Pumpkin Patch's North American Downsizing a Prudent, Overdue Move

News out today that Pumpkin Patch [PPL.NZ] are going to ditch 20 of their 35 United States stores is good news for the company and investors.

It means investors will have less pain in the short term and that there is also still a base in North America from which it can expand again when economic conditions are far more rosy. The uncertainty of retailing conditions in the US and just how long things are going to be dire cannot be ignored.

As a shareholder am pleased about management's move but given that the retail sector in the US has been behaving like a WW2 Zero pilot on a suicide mission for an extended period, one could be a little critical that this move wasn't made 6 months ago. Having said that the exit seems to have been well planned.

Of course the US and New Zealand is littered with collapsing retailers, so Pumpkin has done well to survive, let alone make a profit.

Trading in New Zealand and Australia has been surprisingly resilient and my hunch and anecdotal evidence is that very high birth rates in both countries stimulated by welfare targeted at families having kids (a story for another day on another blog) means that demand in this region has been artificially raised - Thank's Aunty Helen!

There will be costs to exit the 20 stores and this will clearly make the bottom line look awful next reporting period in October but in amongst that bad news is one key piece of good news, 11 of the remaining 15 stores in the US have had their leases re-negotiated in a southerly direction. This is one of any retailers biggest sustained costs.

On a personal note, much of my reason to buy this company was its expansion plans in America and I am pleased the company is still going to pursue that market some time in the future. Without that avenue for growth I would have exited the company when the share price recovered.

The share price moved strongly upward on this news mainly because losses in the US will be far lower than previously pegged by analysts.

Look for an opportunity to buy on lower share prices when the forthcoming book entry loss is announced in October.


Pumpkin Patch @ Share Investor

Digging at Pumpkin's Profit
Long vs Short: Pumpkin Patch Ltd
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I'm buying
Why did you buy that Stock? [Pumpkin Patch]
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Buyer of large piece of Pumpkin Patch a mystery
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International Retailing by Brenda Sternquist
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c Share Investor 2009

Michael Hill: Interview with Ian Fraser

You may have missed an interview with Michael Hill yesterday with Ian Fraser. I only caught it by accident while turning the dial.

Michael is currently on a media blitz to sell his book and this is another but more interesting leg.

The interview covers off his personal background and motivation to get him where he has.

It is very interesting to hear that up until the infamous house fire when he was 43 he wanted to "do more" in life but, like most of us, was fearful of making that step out of the comfort zone we place ourselves in. After that incident he reacted in a way that most wouldn't - he calmly decided that there was more to life than what he had experienced thus far and he was going to "go for it".

The fire somehow was the impetus that removed that block and allowed Hill to face new things without fear and that we all face that moment when a choice can be made that will change our lives but we don't always take it. -he did.

There was also an interesting admission, he mentioned that he has made a mistake by buying Whitehall Jewelers Holdings-based in the Chicago out of bankruptcy last year - not usually something that CEO's would readily admit to and he says he has learnt from it, the struggling US business has taught the company as a whole how to respond to the current tough economic times, he said.

I would recommend a listen, the interview is 46 minutes long, 16 MB and can be downloaded at Share Investor Forum here. You have to be a member to download, its free and quick - register, it takes less than a minute.


Disclosure I own Michael Hill International shares.


Michael Hill International @ Share Investor Blog

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$NZ 33.82 -15% off - from Fishpond.co.nz


c Share Investor 2009

A Note to Prospective Restaurant Brand's Shareholders

There has been market talk in the past and more out today about how positive things look for Restaurant Brands [RBD.NZ] profit next year.

Yes, profit will be up marginally from last year and substantially from the last few years but this company really has had a dreadful past, so any increase in profit will look good.

I am not sure whether anyone follows this company closely in the broker/choker set but if they do they were either in nappies when the company listed back in 1997, too lazy to analyze the company's history properly, or ignoring the bleeding obvious simply because the stock will be back in the NZX 50 next week and brokers will have to add the stock to their index funds - read pump and dump.

While South African CEO Russel Creedy has done a much better job than any leader the company has had, he has gotten the company out of the fast food graveyard by focusing on cutting costs, speeding up service times and levels of service (my experience from gorging at KFC for the last 15 years and being a large RBD shareholder in the past) the industry that his company operates in is notoriously cyclical.

