Cohort has progressed once again in FY21 despite significant constraints placed on parts of the business due to the pandemic. The five-month initial consolidation of ELAC enabled a small advance in adjusted PBT and a full FY22 contribution should help to offset an anticipated sharp decline at EID in Portugal. As all of the other ongoing divisions are expected to improve in FY22 supported by the record group order backlog, a small increase in adjusted PBT is still forecast. We expect a resumption
Companies: Cohort plc
Saietta Group (SED.L), has joined AIM. Saietta, is a UK company that has developed an innovative AFT electric motor (a design of axial flux motor), designed to deliver class-leading performance for its target markets whilst being low cost and built for mass market production. Saietta's initial target market is the high volume, fast growing lightweight mobility market including motorcycles in Asia. The Company and the Selling Shareholders have successfully raised gross proceeds of £37.5m. Mkt Cap
Companies: 7DIG AAU BBSN KDNC CHRT ECR NYR SEE STAR STCM
Cohort has announced that it expects FY21 trading to be in line with consensus expectations, with a better-than-expected cash performance and a record order intake spread across most of the group. However, the Portuguese subsidiary EID has experienced significant order deferrals and leads us to reduce our FY22 EPS estimates by 7%. It leaves the shares trading on an FY22e P/E of 19.9x, a premium to UK defence peers, before growth resumes in FY23 aided by an assumed recovery at EID.
Dish of the day Pharma C Investments (AQSE:PCIL) has listed as a SPAC on the Access Segment of the AQSE Growth Market. It is specifically seeking to take advantage of the dynamic regulatory environment surrounding legal Medicinal Cannabis. Successful £1m fundraising at 0.7p per share. Off the menu Wey Education has left AIM following a recommended acquisition. What’s cooking in the IPO kitchen? UK SPAC (formerly Mountfield Group and now an AIM Rule 15 Shell) has applied for admission to the
Companies: ALBA AUG CHRT CCS CYAN JDG NET RBG SDI TCM
Parsley Box, the direct to consumer provider of ready meals to the 60+ demographic, recently announced its AIM IPO plans. Parsley Box provides ready meals, which are not required to be stored in a fridge or freezer, have a shelf life of up to six months and are cooked in minutes. The company reported revenue of £24.4m for the financial year ended 31 December 2020 (unaudited). Deal details TBC and admission is expected to occur late March/ early April 2021. Caerus Mineral Resources, a London base
Companies: CER CHRT KP2 TND INL GFIN CPC ORR MDZ EVG
UK Defence Budget spend and four Small Cap players
Companies: AVONSRTCHRTCHG
Cohort has delivered a resilient H121 performance, with operating profit rising on 10% lower revenues. There will be a significant second-half weighting as management still expects to deliver a similar overall performance from the continuing businesses to FY20, supported by a record order backlog. In addition, ELAC SONAR will makes its initial contribution in the second half. Our estimates are maintained and the shares trade at a c 5% FY22e P/E rating discount to UK defence peers.
Cohort has completed the acquisition of ELAC Nautik from Wartsila for a headline consideration of €11.25m, as previously announced. ELAC extends Cohort’s maritime offering and has attractive medium- to long-term prospects. It will make an initial five-month contribution and should be modestly earnings enhancing. More detail should be available with interim results next week, but the lack of a trading comment suggests the ongoing activities remain on track to meet market expectations.
Cohort has reported FY20 results with no major surprises following the close period trading update in May. Despite some COVID-19 impact in Q420 in terms of customer orders and delivery acceptances, sales increased 8%, generating double-digit improvements in adjusted operating profit and EPS, all of which represent record levels for the group. While the immediate outlook remains subject to pandemic effects, management expects to deliver FY21 performance in line with FY20.
