Mark talks us through the company’s financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2023. Mark highlights significant achievements such as a 34% increase in revenue to £40 million, gross margin improvement, the highest EBITDA profit in 13 years, and an increase in cash holdings. He attributes the revenue growth to organic expansion in television and the successful acquisition and integration of The Edge Picture Company. Mark also discusses various successful television productions, customer retention rates, and future financial projections, emphasising the company’s strong market positioning and operational success.

Zinc Media Group are an award-winning, critically-acclaimed television and content creation company producing award-winning programmes for broadcasters, global networks and VOD platforms.

#Media #Television #BargainLovingBrits #Investing #Growth #Stocks

Matthew outlines the challenges faced by the company, particularly in the recruitment sector, which has seen a general decline. He details the Group’s Net Fee Income performance in the first half and the key factors influencing the performance, talks about a slight increase in profits through strategic cost reductions and operational adjustments and the initiatives being taking to reflect challenging market conditions.

Matthew talks about the strategic shifts in sales focus, particularly towards markets with sustainable growth potential like energy and also touches on the company’s maintaining a strong balance sheet and outlines future strategies to navigate the tough economic landscape, including further investments in technology and strategic realignment.

Gattaca Plc is a collective of expert brands connecting thousands of businesses to the STEM talent and outcomes they need to build a better future.

Craig covers the financial performance and strategies of Team Asset Management, focusing on their Q1 results and future outlook. Craig discusses the main drivers of their recent performance, including global economic conditions, AI investment trends, and central bank policies. He explains the impact of these factors on the market and outlines their asset allocation strategy, emphasising a preference for equities over fixed interest, with a strategic mix across regions.

Craig also addresses potential risks and opportunities ahead, such as oil price fluctuations and their systematic investment process designed to deliver risk-adjusted returns and concludes with insights into how Team Asset Management is navigating current market conditions and their approach to maintaining stability and growth in their portfolios.

TEAM Plc (LON: TEAM) is a boutique, independent asset manager centred in Jersey, With a focus on the UK, Crown Dependencies and International Finance Centres.

#AssetManagement #WealthManagement #Investing #Growth #MultiAsset #IncomeFunds #Equities #Stocks #Jersey #Globaleye #NebaWealth #TEAMEast

In this interview with Ilika’s CEO Graeme Purdie and CFO Jason Stewart discuss the company’s solid performance in the first half of the fiscal year and its advancements in solid-state battery technology, specifically the Goliath project. They highlight successful grant-funded projects and effective cost management. The interview also covers ILIKA’s collaboration with Cirtec for the Stereax product line, its impact on the electric vehicle sector due to regulatory changes, and optimism for a potential breakthrough in the company’s financial and operational progress in the near future.

Ilika plc is a pioneer in solid state battery technology, enabling solutions for applications such as Industrial IoT, MedTech, EV and Consumer Electronics.

In this interview, Raluca provides an overview of the company, discusses the challenges faced by businesses and the demand for Smarttech247 products. She also talks about the company's growth and progress in 2023, and outlines the ambitious plans for revenue growth in 2024.

Smarttech247 Group is a multi-award-winning Managed Detection & Response company and a market leader in Security Operations.

In this interview Louis talks us through the key takeaways from the FY results, tells us more about the balance sheet, how the market backdrop is continuing to favour Cerillion’s growth and shares his views on the future of the company.

Cerillion plc is a leading provider of billing, charging and customer management systems with more than 20 years’ experience delivering solutions across a broad range of industries including the telecommunications, finance, utilities and transportation sectors.

Eloy talks us through the result highlights, explains what is behind the substantial revenue and operational profit growth, what the £4 million project with a major sporting infrastructure won in the Middle East means for the Company, the strategic partnership agreements signed this year and investors expect from 4GLOBAL in the coming months.

4GLOBAL (LON:4GBL), is a UK-based data, services and software company focused on major sporting events and the promotion and measurement of physical activity.