Fast food is currently undergoing a renaissance of sorts because of dire economic circumstances and people are looking for cheaper places to eat. RBD is now in the upper part of the fast food cycle, in fact I mentioned about ten years ago that its business cycle is up and down more than a cheap Krd hooker, anyway, that aside, my bet is that the stock may even race up to one and a half dollars or more from its current 1.02.




It has moved over the last couple of months ago from a low of 57c a stock price it last reached in the late 90s.

My point is if you are interested in buying into this stock, be warned that you should be there for the long-term because its stock price will come down again when it moves back off the peak of its economic cycle and once again struggles to maintain profit.

You have been warned dear readers but as always, do your own research.

Restaurant Brands @ Share Investor

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Danny Diab & Restaurant Brands
2008-2009 KFC sales figures mislead investors
KFC Finally Flying
Starbuck's New Zealand Cup doesn't runneth over
RBD gives KFC a push
McDonald's playing chicken with KFC
Restaurant Brand's Pizza Hut faces increasing competition
RBD sales analysis
RBD saga continues: CEO leaves
The secret recipe is out
2007 FY profit analysis
Delivering increased profit in October 2007
No reason for optimism in latest sales figures

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Long VS Short : Auckland International Airport

In this eight installment of the Long vs Short series I am once again going to take look at the chart comparisons for a stock from the Share Investor Portfolio and compare the 10 year return (chart above) to the turmoil of the last year with a 1 year return chart (large chart at bottom of post).

In this series I want to show the merits of investing, using charts, for the long-term vs short term gains or losses. I will use the longest available data to me for the long-term view (10 years )and will make a comparison against the NZX50.

In this segment of Long vs Short I will take a look at Auckland International Airport Ltd [AIA.NZ] .

I currently hold 3000 Auckland Airport shares after buying 1000 of them in November 2006 and 2000 in April of this year. (see small chart below for detail)

My Portfolio
Symbol	Price	Value	Earned
AIA.NZ	$1.600	$4800	$-540
You own 3000 [AIA.NZ] shares purchased at $1.78 [$5340]

This stock has been performing well fundamentally over the last 10 years and steady over the last 12 months. Its share price though has been fluctuating wildly over the last few years. From a high of over $3.60 during a competing bid to seize control of the company in 2007-2008 to $1.54 recently.

If I had held this stock for the full 10 years (see large chart at top) my return would have been a whopping 210%-including dividends, tax credits and minus brokerage, the NZX is a gross index of stocks.

By comparison if I had held the stock for just this last year (see large chart below) my return would have been a loss of just over 35%.

My total return after 2.5 years or so of holding AIA stock is a loss of just under 10% (see small chart above) That is after dividends and tax credits are added and brokerage applied, not bad considering the market drubbing of every listed NZX share but there is an 8c gain from the 2000 shares I bought in April at $1.70 each.

Having said that this exercise proves, once again, that the long-term bet is the only one to take.

Long-term, 8 in this series, short term 0.





Long vs Short Series

Michael Hill International
Freightways Ltd
Pumpkin Patch Ltd
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Mainfreight Ltd
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Sky City Entertainment


Auckland International Airport @ Share Investor

Auckland Airport needs main focus on its core business
Marketwatch - Auckland International Airport
Why did you buy that stock: Auckland International Airport
Cullen's move on Auckland Airport has far reaching effects
Cullen's move on AIA tax plan Anti-Business
AIA profit stays grounded
Softening opposition to CPPIB bid for AIA
Directors of AIA bribe brokers not to sell
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Second bite at AIA by CPPIB might just fly
AIA new directors must focus on shareholders
Auckland Airport merger deal nosedives
The Canadians have landed
AIA incentive scheme must fly out the window
Government market manipulation over AIA/DAE deal
DAE move on AIA: Will it fly?

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Pizza Hut sell-off provides opportunities all-round

The finalisation of details yesterday of a decision made last year by Restaurant Brands [RBD.NZ] to ditch their company owned Pizza Hut restaurants and flog them off to owner/operators brings to an end the long running saga of this money losing brand in RBD's stable of 3 - KFC & Starbucks being the two others - brands.

For many years Pizza Hut has dragged down the company bottom line while KFC has struggled at times to hold up the whole company - Starbucks has also been a money loser since its introduction in 1999.

Many of my readers will know that I was a early shareholder of RBD and actively pushing management back in 1998 to ditch Pizza Hut and sell them to owner operators as that was how their competition was kicking Pizza Hut's backside.

Better late than never!