Cohort has released a year-end trading update that reflects the impact of COVID-19 on its activities in the final two months of FY20, usually the busiest period for the group. As a result, management has provided guidance that has led us to reduce our sales and profits estimates by 9% for FY20, with a lower tax charge limiting the impact on EPS to just over 2%. Cohort’s best current guidance is for FY21 performance to be in line with FY20. The resultant P/E ratio of 15.4x for FY21, the current y
Cohort has delivered a strong first half performance, with healthy like-for-like growth in revenues, and adjusted operating profit augmented by the initial first half contribution from Chess. With a record period-end order book of £207m, prospects remain bright and management expects to meet market expectations for FY20. The strong balance sheet supports the agile growth strategy and is facilitating the proposed €11.3m acquisition of ELAC Nautik from Wärtsilä Corporation which, we estimate, shou
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Cohort’s AGM statement indicates the current year has progressed well, with order cover of sales for the year rising to 76% following recent September orders compared to 60% at the same point of FY19. The order backlog at 31 August 2019 increased by over 10% since the year end to a record £210.9m (FY19 £190.9m) and the pipeline of potential business remains healthy. We maintain our earnings estimates, which means the shares are trading on an FY21e P/E of 12.6x, a significant and unwarranted disc
SEC S.p.A. Adm ission is follow ing a reverse takeover under Rule 14 by SEC S.p.A of Porta Com m unications plc, another AIM quoted company. No funds being raised. Due 4 September. Mkt cap c £9.9m. The merger will create a business with global fee income of around €80m and a host of PR agencies, including Newgate, Publicasity and Newington.
Companies: TIME STKR MATD RENX JSG SOLI QIL ECHO LVCG CHRT
Cohort delivered another year of growth in what remained quite a constrained defence spending environment in its domestic markets. The recently acquired Chess Technologies delivered a stronger than expected performance in its initial period of consolidation, helping to mitigate the slippage of profits into FY20 at EID as an export contract was signed too late to be shipped in FY19. The record order intake and stronger backlogs across the group provide a solid foundation for growth, enhanced by a
Research Tree provides access to ongoing research coverage, media content and regulatory news on Cohort plc. We currently have 204 research reports from 5 professional analysts.
Companies: SigmaRoc Plc
ITM Power is leading the world in PEM electrolyser manufacturing, and we believe it can use this to build sustainable advantage and grow market share in a rapidly growing hydrogen economy. The company is funded to add capacity and over time this should enable ITM to keep up with market growth to maintain a strong market share. The product is itself world leading which again creates competitive advantage. Demand itself appears secure with the IEA suggesting a major supply deficit by 2030. We init
Companies: ITM Power PLC
Longspur Research and Radnor Capital Partners have launched the Active Net Zero Clean Energy Index to allow investors to measure the performance of companies actively enabling climate solutions.The key emphasis is on the word “active”. This pan-European index eliminates greenwashing by penalising fossil fuel activities and focuses on actual achievement and positive contribution, rather than promises for the future. Our proprietary selection methodology is systematic, rules based and quantifiable
Companies: DRX ITM PHE SAE SIT STRLNG VLS
Strix has announced the commercial launch of two products Aurora, an appliance that dispenses instant hot and chilled water, and Dual Flo, a product with the usual characteristics of kettle but is able to deliver a single cup of boiling water. Both products fit with Strix’s sustainability strategy by saving water, energy, reducing the overall impact on the environment and bringing tangible benefits to consumers. The announcement is evidence of the organic growth strategy outlined at the Capital
Companies: Strix Group PLC
We see the UK Government’s Net Zero Strategy as being overall helpful but not especially definitive. Amongst our coverage group, Drax Group (DRX LN) and Velocys (VLS LN) benefit from the Humberside CCS cluster prioritisation and Velocys from SAF support. The amount of renewables is likely to boost the need for flexibility solutions where Drax, Gore Street (GSF LN) and SIMEC Atlantis (SAE LN) can benefit. Hydrogen companies ITM (ITM LN) and Powerhouse Energy (PHE LN) are likely to find support. T
Companies: ADN DRX GSF ITM NESF PHE SAE SIT STRLNG TLG VLS
Oil posted the longest stretch of weekly advances since 2015 as OPEC+ producers only modestly supply the market and as US crude supplies shrink. Crude futures rose 1.5% Friday in New York, up for a ninth straight week. President Joe Biden said Thursday night that Americans should expect high gasoline prices to continue into next year because of supply being withheld by OPEC and other foreign oil producers. Stockpiles at the biggest US storage hub are draining to levels last seen when crude pr
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What if the best solution for the energy transition were … nuclear power? Nuke is back at the heart of political debates in the context of the current energy crisis and massive but insufficient investments in renewables. This short review provides an overview of nuclear power in Europe and speculates on options. This ‘nuke optionality’, hinging on a favourable green taxonomy, is a game-changer for EDF, Centrica, Fortum but also Engie, Iberdrola, Enel and EDP.
