Share Price Alert: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd 2

Welcome to 2012 Share Investor Blog readers. I hope it is a prosperous - oh OK and a happy one too.

Lets get back to business!

Kathmandu Holdings Ltd [KMD.NZX] had a very negative trading update out right at the arse end of 2012 -great to bury news at this time of year. This is after 2 years of apparent revenue and store growth and comes just two years after their IPO.

I have been skeptical of the sustainability of the growth of the company for the last 2 years as growth was pinned mostly on the opening of more stores and an unsustainable growth of same stores sales based on highly seasonal and constant sales promotions of merchandise.

To top this off competitors are nipping at Kathmandu's expensively decked out heels with both Jan Cameron's Macpac and FCO Fishing Camping Outdoors taking market share off the outdoor retail darling.

Cameron made a move to take a stake in Macpac in mid 2011 to compete head to head with KMD and it hasn't taken long for Macpac to make its mark given Jan's knowledge of the market, her retail experience and her intimate knowledge of how Kathmandu is run.

KMD shares took a 25% hit down to $1.64 on the trading update and recovered to close at $1.72 for the year. This is down from an IPO price of just over 2 bucks just over 2 years ago.

In a previous Share Price Alert for KMD back in May 2011 I warned that the share price was overvalued due to overly exuberant investor optimism which was based on management hype.

I picked this company as a buy in 2010 at under $1.50 in Share Investor's 2011 Stock Picks because I thought the IPO price was too high and expectations by management similarly optimistic but I would now have to lower my sights to reflect the higher impact from competition, especially from Macpac.

The company is still a worthy one but at a far lower price than its IPO valuation. I would therefore be happier with a valuation of $1.05c given the poor outlook for retail (for the 3rd year in a row) in general for 2012 and lower if the company does not respond well to all the negative impacts it will face this year.

Happy New Year current KMD investors and an even happier one to those of you who might get this share at half its IPO value.

Share Price Alert Series



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Kathmandu @ Share Investor

Jan Cameron makes her move on Kathmandu
Share Price Alert: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
Kathmandu Holdings: Profit Upgrade lacks accurate comparison
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: The First Year
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: 2010 full year profit analysis
Chart of the Day: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
Kathmandu Holdings: Market Update Misleads
Kathmandu's 2011 Results Under Pressure from Jan Cameron
Kathmandu IPO: Prospectus Analysis
Kathmandu IPO: Jan Cameron lands a blow to IPO
Kathmandu IPO: What is it worth?
Kathmandu IPO: Retail Interest HighKathmandu IPO: A tough mountain to climb
Kathmandu No.1 but IPO should get the Bullet
Download the detailed Kathmandu Value Cruncher Report - Requires free registration at Share Investor Forum to download
Download Kathmandu IPO Prospectus
KMD Investor Presentation to Macquarie

Discuss Kathmandu @ Share Investor Forum

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c Share Investor 2011

Jan Cameron makes her move on Kathmandu

Jan Cameron has made her first move, after a restraint of trade was lifted on May 2, to compete directly with the company she sold in 2006 Kathmandu Ltd [KMD.NZX].

It has been reported that she has invested an initial 20 million into kiwi outdoor clothing chain, Macpac to go head to head with KMD in Australasia and presumably in other markets KMD trades in. She is one smart cookie whose business acumen in retailing should never be underestimated by her competitors and she has strong contacts in retail and retail suppliers in this part of the world and elsewhere and her expertise in the outdoor retail sector cannot be underestimated.



Cameron has several individuals within Macpac that are former associates at Kathmandu and they have an aggressive expansion plan in place to take on KMD.



While Macpac currently has fewer branded stores than Kathmandu's 100, with only 29 in Australasia, Macpac's products are stocked in over 100 retail outlets worldwide so have a broader brand recognition if a global business is what management are looking at in the long term.

Kathmandu as a strong in your face brand have the outdoor sector mostly to themselves in New Zealand and Cameron's expertise and contacts in retail will be a formidable challenge to Kathmandu and its impressive retail margins that they have placed their whole business model and recent IPO on.

