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Is this a record – 950 share certificates?

Yesterday was the AGM of Crown Place VCT. A somewhat unexciting meeting in some ways (a full report can be found here), but it did give me the opportunity to meet someone who holds 950 share certificates for different companies. This is not just unusual, it may be a record. The shareholder had already been to two other AGMs earlier in the day. He apparently handles probate matters for individuals which accounts for this. Another shareholder asked me about the current dematerialisation ...

Delcam succumbs to takeover offer

Software company Delcam has announced that it is recommending a cash offer of £20.75 per share from Autodesk for the company. That suggests an exit p/e of over 33 based on current year earnings forecasts which is surely enough to gain shareholder acceptance (they already have commitments to vote in favour from over 45% of shareholders). It rather demonstrates the high valuations currently placed on growing and profitable technology companies. ShareSoc first covered this company in our May 2011 newsletter when the ...

Top performing VCTs and performance fees.

Yesterday the AIC published a note on the “dividend stars” and “strongest performers” among Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) now that such companies have been in existence for 18 years. In terms of total dividends paid out since launch ProVen Growth & Income came top with Baronsmead VCT in second place. But investors should bear in mind that some VCTs pay dividends out of the capital of the trust which sometimes just means that investors are simply having the money they invested ...

Co-Operative Bank Recapitalisation

The Co-Operative Bank has announced details of their revised plans for “recapitalisation” of the bank, which is a euphemism for rescuing it from potential bankruptcy. In effect the previous capital of the bank has been wiped out by dodgy lending, by inept acquisitions such as that of the Britannia B.S. and write-offs of IT expenditure. The existing institutional debt holders will have their debt converted to equity, plus will subscribe additional capital. The Co-Operative Group will put in an additional £462m of ...

Great news – real company owners to be disclosed

The Prime Minister has announced that the details of who really owns and controls UK companies will be made publicly accessible. More details will be announced in early 2014,, but the key paragraph in the announcement from the BIS Department includes the statement that the Government will “………potentially use as a model the disclosure regime that currently applies in relation to disclosure of information on company shareholders. This would mean that companies would hold information on the names and addresses of ...