#4GLOBAL #TechnologyServices #DataServices #Sport #Health #Gym #SportEngland #Investing #Stocks #StockExchanges #Profit #Growth

In this interview Nick explains what has driven the increase in production, how this fits into the wider context of Ferro-Alloy’s business and provides a prognosis for the rest of the year.

Ferro-Alloy Resources Limited (LON:FAR), the low cost vanadium producer has published results of the Groups existing operation for the first half of 2023.

#FerroAlloyResources #Vanadium #FerroVanadium #FerroMolybdenum #Molybdenum #Carbon #Kazakhstan #Balasausqandiq #VFB #EnergyStorage #Investing

Robert talks us through the highlights, explains what has driven the revenue and improved order intake, how YUK has performed, the benefits it brought, further acquisitions, any areas of concern and how Renold is positioned to handle them.

Renold Plc (LON:RNO) is a leading international supplier of industrial chains and related power transmission products.

In this interview Phil talks us through the key highlights for the year and what we can expect through 2023 and beyond. Michael explains how implementing the business transformation to a software and services model has been reflected in the results, how working capital has changed and the capacity on the balance sheet.

Pennant International Group plc was established over 60 years ago and is a leading global provider of technology-based maintainer training and integrated product support solutions. The Group operates worldwide, with offices in Europe, North America and Australasia. The extensive portfolio for Pennant’s technology-based training solutions and ILS Software (OmegaPS and R4i) and services is achieved through its global teams.

In this upbeat interview Sandy talks us through the financial highlights, explains what has driven the tremendous revenue growth in the Group’s vaping business, shares his thoughts on the Government’s Smokefree 2030 initiative and how he sees the outlook for 2024.

Supreme Plc (LON:SUP) is a leading manufacturer, supplier, and brand owner of fast-moving consumer products.

Sean explains why they need 'state approval' when it was already announced that they had 'national approval', with California being one of the most important states the impact not yet having approval has on the business, when to expect approval and what else the company is expecting in terms of regulatory approvals.

EDEN RESEARCH IS FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE BIOPESTICIDES AND PLASTIC-FREE ENCAPSULATION TECHNOLOGY FOR USE IN GLOBAL CROP PROTECTION, ANIMAL HEALTH AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.

Tony explains the various synergies that working with AVTEC will bring to Saietta, what has been driving this enormous demand for a cost effective EV solution that’s also ‘Made in India’, current production capabilities, a validation of the demand, thoughts on the future of the business and other markets and products.

Saietta Group plc (LON: SED) is a multi-national business which designs, engineers and manufactures complete Light Duty and Heavy Duty electric drive systems.

Mark talks us through his recent report entitled ‘Outperformance by adding value to companies’, through some of the key numbers, explains why he expressed confidence in the NAV being real, what the unique Derived Investments portfolio brought in 2022 and any risks to be aware of.

Leon explains how they managed to deliver such a good set of results, considering the South African power situation at the moment, how Zambian operations were affected and how they addressed the challenge, plans for cobalt and what lies ahead for Jubilee.

Jubilee Metals Group plc (LON: JLP) is an industry leading metal recovery business focussed on retreatment and metals recovery.

Ilika is a pioneer in solid state battery technology, enabling solutions for applications such as Industrial IoT, MedTech, Electric Vehicals and Consumer Electronics.

‏#SolidStateBatteries #Stereax #Goliath #BatteryTechnology #MedTech #EV #IIoT #Investing‏

Sean explains what this really means for shareholders, how the deal will be financed, with no dilution to shareholders, effectively no debt, and assets that cash flows $30 million per month – what the catch is, decommissioning obligations and now growth opportunities in the portfolio.

Valeura Energy Inc. is an upstream oil & gas company, with a clear strategy to add value for shareholders.

Scott explains what the company does, the terms of the acquisition, the synergies between Juvela and the Group’s existing brands, its brands and products, how they are progressing and what we can expect from the company during 2023.