Management at KMD will be seriously worried about this and as Macpac gets a larger retail footprint across this part of the world revenue and profits will be cut.

Make no mistake it will be cutthroat between these two brands and the winner will be the consumer in the end.

It remains to be seen which retailer will come off the big winner but my money is on Jan.


Jan Cameron @ Share Investor

Jan Cameron ready to move on Postie Plus Group?
Kathmandu's 2011 Results Under Pressure from Jan Cameron
Kathmandu IPO: Jan Cameron lands a blow to IPO
What is Jan Cameron up to?

Kathmandu @ Share Investor

Share Price Alert: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
Kathmandu Holdings: Profit Upgrade lacks accurate comparison
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: The First Year
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: 2010 full year profit analysis
Chart of the Day: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
Kathmandu Holdings: Market Update Misleads
Kathmandu's 2011 Results Under Pressure from Jan Cameron
Kathmandu IPO: Prospectus Analysis
Kathmandu IPO: Jan Cameron lands a blow to IPO
Kathmandu IPO: What is it worth?
Kathmandu IPO: Retail Interest HighKathmandu IPO: A tough mountain to climb
Kathmandu No.1 but IPO should get the Bullet
Download the detailed Kathmandu Value Cruncher Report - Requires free registration at Share Investor Forum to download
Download Kathmandu IPO Prospectus
KMD Investor Presentation to Macquarie

Discuss Kathmandu @ Share Investor Forum



c Share Investor 2011

Share Price Alert: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd

Kathmandu Holdings Ltd [KMD.NZX] has had what looks like a positive trading update out yesterday, the second positive one since another positive one out in January.

The share price has of course responded in kind and since that January news has risen from $1.85 to close up 15c to $2.60 today on the latest news -a 40% rise.

KMD shares have risen off an all-time low of $1.55 reached last December and yesterdays closing price is an all-time high only gotten close to back in April 2010, just a few short months after listing.

Although today's release looks like an overwhelmingly positive one, as I have said before the figures used as a comparison are Proforma ones which do not paint an accurate enough picture for the investor to make wise decision to buy KMD stock at current prices.

All is not what it seems and the market really has gotten carried away with itself here.

Be patient if you like this company, it is worth buying but at a share price well under 2 bucks. Until investors can make an accurate comparison year to year without the pro form influence and the uncertainty that brings then you must discount the value of the company until accurate comparisons can be made.

Buy under $1.80.


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Kathmandu @ Share Investor

Kathmandu Holdings: Profit Upgrade lacks accurate comparison
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: The First Year
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: 2010 full year profit analysis
Chart of the Day: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
Kathmandu Holdings: Market Update Misleads
Kathmandu's 2011 Results Under Pressure from Jan Cameron
Kathmandu IPO: Prospectus Analysis
Kathmandu IPO: Jan Cameron lands a blow to IPO
Kathmandu IPO: What is it worth?
Kathmandu IPO: Retail Interest High
Kathmandu IPO: A tough mountain to climb
Kathmandu No.1 but IPO should get the Bullet
Download the detailed Kathmandu Value Cruncher Report - Requires free registration at Share Investor Forum to download
Download Kathmandu IPO Prospectus
KMD Investor Presentation to Macquarie

Discuss Kathmandu @ Share Investor Forum
Download KMD Company Reports

NEW - From Fishpond.co.nz | Think Bigger, By Michael Hill

Join the Share Investor Facebook Group

c Share Investor 2011

Share Investor's 2011 Stock Picks: Looking Back

It has been nearly 4 months since the Share Investor 2011 Stock Picks and I thought it might be appropriate now to look back at how those picks have done. Please keep in mind that my criteria for picking stocks is long term gains and also that the stockmarket as a whole has risen in the 4 months (see 6 month chart below) that has passed so any gains must factor in these two key points.