This latest development will be good for RBD shareholders. Not only will RBD get one-off money for selling Pizza Hut stores but they will also get ongoing management fees for each store that is sold-a sub franchisor of sorts, as YUM! still remains the big daddy franchisor.

All Restaurant Brands shareholders need is the double -Starbucks to be sold off - and the company will be much more able to withstand the highly competitive fast food market with KFC as the big star.

Of course the Pizza Hut sell off provides a good opportunity for individuals to buy a run down business and develop it into a good one.

A franchised pizza business like Pizza Hut, if run well, is a great way to make money.

Domino's Pizza owners in New Zealand have done this well over the years and this has left Pizza Hut as the also ran after being the dominant pizza force in New Zealand for years.

If you have a couple of hundred thousand free cash and access to debt you might well want to give RBD a call right now.


Restaurant Brands @ Share Investor

Danny Diab & Restaurant Brands
2008-2009 KFC sales figures mislead investors
KFC Finally Flying
Starbuck's New Zealand Cup doesn't runneth over
RBD gives KFC a push
McDonald's playing chicken with KFC
Restaurant Brand's Pizza Hut faces increasing competition
RBD sales analysis
RBD saga continues: CEO leaves
The secret recipe is out
2007 FY profit analysis
Delivering increased profit in October 2007
No reason for optimism in latest sales figures

Discuss Restaurant Brands @ Share Investor Forum


Fast Food, Fast Track: Immigrants, Big Business, And The American Dream by Jennifer Parker Talwar
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Market Watch: Sky City Entertainment/Freightways Ltd

Interesting that both Sky City Entertainment Group [SKC.NZ] and Freightways Ltd [FRE.NZ] respective share prices are both approaching the price at which their recent capital raisings were issued at.

Lets have a wee look at Sky City first.

Today the stock closed at NZ$2.62 (see 2 month SKC chart below) just 1c above the $2.61 Share Purchase Plan (SPP) price, a purchase plan that I participated in just a month ago.

At the time I moaned and bitched that my current Sky City shareholding was going to be diluted, only getting just shy of 2000 shares in the offer. I had a feeling that the share price was going to take a dip because of economic circumstances (gee I am a genius), so I am going to take the opportunity to grab a few more thousand shares to top up my holding to 40000 or more .

Naturally I am very pleased about this turn of events in the market.

Likewise Freightways. I got gypped there too, and will be looking for at least another 1000 more shares to top up my holding to 10000. The current share price is $2.84 as of market close today so there is still another 40c to go before it will trigger a buy at the SPP of $2.44 but if you look at the Freightway's 2 month chart below you will see, like Sky City, the share price trajectory is in a downwards direction, so is possible that my buy price will be reached.



Time to put some cashflow to good use.


Freightways @ Share Investor

Freightway's Capital Raising more of the same crap for small shareholders
Long VS Short: Freightways Ltd
Freightway's keeps delivering
Why did you but that stock: Freightways Ltd
Freightway's delivers
Freightway's packages up a good result


Discuss this company @ Share Investor Forum


Sky City @ Share Investor

Sky City share offer confusing and unfair for small shareholders
Sky City CEO doubles down
Sky City Entertainment 2009 Interim Profit Review
Sky City Entertainment 2009 Interim Result Preamble
2008 Sky City profit analysis
Sky City Entertainment 2008 Full Year profit results , NZX release, 2008 full year presentation, result briefing webcast, financial statements
Sky City 2008 profit preamble
Sky City outlines a clear future plan
As recession bites Sky City bites back
Sky City Assets: Buy, sell and hold
Why did you buy that stock? [Sky City Entertainment]
Sky City Share Volumes set tongues wagging
Sky City half year exceptional on cost cutting
NZX Press release: Sky City profit to HY end Dec 2007
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New Broom set to sweep
Sky City Management: Blind, deaf and numb
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Opposition to takeover
Premium for control
Sky City receives takeover bid
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Sky City CEO resigns
Sky City Casino: Under performing
Sky City Casino 2007 HY Profit(analysis)
Sky City Casino 2007 HY Profit

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c Share Investor 2009

Stock of the Week: Burger Fuel Worldwide

This Stock of the Week will be a surprise to many because I have been very critical of this company since its IPO listing in July 2007. Burger Fuel Worldwide [BFW.NZ], the "gourmet" burger franchisor company that collects royalties off franchisees as a means of revenue -but currently derives more than half its revenue from food and beverage sales at two company owned stores-and has limped from a failed, over-priced IPO and incurred big but dwindling losses along the way.