S-Ventures is listed on UK AQUIS Exchange (Ticker Code “SVEN”). The Company seeks to identify investment opportunities in the health & wellness, organic food and wellbeing sectors within the UK and Europe, adding value by providing capital and expertise to the target companies. The experience and operational skills of the Board led by Scott Livingstone (CEO) are intended to act as an accelerator to smaller brands that have a strong foundation and platform but may lack the skills and capital. The main objectives are to cross fertilise opportunities between the target companies and to scale the individual entities and look for exit opportunities and/or synergistic collaborations and through scaling we seek to create significant value for all stakeholders. Since listing on AQSE in September 2020, the Company has acquired significant interests in six companies.

Gervais shares his thoughts on China, the internal challenges they are facing and the broader macro-economic changes.

If in the US, the recessionary market will bring about further declines or should we expect the stock market to rally in anticipation of a decline in interest rates and a return to economic growth.

the UK, the CBI gave a rather downbeat forecast for the UK economy in 2023 and said GDP would fall -0.4%. Gervais explains how diversification in The Diverse Income Trust positions it well short-term and for the recovery.

And touches on companies in the portfolio, Just Group, TC ICAP and Paypoint Plc.

The Diverse Income Trust, invests primarily in quoted or traded UK companies with a wide range of market capitalisations, but a long-term bias toward small and mid-cap equities.

Just Group plc (LON:JUST) formerly JRP Group plc and, before that, Just Retirement Group plc, is a British company specialising in retirement products and services headquartered in Reigate, Surrey. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

TP ICAP Group plc (LON:TCAP) is a financial services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its stock is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. 

PayPoint plc (LON:PAY) is a British business offering a system for paying bills in United Kingdom, Ireland and Romania. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

David explains what this fundraise means for the company, the reception received and his thoughts on raising at a 5p share price.

Helium One Global, has a focus to explore, develop, and ultimately, become a producer of high-grade helium for the international market place.

Tony discusses its shift in strategy and the signing of the development agreement, progress with the ConMet collaboration, when we can expect revenues, overcoming the challenges facing emerging suppliers to the automotive industry, progress since IPO and how Saietta differs from the other companies trying to benefit from the electric vehicle revolution.

Vic explains what needs to be delivered between now and September next year to enable production to commence on schedule, puts the 80,000 units into context in terms of the target market, updates us on the Sunderland factory, its capacity and local jobs and how further production plants might be developed.

Saietta Group plc (LON:SED) is a multi-national business which designs, engineers and manufactures complete Light Duty and Heavy Duty electric drive systems.

Paul explains how the funds will be used, the rate of production at Coho, capacity at the Shell pipeline, plans for the rig deployment, drilling, goals for Touchstone in 2023, exploration plans for 2023 and opportunities to expand its exploration acreage.

Touchstone Exploration is a Canadian-based, international upstream oil and gas company currently active in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Shishir explains the logic behind this placing, the significance of completing all hurdles to the acquisitions in Mozambique and near term milestones for the company moving forward.

Riccardo gives us an overview of his note entitled ‘Continued resilience in difficult markets’, explains why he thinks Fidelity European Trust investment philosophy and long-term track record are worth re-visiting, issues that he touches on in the note, any effects that they may have had on the trust and shares his thoughts on fees and turnover.

Fidelity European Trust PLC captures the diversity and potential of Europe through top-ranking research and investment in high quality Euro companies.

Louis explains what market forces are driving demand for its solutions, the market opportunity and outlook for 2023 and the reasoning behind a dividend increase of 30%.

Cerillion plc is a leading provider of billing, charging and customer management systems with more than 20 years’ experience delivering solutions across a broad range of industries including the telecommunications, finance, utilities and transportation sectors.

Mark gives us an overview of his report entitled 'Positioned for the current crisis', tells us more about the track record of superior credit assessment, monitoring and collection reducing the probability of default, and the secured nature of the portfolio, the low exposure to high-risk sectors and proven limited loss in ones where they have had exposures in the past, the accounting points and benefit to rising rates and any risks involved.

Real Estate Credit Investments (LON:RECI) is a specialist investor in UK and European real estate credit markets with a focus on fundamental credit and value.

Learn more about RECI here:

https://www.directorstalkinterviews.com/real-estate-credit-investments-reci/reci.l

David takes us through this morning’s announcement and what it all means, mobilising the rig in the wet season, confidence that this will become a definitive contract, the company funding position and how they manage to fund the drilling.

