:ESP). Boring right?
But I love the look of this one for long-term capital growth and a fantastic massive dividend payout. And really it looks pretty safe sleep at night share too.
Again I suspect I'll hold this for a few years, pick up some nice growth and some fantastic income. It's quite a simple idea, buy up property and turn it into student accommodation.
I topped up once more in Quantum Pharma (LON:QP.) as I do like to average up in the good ones.
It reported a decent set of results last week and shares have been motoring since with big profits coming in which is great as I'm building quite a stake in it.
The Mail on Sunday also tipped it in the last edition with a good write up which you should be able to find online. I've averaged up again as I think there is still some very decent upside with, given time, perhaps a lot more.
And I've added a high risk one that I've had in my sipp into my ISA too this week. It's a very small company only just in profit with a bit of cash. Because it's small it is very high risk, one of those I think could either double or tank badly so it is a very occasional "Punt" for me.
The company is Cambridge Cognition (LON:COG) . It provides computerised cognitive tests making it easier for heathcare staff to make diagnoses especially when it comes to Alzheimers. It's been sitting between 70 and 90 for ages and might continue to do that but I have put a small amount away in the 80s and would probably nip a few more if it ranges back to the 70s. And only a small amount. But it is one of those that could be an interesting little gamble.
I've booted out Shoezone (LON:SHOE) taking a very nice profit of £722 which pretty much makes up for the loss I made on it previously. I've "soled" out as there is about an even chance of another warning as there is of a good statement. And I do want to remain well-heeled. Profit banked and I'm all out of shoe puns.
A shoe in to sell a bit of was Aga (LON:AGA) as I made a massive percentage quite quickly and it was bound to come back, plenty of resistance and some sellers at 120 so sold some to bank a profit of £1088. Kept the rest though and it has indeed come back and right now it looks very attractive again at just over a quid so looking to buy those shares back.
SSY (LON:SSY) reported a profits warning out of the blue, a contract cost them a lot more than they thought - I think this is a reminder you have to be careful with very small companies and announcements like this can come from nowhere. The lesson is probably never to hold too much of something like this and I didn't. I got a bit lucky and had sold a quarter a couple of weeks ago but no skill, only to raise some funds as I was buying something else. I definitely never saw this coming and there was no clue in a falling price or sales. But was still left with three-quarters and took a loss of £1,581. In the scheme of things, no big deal. Take loss on the chin, move right along, forget it.
I sold NMC (LON:NMC) to bank a lovely profit of £3,536. Great company but that's a super profit for holding for three months - now I'm looking to buy back as I think it could have another go at near nine quid. And the trading shares in Tep hit their target to bank a profit of £945.
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Finally a fond farewell to the last of my St Ives (LON:SIV), taken profits on the last trade of £4,413 as it seems stuck around the current price which seems fair value. A lovely well run company but I think the price will stick under 2 quid for quite a while.
That makes a total of around £13,000 profits on this one in total in my dealings on it. I'll keep an eye on it for the future!
So with all that profit and loss takings the final tally is a nice profit for the website of £8,178.
As I said up above some of the portfolio shares continue to climb. Tons of my companies put out reports or results in the last couple of weeks.
Pets (LON:PETS) reported today - all looks to be going nicely here - the shares have been purring recently so no surprise to see a little profit taking on results day. Nearly always happens these days. Probably a nice point to make a top up. So for me Pets remains a core hold.
Merlin (LON:MERL) dropped a little on the roller coaster problem but it is only one coaster in one of many parks it has so I don't see it as a long-term worry.
John Laing (LON:JLEN) made it into the FTSE 250 which has really helped the price to continue to rise, one of the best new issues this year.
OPG (LON:OPG) is on the rise after a decent statement this week. Could be a nice long-term winner.
Also reporting this week was the lovely GB Group (LON:GBG) and rose nicely after results which were excellent. I've made many thousands on GB and been in since 20p. To see it with another nought on the end is sensational. I still think it will end up being bid for. 250p?
And also the lovely long-termer Porvair (LON:PRV) reported - another excellent report from this one and I'm staying put! Been in it since 60p and now 320p. Who says long-term investment is a waste of time?
Also reporting Amino (LON:AMO), lovely profits on this - a very confident statement I thought, profits are growing and dividend is up.
And the wonderful Entertainment One (LON:ETO) reported all is on track and its library's value has gone up again. A confident long-term hold. Telford Homes (LON:TEF) and Spire (LON:SPI) continue to do well off the back of the election as does recent buy Lookers (LON:LOOK) which continues to motor up.
Energy Assets (LON:EAS) carries on moving slowly higher. Dignity (LON:DTY) tries to hit 2200 showing there is money in death. Vectura (LON:VEC) has been on an excellent run up and now doubled and a half on my first buy. With patience, I think personally I'm going to make more than £100,000 on it.