Companies: Centrica plc
The forthcoming UN Climate Change Conference (known as COP26) should result in an acceleration of governments’ actions to reduce CO2 emissions. This will result in an acceleration of customer end-user adoption rates which would be positive for AFC Energy which is developing zero-emission solutions for the EV-charging, construction, data centre and marine markets.
Companies: AFC Energy plc
The group continues to experience strong underlying market conditions, with some supply chain shortages and transport constraints causing price rises. These issues are not expected to improve in the short term, but the group is confident of progress and results are anticipated to be in line with expectations. No change to forecasts. We retain our price target of 315p, which still offers good upside despite the strong outperformance by the shares over the year. The shares remain attractive on a s
Companies: Alumasc Group plc
Joiners Tungsten West (TUN.L) has joined AIM. Tungsten West is the 100% owner and operator of the historical Hemerdon tungsten and tin mine located near Plymouth in southern Devon. Hemerdon represents the world's third largest tungsten mineral resource, with a JORC (2012) compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of approximately 325Mt at 0.12 WO3. Capital raised on Admission: £39m. Anticipated Mkt Cap: £106.2m. Future Metals NL (ASX:FME, FME.L) (formerly named Red Emperor Resources NL) had joined AIM
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Joiners No joiners today. Leavers No leavers today. What’s cooking in the IPO kitchen? ATOM headquartered in Leeds, focussed on the large-scale production of green hydrogen and ammonia intends to join AIM towards the end of the year. ATOME intends to be spun-out from AIM-listed President Energy Plc, an oil and gas company which has incubated and financially supported ATOME to date, by way of a dividend in specie and flotation. Devolver Digital to join AIM, an award-winning digital video games pu
Companies: SAE HMI MNO MSMN NSCI OMG PCA
Joiners No Joiners Today Leavers No Leavers Today What’s cooking in the IPO kitchen? Arrow Exploration Corp. (AIM: AXL ; TSXV: AXL) , the oil and gas exploration and production company, has conditionally raised approximately £8.8m and is due to complete its dual listing on AIM on 25 Oct. Market cap c£13.1m. Devolver Digital to join AIM, an award-winning digital video games publisher and developer in the indie games space. Recently awarded indie 'Publisher of the Year 2021' by GamesIndustry.biz.
Companies: ZYT CIC DMTR GILD LMS MMAG PYC SMRT SBI
LTHM announced the acquisition of the entire share capital of Sarcon (No 155) Ltd (“Sarcon”) and its subsidiary companies for ~£4.0m +/- a net asset adjustment.
Companies: James Latham Plc
Joiners Arrow Exploration Corp. (AIM:AXL; TSXV:AXL), the high-growth operator with a portfolio of assets across key Colombian hydrocarbon basins, has joined AIM, alongside a fundraise of approximately £8.8m. Leavers No Leavers Today What’s cooking in the IPO kitchen? ATOM headquartered in Leeds, focussed on the large-scale production of green hydrogen and ammonia intends to join AIM towards the end of the year. ATOME intends to be spun-out from AIM-listed President Energy Plc, an oil and gas com
Companies: SPA ECR KP2 SAR SYM
eEnergy has increased its ownership of eEnergy Insights Ltd (EIL) from 37.5% to 51%. EIL is the entity holding the Group’s MY ZeERO smart metering and analytics platform, which we consider an important differentiator for the Group. EIL has completed the development of its next generation of intelligent smart meters, which are now ready for commercial launch. eEnergy has placed an order for a number of these meters, which are expected to be rolled out in the coming months. Management is said to b
Companies: eEnergy Group PLC