I am discovering any gains and losses from my picks as I write this post rather than looking at them first and then making a decision to publish, so you, dear readers, will discover how well or badly I did as I did.



I will outline below what price the stock was picked at and how much it has gained or lost since the stock picks came out on December 17 2010.

Share Investor's 2011 Stock Picks: Looking back


Picks from the NZX

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
[FPH.NZX]



Picked at $3.06c on December 17 2011 and reaching a post pick high of $3.23, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at $3.06c.

0% gain.

Xero Ltd
[XRO.NZX]


Picked at $2.38c on December 17 2011 and reaching a post pick high of $3.16, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at $2.50c.

A 5% gain.


Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd
[SKC.NZX]



Picked at $3.23c on December 17 2011, with the addition of a 8c net dividend, and reaching a post pick high of $3.50, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at $3.41c.

A 8% gain.


Charlies Group Ltd
[CHA.NZX]

Picked at 17.5c on December 17 2011 and reaching a post pick high of 28c, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at 27c.

A 54% gain.


Michael Hill International Ltd
[MHI.NZX]

Picked at 85c on December 17 2011, with the addition of a 1.5c net dividend and reaching a post pick high of 92c, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at 88c.

A 5% gain.


New Zealand Refining Ltd
[NZR.NZX]

Picked at $4.20c on December 17 2011, with the addition of a 10c net dividend and reaching a post pick high of $5.20c, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at $4.75c.

A 20% gain.


New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd
[NZO.NZX]

Picked at 86c on December 17 2011, reaching a post pick high of 94c, at close of trade Friday 8 April was trading at 94c.

A 10% gain.

Minor NZX Picks

Kathmandu Holdings Ltd [KMD.NZX]

A 42% gain.

Port of Tauranga Ltd [POT.NZ]

A 14% gain

Auckland International Airport Ltd [AIA.NZX]

A 6% gain.

Telecom NZ Ltd [TEL.NZX]

A 6% loss.

Fisher & Paykel Appliances Ltd [FPA.NZX]

A 15% gain.



ASX Picks

Tatts Group Ltd [TTS.ASX] A 10% loss.
Tabcorp Holdings Ltd [TAH.ASX] A 3% gain.
Reef Casino Trust[RCT.ASX] A 5% loss.


Nasdaq

Yum ! Brands Inc [YUM.NASDAQ] A 0% gain.

Conclusion & Outlook for 2011

Returns ranged from a 10% loss for Tatts Group Ltd [TTS.ASX] up to a 54% gain for Charlies Group Ltd [CHA.NZX]. Averaged out my 2011 share picks have returned an average net return of 10.33% over slightly less than 4 months if I included them in equal portions in a portfolio. This compares to a return of 4% for the NZX50 as a whole. (see NZX50 chart at top of post)

The market overall appears to be overvalued to me - with the exception of one or two stocks that have lost some value - and I have not bought any shares for well over a year now. My own portfolio has gained 13% since I began re-tracking it for this blog back in October 2010 and I cant see the market gaining much more for 2011 due to very poor global economic conditions and uncertainty as to where the globe is heading in the short to medium term.

Disclosure : I own FPH, WHS, SKC, MHI, AIA, shares in the Share Investor Portfolio.


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c Share Investor 2010 & 2011

Kathmandu Holdings: Profit Upgrade lacks accurate comparison

The Kathmandu Holdings Ltd [KMD.NZX] trading update out today is positive for investors but it really didn't warrant a rise in share price today of nearly 14%.

I say this because the figures disclosed today are compared to last years figures which are based on Pro forma accounting methods.

I have discussed pro forma accounting before in relation to Kathmandu and it is important to note that the main feature of pro forma figures is to disguise the true nature of how a business is run.

This is part of what I wrote about KMD and the figures they used in their IPO Prospectus towards the end of 2009:

Pro Forma figures - figures based on an "as if" scenario rather than reality - are used throughout the document.

Pro-forma figures do not show investors the true state of a companies books and this alone should have prospective investors running for the hills (without a Kathmandu backpack).