Its cash reserves are almost exhausted and its stated reason for their IPO, attracting more franchisees to gain revenue growth for the franchisor, has come to a grinding halt because of "capital restraints".

All negative so far, but wait there's more! Some positive stuff!

There is a chance that Burger Fuel, management could pull things off sometime in the future and make a good sustained profit.

One of the reasons I picked this stock was its share price. It is getting close but not yet at, its true value. At 32c it is roughly a third of its $1 IPO price. There is little interest in and few buyers lined up as at market close on Friday 19, with the first cab off the rank offering 10c a share and the lowest 1c - the lowest ever bids for this stock, so a clear opportunity exists.

Burger Fuel isn't one of those solid stocks you would buy and not expect to lose money, it is purely speculative and high risk but if you have, like me , been watching the trials and tribulations of this company over the last 2 years, and thinking about buying some, now would be the opportune time to start thinking about it.

Anything less than 15c would be a good starting point.

Good luck!


Stock of the Week Series

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The Warehouse Group
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Burger Fuel Worldwide @ Share Investor

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Analysis - Burger Fuel Worldwide: FY profit to 31/03/09
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Don't buy Burger Fuel, yet
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Burger Fuel's Daytime drama
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Burger Fuel results and commentary

Discuss BFW @ Share Investor Forum - Register free

Download BFW Company Reports


From Fishpond.co.nz



Buy Every Bastard Says No - The 42 Below Story, by Geoff Ross & Justine Troy & more @ Fishpond.co.nz




c Share Investor 2009

Sir Robert Jones in his Autumn of Content

I am a contrarian investor of sorts. I say this because while I am buying stocks right now and looking at buying more, I also bought them while the market was at a higher level.

I have written about a couple over the last week, Michael hill and Doris Mousdale, and there are a couple of other New Zealand notables, Jan Cameron and Bricoe Group's [BGR.NZ], Rod Duke who are contrarians by nature.

Perhaps one of the worlds most famous contrarian investors is the world's richest man, Warren Buffett - he loves the current market turmoil, proclaiming such gems that he feels like a "Kid in a candy store" or a "Teenager in a whorehouse", when it comes to the prices he is paying for beaten down assets.

New Zealand has its own Waren Buffett in Sir Robert Jones.

He is as happy as a tar baby in a sandpit because the property tycoon has been buying property when everyone else is selling - NZ$100 million of deals done so far this year.

Some prescient quotes to a recent audience of property professionals show just how excited Sir Bob is:

"From a self- interest point of view, we look forward to a recession."

"We are not going broke. We buy buildings and those buildings are cheaper."

"Land developers go broke, building developers go broke, and for very good reasons, but they're too dumb to work it out for themselves."

"Why do banks keep financing them? Because the bankers get younger every year."

"I've survived more property cycles than most of you, so where's property going? Nowhere - property doesn't move."

You cannot get a more experienced commercial property man in Australasia than Sir Bob, as he points out he has seen this all before and no doubt capitalised on the troughs.

I recall him selling a large office block during one the boom times only to buy the same block back years latter for a much lower price - from memory it was a building in the 1980's Chase development, the full city block the "Finance Centre" in Auckland.

Sir Bob likens the economic cycles to the four seasons, with Winter the low point and Summer the high. He reckons we are in the Autumn of this cycle.

I think he is right and there is worse to come before it gets better but he certainly is making his autumn/early winter one of content rather than the alternative.

You should too if you have the cash.


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c Share Investor 2009

Burger Fuel Worldwide: Download full company analysis from Thomson First-Call

If you want to see how the Burger Fuel Worldwide [BFW.NZ] financial's stack up I have included a full collection of data out June 19, 2009 courtesy of Thomson Financial First Call Global/ASB Securities.

You will find balance sheets, ratios, charts, shareholder returns and all the Burger Fuel info you could poke a hot chip at. (see teaser below but download the full package at Share Investor Forum - you must join to download. It is free and takes less than a minute. I might do this for other companies if there is sufficient interest.

I only mention this because the company is getting close to my purchase price. Last sold at 32c and the next bid in at 10c (a low for the company) with one optimistic fellow offering 1c per share for 100,000 shares!

