MARKETS
I hadn't realised it's been a while since I updated. And with two seminars done in the meantime (where most of my trades are made and found now!) I'm looking at a big list of trades and frankly sighing.
I think I made too many. But now I have a big pot I actually do need a lot of positions open to keep a diverse portfolio and those of you who came to the seminars saw them all in my isa and spreadbet accounts .
While it sounds weird, the more you have the harder it is to manage. However a lot of positions are long-term ones which simply go up over the years and I take little notice of unless there is a major move. For example, Avon Rubber (Avon Rubber)which has risen from 2 quid to over a tenner. Once they are in the long-term area it's easy - you can leave a far away stop in case something awful happens but other than that I try and let them be.
It's only when I look through my portfolios at seminars I remember I have this long-termer. Like I still have Costain (LON:COST) from four years ago! But it's fine, as long as they gradually rise over time and they decent dividends.
Anyway I simply don't have the energy to publish all or even most of them. Those that came to the seminars saw me buying some live and some historic. So I'm just going to publish what I have the energy for. After all this is stopping me from getting back to the sofa to continue watching a rerun of Game of Thrones...
BTW the next two seminars, the beginners/improvers on Dec 7th and the follow up for those who've been before will both be special Xmas cracker seminars - as well as my normal day I'm going to add in ideas to play a potential Xmas rally. For more details on the Xmas special events Dec 7th if you have not been to one before and the more advanced one on Dev 14th if you have email me at robbiethetrader@aol.com with "dec seminar interested" (7th Dec)
or "follow up interested" (Dec 14th). There might be a few crackers too!
Right, so here are some of the trades I've made then.
An interesting one that came up at the seminars is Finsbury Food (LON:FIF) which provides high end bakery, cakes and the like.
With the success of Bake Off, demand for high quality bakes has risen (gettit?) and the company is certainly making a lot of dough.
Profits are rising fast and forecast to rise strongly this year - looks like a share to me that rerates higher, stops for a while then goes up again.
Looks like this one is about to get a sudden rerating higher again and I'm looking for a rise of a further 25% to get the share price up to about 125p. Pretty low risk too unless people really stop eating their kind of stuff.
I bought into new issue Worldpay (LON:WPG)- one of the biggest new issues of the year.
A massive payments company this looks likely to go into the FTSE 100, fund managers will be scrambling to get some so I think the price is likely to go higher but I intend to keep this long-term as a core holding.
Payments is a huge business and getting bigger and I suspect Worldpay (LON:WPG) will continue to buy up the opposition and get bigger and bigger. Perhaps even bid for another of my payments holdings Optimal Payments (LON:OPAY) at some point?
Anyway it seems to me a big winner of a new issue and I also have some as longer term spreadbet investments too.
I have also cemented some buys in another new Issue, brick maker Ibstock (LON:IBST) Just hoping the shares don't crumble now.
The figures for Ibstock are tremendous, very strong rising profits over the last three years. There is so much demand for bricks Ibstock is building new sites just to keep up with demand.
I expect to hold Ibstock for a few years barring any market meltdown cementing. I'm out of brick puns now.
Onto something a bit higher risk. I made a packet on Vislink (LON:VLK) shares a while back and noticed recently they were falling heavily and also noticed plenty of support for the shares in the 30s - we looked at these live at the seminar and considered these were coming down to a very cheap price and would be a buy at any moment. I bought the day after with level 2 looking strong.
Consider this as a higher-risk shorter term idea and looking for 20% or a return of the share price to something like 42-5p. Shares have been under the cosh on restucturing fears but they look overdone.
Staying with higher risk I've bought some Flowgroup (LON:Flow) - like Vlk it has been hit badly recently with the shares whacking down by well over half.
As with vlk this looks overdone and similar to vlk I am looking for shorter-term gains initially - but.. if it carries on with its current strength there is possibly longer-term hold here.