I will go on however.

For example pro forma sales figures from 2007 and 2009 indicate that in 2007 Kathmandu sales were $A151.4 million and in 2009 A$215 million and respective store numbers were 58 and 82. That works out roughly the same level of sales per store for each of these years. Very hard to get this sort of consistency in any sector of the economy, least the retail industry. These particular figures have clearly been manipulated or "smoothed" to make things look good and we can safely assume this for other comparisons made. This makes the figures misleading to say the very least.

Kathmandu Holdings: Market Update Misleads Share Investor Blog, August 5 2010

So when looking at the release today we need to take into account that even though same store sales have increased by around 9% , to make a fully accurate and meaningful comparison we need to use actual raw figures from 2010 to make our comparison not the pro forma ones KMD are using in today's release.

I am of the view that we need to look at the 2011 second half year for the company when we can use raw figures from mid 2010 to make an accurate reading of how the company is going.

It will be March 2012 though before we can see a full year of results and compare them to raw accurate data from the year before.

Until then investors need to be cautious at these share price levels.


Kathmandu @ Share Investor

Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: The First Year
Kathmandu Holdings Ltd: 2010 full year profit analysis
Chart of the Day: Kathmandu Holdings Ltd
Kathmandu Holdings: Market Update Misleads
Kathmandu's 2011 Results Under Pressure from Jan Cameron
Kathmandu IPO: Prospectus Analysis
Kathmandu IPO: Jan Cameron lands a blow to IPO
Kathmandu IPO: What is it worth?
Kathmandu IPO: Retail Interest High
Kathmandu IPO: A tough mountain to climb
Kathmandu No.1 but IPO should get the Bullet
Download the detailed Kathmandu Value Cruncher Report - Requires free registration at Share Investor Forum to download
Download Kathmandu IPO Prospectus
KMD Investor Presentation to Macquarie

Discuss Kathmandu @ Share Investor Forum
Download KMD Company Reports

NEW - From Fishpond.co.nz | Think Bigger, By Michael Hill

Join the Share Investor Facebook Group

c Share Investor 2011

Share Investor's 2011 Stock Picks

Originally posted 17 Dec 2010

Share Investor's 2012 Stock Picks

It is that time of the year, to pick stocks for 2011 and time for my stock picking monkey to come out of a self imposed 12 months hiatus for another stab at the stockmarket pages.

It is the 4th edition this year and once again impacted by looking after my 16 month old girl - she had no direct say in what the stock picking monkey chose for 2011 but will be encouraged to throw a dart or two at the end of 2011.

In the face of a continued global recession, an uncertain economic future that had a big impact at the end of 2009 and continues today 2011 might be be harder to pick than 2010.

2010 was a much better year for stocks than 2009, with stock prices overall coming well off 2009 lows.

Please keep in mind dear readers that the picks are my own and they reflect my investment philosophy and not necessarily anyone else's.

My picks are based on a long-term view, regardless of the current short to medium term market turmoil and economic uncertainty.

NB: Since I think most of my portfolio consist of the best stocks on the New Zealand market, I found it difficult to pick stocks outside my realm of self interest.


Share Investor's 2011 Stock Picks


Picks from the NZX

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
[FPH.NZX]



I will kick off my picks with a company that I still consider will be one of the big successes of the next 5-10 years and one I included in the 2008, 2009 & 2010 Share Investor stock picks, Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, the health care products provider.

I had it as a pick for 2010 and it is down around 20c from this time in 2010, so that makes it a better pick than last year considering its good long term prospects.

Company forecasts for the 2011 year are understandably sketchy because of the US dollar volatility but US revenues are set to grow significantly, as they have done for the past decade.

Any significant movement in the value of the NZ dollar means a substantial rise or fall in profit, as the bulk of company revenues are in the US dollar and 2011 half year profit results have been impacted significantly from the weakening US dollar.

Fisher's profits are largely immune from the current market turmoil as buyers simply have to have the products that the health care company makes regardless of a global recession.