Key Measures for Burger Fuel Worldwide Value N/R Risk 2 Lower risk Growth N/R Income 5 Lowest VALUE Company Market Sector Aspect Earnings Model -- 0.89 0.88 P/E ratio -- 7.44 12.0 P/B ratio 4.38 0.85 1.68 P/E Growth Ratio -- 1.68 1.67 P/S Ratio 2.18 1.64 0.39 INCOME Company Market Sector Dividend Yield -- 7.7% 5.2% Franking -- -- -- Tax adj Dividend Yield -- 5.6% 4.1% Dividend Stability 0.0% 0.0% 89.3% RISK Company Market Sector Beta 0.67 0.98 0.74 Current Ratio 3.13 3.85 1.09 Quick Ratio 2.86 3.12 0.39 Earnings Stability -- 54.5% 53.7% Debt/Equity ratio 3.6% 0.0% 50.5% Interest coverage (x) -42.8 4.49 2.28 GROWTH RATES 10yr 5yr 1yr 2yr Fcst Sales -- -- 76.1% -- Cash Flow -- -- 52.6% -- Earnings -- -- 66.8% -- Dividends -- -- -- -- Book Value -- -- -16.4% -- Previous Close 52 week high 52 week low $0.32 $0.64 $0.20 P/E Ratio -- Sector Food & Staples Retailing Market Cap $17.0 Million Key Dates Listed 27/07/2007 Balance Date 31 March AGM -- Total Shareholder Return (avg annual rate) 1yr 3yr 5yr 10yr -20.0% -- -- -- Earnings and Dividends Forecast (cents per share) Curr -- -- EPS -1.3 -- -- PE(x) -- -- -- DPS 0.0 -- -- Yield(%) -- -- -- Source: Thomson First Call Global Estimates

Burger Fuel Worldwide @ Share Investor

Burger Fuel doesn't rule out capital raising
Burger Fuel Worldwide: Closer look at Company Accounts
Analysis - Burger Fuel Worldwide: FY profit to 31/03/09
Burger Fuel: Running on Empty
Burger Fuel leaves investors hungry
Burger Fuel management cagey over company progress
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Burger Fuel and Coke
Marketing Burger Fuel's future
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Burger Fuel results and commentary

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c Share Investor 2009

ING & ANZ duped "investors" can take their own action

Unfortunately this is about financial skulduggery again.

This time regarding ING and ANZ fund's products that have been frozen had investors put in financial limbo until they can decide whether to accept ING's latest offer of 60 or 62 cents in the dollar and five years in an ANZ call account at 8.3% , take matters into their own hands and take legal action or continue to hold units in their respective funds.

This is because it seems the Commerce Commission/Securities Commission doesn't have the balls/motivation to do anything about it in a sufficiently expedient manner.








Depending on the level of duplicity or what most would consider fraud, that your advisor/ING or ANZ sold you these higher risk products in the first place, if any, will motivate you to take your own action.

Most will probably opt to take the money and run but not me.

If you have been falsely sold a product and you have documentation then you have a case, you don't have to wait for various lobby groups or any Commission to do anything on your behalf.

Depending on your level of investment you can take a case to the disputes tribunal up to $7500 with scope to increase that figure if agreed upon between the two parties. It will cost you 50 bucks.

A breech of the Fair Trading Act is where you should start but consult a lawyer and if you cant afford one go to your free community lawyer through the Citizens Advice Bureau

If your investment is a large one you have a case against the defendant but it will cost you to go to court.

If you got your advice from ANZ your beef is with them NOT ING and if it is an "independent" financial adviser, you go after them. Straight from ING, you go after those bastards.

Too many of these pricks have got away with shoddy and corrupt financial practices in the past and it is time someone took a stand and made an example of these ***ts.


Timetable for ING/ANZ investors

* Investors have until Monday, July 13 to decide on ING's proposal.

* Investors who went through the ANZ Bank have until July 31 to make a formal complaint.

* Investors who accept the offer should gain access to their money by August 28.

* Those who don't accept the offer will continue to own units in the funds.

* Investigations by the Commerce Commission are ongoing but won't be completed by the decision deadline.

* Complaints have also been made to the Securities Commission asking it to delay the offer until the Commerce Commission has ruled but the commission said yesterday it had no ability to stop the offer going ahead because the offer is not misleading or deceptive.