Helium One Global, has a focus to explore, develop, and ultimately, become a producer of high-grade helium for the international market place.

CentralNic Group is a London-based AIM-listed company which drives the growth of the global digital economy by developing and managing software platforms allowing businesses globally to buy subscriptions to domain names, used for their own websites and email, as well as for protecting their brands online. Its core growth strategy is identifying and acquiring cash-generative businesses in its industry with annuity revenue streams and exposure to growth markets and migrating them onto the CentralNic software and operating platforms.

The company operates globally with customers in almost every country in the world. It earns recurring revenues from the worldwide sales of internet domain names and other services on an annual subscription basis.

Open Orphan is a rapidly growing specialist CRO pharmaceutical services company which has a focus on orphan drugs and is a world leader in the provision of virology and vaccine challenge study services and viral laboratory services. It has Europe's only 24-bedroom quarantine clinic with onsite virology lab in Queen Mary's Hospital London. hVIVO supports product development for customers developing antivirals, vaccines and respiratory therapeutics, all particularly relevant and topical in the environment of heightened awareness of Covid-19 in 2020. The Company also has a leading portfolio of 8 viral challenge study models which are: 2 FLU, 2 RSV, 1 HRV, 1 Asthma, 1 cough and 1 COPD viral challenge models. As announced in early March, Open Orphan is rapidly advancing a Coronavirus challenge study model and expects to be very active with many companies in the development of a Covid-19 vaccine. No other company in the world has such a portfolio, with only two competitors globally having 1 challenge study model each. 

Open Orphan comprises of two commercial specialist CRO services businesses (Venn and hVIVO) and is developing an early stage orphan drug genomics data platform business. This platform captures valuable genetic data from patient populations with specific diseases with designated orphan drug status and incorporating AI tools. In June 2019, Open Orphan acquired AIM-listed Venn Life Sciences Holdings plc in a reverse take-over and in January 2020 it completed the merger with hVIVO plc. Venn, as an integrated drug development consultancy, offers CMC (chemistry, manufacturing and controls), preclinical, Phase I & II clinical trials design and execution. The merger with hVIVO created a European full pharma services company broadening the Company's customer base and with complementary specialist CRO services, widened the range of the Company's service offerings.

Surface Transforms are experts in the development and production of carbon-ceramic materials and the UK’s only manufacturer of carbon-ceramic brakes for automotive use. ST utilises our proprietary next-generation carbon-ceramic material – CCST – to create lightweight brake discs for high-performance applications, including automotive and aircraft brakes. Surface Transforms has extensive in-house engineering and manufacturing capabilities, including the facilities for manufacturing carbon-ceramic brake discs.

While conventional carbon-ceramic brake discs use discontinuous (chopped) carbon fibre, ST interweaves continuous carbon fibre to form a 3D matrix, producing a stronger and more durable product with 3x the heat conductivity compared to our competitors; this reduces the brake system operating temperature, resulting in increased life of components with the same brake performance.

Surface Transforms’ unique patented Carbon-Ceramic technology provides the ultimate braking performance for road and track.

Avacta Group is developing novel cancer immunotherapies combining its two proprietary platforms – Affimer® biotherapeutics and pre|CISION™ tumour targeted chemotherapy. With this approach, the Company aims to address the lack of a durable response to current immunotherapies experienced by most patients. The Company’s therapeutics development activities are based in Cambridge, UK.

The Affimer platform is an alternative to antibodies derived from a small human protein. Despite their shortcomings, antibodies currently dominate markets worth in excess of $100bn. Affimer technology has been designed to address many of these negative performance issues, principally: the time taken, and the reliance on an animal’s immune response, to generate new antibodies; poor specificity in many cases; large size and cost.

Avacta has established drug development partnerships with pharma and biotech, including with Moderna Therapeutics Inc., a deal with LG Chem worth up to $310m, a partnership with ADC Therapeutics to develop Affimer drug conjugates and has established a joint venture in South Korea with Daewoong Pharmaceutical focused on cell and gene therapies incorporating Affimer immune-modulators. Avacta actively seeks to license its proprietary platforms in a range of therapeutic areas.