A future global player in the sector they operate in.


Fisher & Paykel Heathcare @ Share Investor

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Xero Ltd
[XRO.NZX]

Currently Xero Ltd, the online accounting software company, is a niche player in an industry dominated by global players like Quicken and MYOB and it increased its customer base significantly in 2010 and looks set to build on 2010's gains.

It is presently building its customer base to get "critical mass".

The buzz in the tech industry surrounding Xero is reflected in the amount of support the company has from insiders and it could be well a big player in time to come. The company has had some significant financial backers from those who know Xero well but Mums and Dads are still largely absent from the shareholder register.

It has yet to make any money but is expected to break even in the latter half of 2011 and should start to see some profit in the next few years.

XRO is a little riskier than most investments and the share price has increased well over the latter part of 2010 so that risk increases slightly.

If the hype is only partially matched by concrete results this share will take off.



Xero @ Share Investor

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Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd
[SKC.NZX]



Sky City Entertainment has had a brilliant 2010, with a record FY 2010 profit at the hands of an inspirational leader and a number of strategies planned and executed to produce pleasing results for shareholders. Like 2009, the share price of the company has not however tracked its increased fortunes, plumbing the depths of below NZ$2.80 and settling of late in the low 3 dollar range. It looks to be good value as a result of this low share price relative to its prospects.

There is promise however for 2011. The Rugby World Cup will boost SKC's 4 Casinos and CEO Nigel Morrison has indicated double digit growth for FY 2011.

Buy on weakness if this company has already been in your sights.



Sky City Entertainment Group @ Share Investor

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Sky City Convention Centre @ Share Investor

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Discuss SKC @ Share Investor Forum
Download SKC Company Reports


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Charlies Group Ltd
[CHA.NZX]

Not a stock I expected to pick after being a big critic of it over the last few years. Charlies Group Ltd has managed to wangle its way into my affections for 2011. It did this simply by finally showing a profit for the full year to June 2010. Previously to this it had been mired in mounting losses and a number of capital raisings but their strategy of growing the business over the last 3-4 years has paid off. They recently expanded in a vast push across OZ into over 750 Coles Supermarkets and this gives them the leverage there to increase sales manifold times over 2010 levels.

The share price, at 17.5c, is almost 3x more than it was at its lowest level in 2010 but prospects for the company look good due to Australia.

Buy on thinly traded weakness.

Charlies Group @ Share Investor

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Charlies juicing through Shareholder cash

Discuss CHA @ Share Investor Forum
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Michael Hill International Ltd
[MHI.NZX]

Michael Hill International has had a tough last couple of years but the most recent result has been pleasing to say the least.

It has largely put the cost of its expansion in North America behind it by closing a number of stores and consolidating in Chicago and seeing how things go there before further mainland USA expansion.

It has done reasonably well in its main markets in Australasia but Canada remains weak.

The share price has gained more than 30% since I picked it in the 2010 Share Investor Stock Picks but MHI still remains a good long term investment with good growth potential and business fundamentals.


Disc I own MHI shares in the Share Investor Portfolio


Michael Hill International @ Share Investor

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New Zealand Refining Ltd
[NZR.NZX]

With low refining rates, massive capital expenditure and plant shutdowns largely behind them and a rising global oil prices, 2011 looks to be a resurgent year for New Zealand Refining Ltd.

Those higher oil prices will see this stock rise and it has already and the oil price rise has been a significant one. It has been mainly due to a very cold Northern Winter bumping up all sorts of petrochemical products so it is unclear just how sustainable the oil price rise will be. Having said that the recent rise is bound to gain some traction even when the Northern ice melts away and 2011 rolls along.

Look for an increased dividend in 2011 as profit increases that will underpin a good share price rise from current levels.

NZR @ Share Investor

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New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd
[NZO.NZX]

Apart from its 29% holding in the now insolvent Pike River Coal Ltd [PRC.NZX] and the financial fallout from that, NZ Oil & Gas Ltd has had a reasonable year considering the overall lowish global oil prices for 2010.