I've picked up some Empressaria. Some impressive figures coming out of this one and it looks mighty cheap even though it has been going up recently - if it can get through the 100 area 120-130 looks possible.
Finally Equiniti looks an interesting one (LON:EQN).
Figures look pretty good at this provider of tech platforms to many companies. Profits and revenue have been on the rise for some time and its float price was right at the bottom of a potential range
While this one might take some time to settle in again this will make it into the full share listings causing some fund buying. I would have thought a nice steady initial rise up to 200 is on the cards with this one.
A potential longer-term holding for me.
Onto sells and then buybacks..
I had a lucky break with Amo (LON:AMO), selling a while back for a profit of £2,051. Two weeks later there was a warning. It's Total luck, I was out of cash in the isa and needed to take profits on something. As this began with an A it was top of the list and I sold most. I felt the falls were overdone and bought back close to the price I'd bought them at previously.
I've taken profits of £940 in the short on the AA. It got to the area I was looking for though there is potential more downside - that debt is enormous.
Pets at Home (LON:PETS) had really done me proud and I couldn't resist banking some gains as it raced past 300 as paper profits were enormous and well over £20,000 as those who came to seminars would have seen.
Then the statement came out which I thought was a tad disappointing so I sold some more after that in the mid 290s. I'm still hanging onto some in a spreadbet though. Profits for the website are £3,019. One to buy back on weakness probably and think will keep hold of the remaining spreadbet.
I took profits on Car after a warning that the VW fiasco would hit profits. Actually I think this is just a short-term hit for Car and they will go back up but as I think it will take some time, out for now. Profit is £ 1835. Should look for a buyback there soon. Profits could have been higher as I nearly sold before the warning.
I sold the trading shares in Tep (LON:TEP) because once they get anywhere near 1150-1175 sellers come in. Profit is £1,305. I remain holding my very long-term holding (since 1999!) in share certs. Income is great, and I've collected probably near £150,000 in dividends. Holding with a 5-10 year view.
More bids are in! That's 6 this year now which is fantastic. Al Noor has been bidfor just shy of 1200 - haven't cashed out yet just in case of a rival bid. That follows the bid for Aga (LON:AGA) which netted me a big payout. And it's a final ding dong out of Chime (LON:CHW) which has gone after a bid for a nice spread payout of £5,370.
Total profits banked for the site then are £14,530.
Elsewhere around the portfolio ..
I keep thinking of banking the final profits in the short in Carpetright (LON:CPR) - but the shares simply keep going down. They've always been well overpriced and looks a good chance they'll make a final down lunge to the 400 mark.
Powerflute (LON:POWR) has gone up nicely and should get up and over 100p at some point soon though will probably take some pushing.Recent buys Avesco (LON:AVS) and Gama (LON:GAMA)are doing well. Energy Assets is a tricky customer the massive spread and illquidity a problem there.
Kainos (LON:KNOS )has proved an amazing performer very fast, up more than 100 points on the first buy. I am getting tempted to bank some profits before results due shortly though. Maybe topslice.
Long-termer Vec (LON:VEC) triggered more payouts giving the shares a lift but they do need to crack 180 to venture any higher. Hopefully patience will pay but in any event doubled my money on them. QP shares have been falling a bit and decided to just about hold on because fundamentals look good - it's not very liquid and that can mean wide swings. Interesting statement today regarding a medical device launch, that's helping the price to swing up.
Photo-me (LON:PHTM) is holding nicely in the mid 150s after a little rise. Iomart continues in the late 200s. Any bidder will have to be looking at 350-400.
Renew (LON:WIND) just carries on up over time very well. Eto (LON:ETO) remains stubbornly around 220.
However if and when a re-rating happens it will be large and quick, patience should pay,
mummy pig.
Optimal Pay (LON:OPAY) has had a crazy time, some ancient hack into its systems caused a sudden drop but that is passed now. I do think Worldpay will snap up Opay at some point.
The lovely GB Group (LON:GBG) just keeps on going 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 - but in the meantime sits at highs.