Related Links

Citizens Advice Bureau
Disputes Tribunal
Fair Trading Act


Recent Share Investor Reading

• List of Bruce Sheppard's top NZX listed company debt worries
  
• Morgan's book "After the Panic" timely
• Charlies Group: A Triumph of Style over Substance
• MICHAEL HILL - Toughen Up: What I've Learned About the Hard Times
  
• Burger Fuel doesn't rule out capital raising

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c Share Investor 2009

Morgan's book "After the Panic" timely

Media - Video | Text

It is a little too late when you look back having lost your life savings to get it back, but anything that improves investor education and puts the spotlight on dodgy financial practices so you don't perpetuate the same mistake has got to be a positive thing.

Gareth Morgan, the well known economist/socialist has finally come back on track, pulled his finger out of his backside after his embarrassing book on so-called "global warming" and produced a book the average investor should read called After the Panic: Surviving bad investments and bad advice.
His book names collapsed companies and those individuals who are responsible for some of the finance companies that have been buried, along with nearly NZ$ 2 billion of investor money buried along with them.

I am not sure if it includes names of "financial advisers", the financial world equivalent of global warming zealots, but these individuals take a large part of the blame.

The book provides documents from said finance companies that reinforced their "stability" to the investor public while behind the scenes trusts were re-organised, bank accounts were siphoned, money was given to mistresses and tickets to Australia were purchased -my emphasis.

This excerpt from the book is but one example:

"You can have peace of mind when investing with Provincial Finance as you're dealing with an experienced, dedicated finance company," Provincial Finance said in a prospectus in 2005.

"... when you invest with Provincial Finance you'll enjoy high levels of personal service, regular, easy to understand performance reports, attention to risk, and a good rate of return over the term of your investment".

Disclosure was only the beginning of the dodgy dealing of finance companies of course, there was also the massive inter-related party lending to bolster the books, the selling of property that didn't exist, money siphoned from company accounts to pay for lavish personal expenses and a whole host of small crimes and massive mis-demeanor's.

Gareth has written a book of its time and inexperienced/experienced prospective investors alike, in any asset class, should have a read of his book, if only to see where the bodies are buried.

You can be sure though, just as some of these individuals who have participated in this financial rape of the greedy, the hapless, the elderly and the mis-advised, came out of the ashes of similar shell games from the financial collapse of the sharemarket in the 1980s, they will rise again sometime in the future to do it all again.

Gareth's book looks like another tool that investors can use to stop them from becoming financial prey, again.

Related Video

Gareth Morgan Interview - One News

Recent Share Investor Reading

• Charlies Group: A Triumph of Style over Substance
• MICHAEL HILL - Toughen Up: What I've Learned About the Hard Times
  
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• Stock of the Week: Michael Hill International
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c Share Investor 2009

Charlies Group: A Triumph of Style over Substance

There was much fanfare, overwhelming hype and plenty of free publicity when Charlies Group [CHA.NZ] listed on the NZX through the back door in 2005 and that has been the way the company has operated for the last 4 years.

They had Marc Ellis as its largely titular head and Stefan Lepionka in the back room squeezing the juice and running the business side.

Shareholders who got in at the entry point have lost millions and are unlikely to get it back and many of these same people would have participated in the 42 below IPO a few years back expecting Charlies to pay back the same way that deal finally did.

We have learnt that the company is looking at raising capital in some way to enable them to continue to function as a going concern and their original idea to build up the company to sell it off to a major beverage player has failed because they cannot get what they think it is worth in the current economic climate.

Burger Fuel Worldwide [BFW.NZ] which is contemplating capital raising itself, is another one of those flash harries that investors got hyped up in and ended up largely kissing goodbye to the 2 million that was raised from them in that particular IPO in 2007.

These companies all share a sense of style over substance and should be avoided at all costs by those without money to lose and that should be pointed out clearly before virgin investors plunk down their cash.

The fact that these sort of IPOs were pitched to those without much financial nous and got caught up in the hype is a testament to Kiwis lack of financial skill and those that were raising funds were counting on when they targeted the financially illiterate for their hard earned moola.

Fare enough for Ellis & Co to take a big risk in business but to pitch there IPO without spelling out there was a fair chance the business would fail is, once again, a triumph of style over substance.

Footnote: Charlies have just issued a press release to the NZX softening up shareholders for more money.


Charlies Group @ Share Investor

Takeover Documents

Charlies Group Ltd: Asahi make takeover offer
Share Price Alert: Charlies Group Ltd
Share Investor Q & A: Charlies Group CEO Stefan Lepionka
Chart of the Day: Charlies Group Ltd
Charlies Group: A Triumph of Style over Substance
Charlies juicing through Shareholder cash

Discuss CHA @ Share Investor Forum
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