Maynard Paton | Category: My Shares

Mincon: So Here’s The Drill On A Recent Buy

15 April 2015
By Maynard Paton

Today I’m revealing one of the two new investments I’ve made during recent months.

The company in question is Mincon (MCON), a specialist engineer that designs, manufactures and sells drilling equipment for miners. I bought the shares during February and March 2015 at an average of 44.6p including all costs. The mid-price is now 54p.

All told, I feel this £114m Irish business is an excellent fit for my portfolio. Important attractions include a respectable competitive position, high margins, a cash-flush balance sheet and very favourable family management. A languishing share price and a possible P/E of just 10 also clinched it for me.

However, MCON is by no means perfect. In particular, the group is dependent on the vagaries of the mining sector, has an ambitious acquisition plan and does not boast the greatest of free cash flow.

A wide bid-offer spread and 71% boardroom ownership may put some people off, too.

M Winkworth: A ‘Franchise’ Business On A P/E Of 10

14 April 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on M Winkworth (WINK).

Event: Final results published 14 April

Summary: A quite satisfactory set of full-year results, albeit the second half produced flat profits. WINK has become slightly more dependent on the booming London property market, but its estate-agency franchising operation continues to produce super margins and high returns on equity. There are not many shares with such finacials that I have found that presently trade on a P/E of about 10. I continue to hold.

Tasty: I Still Believe The Market Cap Can Quadruple

30 March 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on Tasty (TAST).

Event: Preliminary results published 30 March

Summary: A very promising set of results, buoyed by a strong second half. Notable features included robust cash flow and the clearing of some debt, which might suggest TAST is able to expand significantly without hefty external financing. Either way, I firmly believe the family management here can replicate its earlier success at Prezzo (PRZ) and could perhaps quadruple TAST’s current market cap. I continue to hold.

Getech: I’ve Had To Raise An ‘Amber Alert’

24 March 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on Getech (GTC).

Event: Interim results and acquisition details published 24 March

Summary: A better-than-expected set of results that was blessed with a reasonable outlook statement — a pleasant surprise given GTC serves the battered oil and gas industry. Progress was not perfect, though, with sizeable intangible expenditure and details of a substantial acquisition leaving me on ‘amber alert’. I am minded to await further results before considering any top-up. I continue to hold.

FW Thorpe: LED Sales Are Booming

20 March 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on FW Thorpe (TFW).

Event: Interim results published 19 March

Summary: Good set of reliable figures with revenues, profits, the dividend and net cash all moving higher. Progress was made throughout the group’s different divisions, with sales of LED products apparently booming. A loss-making subsidiary has also been sold. I could find no accounting worries and wish all my investments could issue such dependable results. I continue to hold.

Pennant International: Why I Sold

20 March 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on Pennant International (PEN).

Event: Annual results published 17 March

Summary: Headline results as expected, but they hid a weaker second half and some disconcerting cash-flow movements. The figures contained plenty of other irritations and worries, while the chairman’s statement was notable for what it did not say. All told, the results carried too many signs of profit trouble ahead and I sense PEN could return to its haphazard ways witnessed between 2000 and 2009. I have sold.

French Connection: I Still Think The Shares Could Top 100p

17 March 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on French Connection (FCCN).

Event: Annual results published 17 March

Summary: Mixed results. The Retail division was subdued, and gave a disappointing second-half performance. However, trading at the Wholesale and Licensing divisions appeared promising. There was further welcome progress on cost cutting, too. This turnaround has still to really turn, and I’ve trimmed my recovery assumptions. But the upside potential remains sizeable. I continue to hold.

Tristel: Is There A Further 46% Upside?

25 February 2015
By Maynard Paton

Here’s a an update on Tristel (TSTL).

Event: Half-year results published 25 February.

Summary: Figures met my expectations, showing good all-round progress. Management commentary noticeably upbeat — confidence underlined by first RNS mentions of group sales target and ‘North America’. Firm’s healthcare products remain attractive to investors — repeat purchase and patent protected. Share-price upside could be attractive if growth forecasts come good. I continue to hold.

City of London Investment: 7% Income Plus Vague Hints Of Dividend Lift

12 February 2015
By Maynard Paton

Quick update on City of London Investment (CLIG).

Event: Half-year results published 11 February.

Summary: Figures already heralded by January trading statement — therefore no surprises. Previous guidance all repeated. Still on course to pay 24p per share dividend and support 7% dividend yield at 335p. Vague hints of dividend increase now emerging. Cash position remains high. P/E remains modest. I continue to hold.

M Winkworth: My 92% Return From London’s Property Boom

6 February 2015
By Maynard Paton

Today I’m studying the smallest holding in my portfolio — M Winkworth (WINK).

In fact, this £16m estate-agency business represents less than 1% of my portfolio… and so is unlikely to send my wealth into orbit even if it does multi-bag!

I bought WINK at 90p during June and July 2011, but then sold 70% of my shares between August 2013 and February 2014 at an average of 173p.