The Pike River Coal Mine disaster has provided an opportunity for investors to get this stock relatively cheap considering it has a reasonable volume of oil and gas left to pull out of the ground and several drilling prospects on the boil.

The fact that global oil prices per barrel are rising and should pass US$100 will give Oil & Gas the impetus to get more out of the ground and return some higher margins for their products.

The only drawback is a relatively high Kiwi/US dollar cross but the Kiwi seems to have peaked out late 2010 as the dire state of our economy and deficits become clearer.

Watch for a good bounce in profit for 2011 as a result of these favourable key points come together.


NZ Oil & Gas @ Share Investor

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Discuss NZO @ Share Investor Forum
Download NZO Company Reports


Other Notable Quotables

NZX

Kathmandu Holdings Ltd [KMD.NZX] A retailer currently under pressure. Value below NZ$1.50.

Port of Tauranga Ltd [POT.NZ] New Zealand's leading port company with good upside on increased exports and a good dividend. Best managed port in New Zealand with the best long term prospects.

Auckland International Airport Ltd [AIA.NZX] A good monopoly at historically cheap prices, doing marginally better in 2010 and set to pick up profit in 2011.

Telecom NZ Ltd [TEL.NZX] Value in the company as a hedge against investment inflation. Dividends are over 10% net PA at current share prices (low NZ$2.10 - 2.20 range) and stock worth buying at these low levels for the return and a possible recovery in share price due to its participation in the high speed fibre roll-out and subsequent business around that.

Fisher & Paykel Appliances Ltd [FPA.NZX] has an outside chance of coming right in 2011 if the housing market starts to show some growth and its relatively low share price is a good entry point for a company still in transition from a monopoly to a more competitive model of doing business.

ASX

Tatts Group Ltd [TTS.ASX]
Tabcorp Holdings Ltd [TAH.ASX]
Reef Casino Trust[RCT.ASX]

All Australian casino companies under pressure with sluggish returns and relatively low share prices and ripe for mergers and acquisitions. Possible suitor, Sky City Entertainment Group Ltd [SKC.NZX] that is doing well , has low debt levels and access to over a billion NZ dollars in borrowing facilities and could easily find more if needed.

Nasdaq

A pick from 2010, Yum ! Brands Inc [YUM.NASDAQ] A target of 10% sales growth for 2010-2011 after a 15% plus profit growth in 2010 and more good growth to come from China & India make this company a finger Lickin proposition.

Conclusion & Outlook for 2011

2011 may well be a year of marking time for global stockmarkets. As uncertainty surrounds the fragile state of many economies. The big gains made on stockmarkets in 2010 could materialize for some as nervousness over the aforementioned leaves them to take cash off the table. I think there is more bad news in relation to the global economy to come, but that is only my opinion.

That aside if you can, some listed companies have done well in 2010 and will continue to do so in 2011 but others will find the going tough as cash flow dries up, debt mounts and interest rates bite.

If there is no upturn in the economy, stockmarket share price weakness will have me poised to buy further shares in some of the companies I own in the Share Investor Portfolio with surplus cash of over $16,000.00 in dividends rather than with borrowed funds. I am looking at buying more Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Ltd [FPH.NZX] shares should the share price fall and The Warehouse Group Ltd [WHS.NZX] is on my radar again after a recent share price correction.

Remember, the stocks I have picked above are based on my investment criteria and may not fit yours and of course you could have a different opinion. I would love to hear your opinion and any picks you may have.

Have a look at what I have to say, take it on board or not and then do your own research to see if you might agree with me.

Lastly, I wish you all good luck and a prosperous 2011, we could all use it!


**Just an added footnote. Please feel free to post your own stock picks for 2011. The only requirement is that you say why and declare any financial interest. Post them below at the bottom of this piece or click here.


Disc  I own FPH, WHS, SKC, MHI, AIA, shares in the Share Investor Portfolio.


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c Share Investor 2010 & 2011