Avacta diagnostics business unit works with partners world-wide to develop Affimers for evaluation by those third parties with the objective of establishing royalty bearing license deals. The Company is also developing a small in-house pipeline of Affimer-based diagnostic assays for licensing.

CentralNic Group is a London-based AIM-listed company which drives the growth of the global digital economy by developing and managing software platforms allowing businesses globally to buy subscriptions to domain names, used for their own websites and email, as well as for protecting their brands online. Its core growth strategy is identifying and acquiring cash-generative businesses in its industry with annuity revenue streams and exposure to growth markets and migrating them onto the CentralNic software and operating platforms.

CentralNic operates globally with customers in almost every country in the world. It earns recurring revenues from the worldwide sales of internet domain names and other services on an annual subscription basis.

Zotefoams plc is a world leader in cellular materials technology. Utilising a variety of unique manufacturing processes, including environmentally friendly nitrogen expansion for lightweight AZOTE® polyolefin and ZOTEK® high-performance foams, Zotefoams sells to diverse markets worldwide. Zotefoams uses its own cellular materials to manufacture T-FIT® advanced insulation for demanding industrial markets. In addition, Zotefoams owns and licenses patented microcellular foam technology, developed specifically for extrusion applications, from a base in Massachusetts, USA to customers worldwide.

Zotefoams is headquartered in Croydon, UK, with additional manufacturing sites in Kentucky and Oklahoma, USA (foam products manufacture and conversion), Massachusetts, USA (MuCell Extrusion) and Jiangsu Province, China (T-FIT®). A third foam-manufacturing site, in Poland, is planned to begin operations in 2020.

Premier Miton was formed in November 2019 from the merger of Premier Asset Management Group plc and Miton Group plc. It manages £11billion on behalf of a wide range of individual investors and institutions.

The merger has brought together the capabilities, expertise and knowledge of two highly regarded companies to create a new organisation that is even better placed to deliver the right outcomes for its clients.

The asset management industry is facing a time of unparalleled challenges, particularly in its ability to deliver value to its underlying clients. Its Premier Miton’s belief that genuinely active management can make a real difference to investment returns.

Manolete Partners Plc is a specialist insolvency litigation financing company. The company funds or buys insolvency claims. They work with Insolvency Practitioners and their lawyers to maximise returns to creditors and are renowned for our unparalleled knowledge of the Insolvency and Recovery sector.

RM Secured Direct Lending Plc is a closed-ended investment trust established to invest in a portfolio of secured debt instruments. The Company aims to generate attractive and regular dividends through loans sourced or originated by the Investment Manager with a degree of inflation protection through index-linked returns where appropriate. Loans in which the Company invests are predominantly secured against assets such as real estate or plant and machinery and/or income streams such as account receivables.

Gresham House plc is an AIM quoted specialist asset manager providing funds, direct investments and tailored investment solutions, including co-investment across a range of highly differentiated alternative investment strategies. Our expertise includes timber, renewable energy, housing and infrastructure, strategic public and private equity (private assets). The group aims to deliver sustainable financial returns and is committed to building long-term partnerships with clients (institutions, family offices, high-net-worth individuals, charities and endowments and private individuals) to help them achieve their financial goals.

Shareholder value creation will be driven by long-term growth in earnings as a result of increasing AUM and returns from invested capital.

Touchstone Exploration is a Calgary based company engaged in the business of acquiring interests in petroleum and natural gas rights and the exploration, development, production and sale of petroleum and natural gas. Touchstone is currently active in onshore properties located in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Company's common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.

Boku's technology platform is used in over 59 countries with over 815 million verified transactions in 2019, contributing $5 billion to the digital economy. Businesses that currently employ Boku's platform to simplify sign-up, acquire new paying users and prevent fraud include global leaders such as Apple, Discover, Experian, Facebook, Fiserv, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, PayPal, Sony, Spotify, Uber and Western Union.