At the time I was a bit worried about WINK’s substantial exposure to London’s booming housing market — and I probably would have sold the rest of my shares were it not for the price dropping to today’s 123p. Including some very useful dividends collected along the way, my total return to date has been a respectable 92%.

Andrews Sykes: My 12.7% Income From A 94-Year-Old Tycoon

4 February 2015
By Maynard Paton

You may have gathered by now that I do like my companies to have hefty insider ownership.

My theory is simple: I’m convinced directors are more likely to run their businesses successfully — and are therefore more likely to deliver satisfactory returns to outside investors such as you and me — if they boast significant shareholdings themselves.

I’m certainly hoping that’s going to be the case at Andrews Sykes (ASY), where the chairman and his family own 90% — yes 90%! — of the company.

Such shareholder dominance will of course mean this £127m hire business won’t be for everyone. Indeed, the tycoon in charge has adopted a very haphazard dividend policy and does not believe in standard boardroom governance. He is also very old at 94.

Nonetheless, a closer look ASY’s accounts reveals exactly why he wants to own so much of this company. Super margins, immense cash flow and lofty returns on capital in particular mark ASY out as a top-quality operator — and drew me in during May 2013 at an average of 233p.

So far at least, the threat of being ‘done over’ by a boardroom fiefdom has not emerged.

Instead, I have enjoyed a satisfactory return, with the shares rising to 300p — plus a sizeable 29.7p dividend for 2013 representing a lovely 12.7% income on my purchase price.

FW Thorpe: I Ignored My Own Advice And Missed A 500% Return

30 January 2015
By Maynard Paton

It’s funny how the dullest companies can produce some of the very best returns for patient investors.

Take FW Thorpe (TFW) for example. I wrote about this obscure lighting business for my former employer back in 2004, when the market cap was £26m and the share price was 23p (adjusted for a later 10-for-1 split).

Today, TFW’s market cap is £156m and the price is 135p — a 500% return if you include dividends collected along the way.

Pennant International: Why I Bought A 12-Bagger

27 January 2015
By Maynard Paton

It’s not often I look at a 12-bagger and decide it’s still worth buying.

But that is exactly what happened when I pinpointed Pennant International (PEN) the other year.

To cut to the chase, this £23m military equipment specialist had suffered badly during the banking crash and the shares had plunged to 6p. But then a succession of upbeat results and contract wins eventually caught me eye and I bought in at 74p during October and November 2013.

What particularly appealed to me was the group landing its largest-ever contract alongside results that spoke of “good prospects for the short, medium and long term”. It’s quite rare to see such ‘multi-horizon’ optimism within a company RNS!

Also prompting me to buy were management’s sizeable shareholding, the firm’s asset-flush balance sheet, a focus on organic growth and a lowly market valuation.

While PEN’s expansion looks to have paused temporarily in 2014, the group’s overall prospects remain positive and I’m pleased to say the appealing executives, financials and valuation remain in place today.

Burford Capital: I’m Projecting 9.1% Annualised Returns To 2019

23 January 2015
By Maynard Paton

*** EDIT: 26 FEB 2015: I HAVE SINCE SOLD THIS SHARE. PLEASE READ THE COMMENT SECTION AT THE END OF THE POST ***

Time now to delve into Burford Capital (BUR), a £266m litigation-financing business that joined my portfolio following some very scant research.

The basis of my investment was:

Litigation funding was a nascent, fast-growing industry. At the time, BUR said business was “booming”.

The firm was claiming fantastic returns on invested capital (some 70%!).

I assumed BUR’s operations would not be affected by recessions or market crashes.

A corporate reorganisation had aligned the main executives with shareholders.

The shares traded at book value.

Good future progress might see the shares re-rated well above book value.

A fund managed by ace investor Neil Woodford owned 45%.

It wasn’t in-depth stuff and luckily I’ve managed to enjoy a reasonable return. I bought between November 2012 and February 2013 at an average of 101p, and I then sold 51% of my holding at 120p between October 2013 and January 2014. The recent market price is 130p.

However…I don’t like to rely on scant research with my investments. So I’ve finally got to grips with BUR and its convoluted accounts to gauge the opportunity ahead, and in particular to understand…

…why the company’s fantastic returns on invested capital haven’t translated into fantastic share-price growth!

Record: I Averaged Down Heavily And Eventually Doubled My Money

20 January 2015
By Maynard Paton

I’m still ploughing through my portfolio to give each of my holdings a much-needed thorough review.

I’ve now come to Record (REC), a £75m currency-hedging business, where you may think my past share dealings have been somewhat bold.

You see, I first bought REC during December 2010 at 37p. At first the company’s updates were not that positive, so within a year I found myself averaging down at 24p — and then averaging down even more at 13p — because my sums pointed to a significantly cheaper valuation.

In fact, by April 2012 I was averaging down further at 11p and then at 10p, which luckily proved to be the bottom. From what I recall, the market was so depressed with the share, the 10p price then equalled REC’s net cash position and essentially threw the actual business in for free.

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