ASOS have dropped quite significantly in the past week for no particular reason and I view this as the perfect opportunity to invest as I can see them bouncing right back up to the 5.50p mark in the next 2-3 weeks. STRONG BUY!!

from todays independent



ASOS

Our view: Buy

Current price: 121p

Everyone wants to look like a star. The online fashion website As Seen On Screen (ASOS) attracts more than 2 million visitors a month. Featuring ranges based on outfits worn by celebrities, the company has proved a hit among its fashion-savvy target age, and has won a string of awards, including Most Addictive Online Shopping Site from More magazine.

The group posted a 116 per cent jump in full-year revenues to 42.6m yesterday. Pre-tax profits increased 144 per cent to 3.4m during the year to the end of March. It has also enjoyed a strong start to the current year, despite the shocking June weather deterring many fashionistas from upgrading their spring wardrobes. Revenues for the 13 weeks to 30 June are ahead 85 per cent on last year.

ASOS is the UK's second most visited online clothing store, behind Next.co.uk, and receives 140,000 orders a month. The average spend per customer has risen to 42.80 from 39.32.

According to recent figures from Allegra Strategies, 30 per cent of women with access to the internet have bought clothes on-line, while 51 per cent of online shoppers in the 16-to-24 age group buy clothes through e-retailing at least once a month.

Compared with its peers, ASOS's gross and EBIT margins are low, and analysts believe it has the opportunity to grow margins to industry norms.

With further international development planned and UK consumers increasingly turning to online shopping, buy.

Shares: 121p+1p

Questor says Hold

There'S more to Asos than embellished mini dresses, oversized handbags and jewelled sandals - though according to chief executive Nick Robertson, those are the current bestsellers. The company started life named As Seen On Screen, with its original unique selling point being to copy celebrity fashions. Customers could see a picture of Mischa Barton or Victoria Beckham in a magazine and a short time later buy a cut-price version of the outfit from Asos.com.

Now the company has grown up and offers a much wider range of fashion, and stocks lines including Michael Kors, 7 For All Mankind, Duck & Cover and Calvin Klein. Yesterday it unveiled a 116pc rise in full-year sales to 42.6m and said profits rose to 3.4m from 1.4m. The company has bounced back after last year's results were hit by a fire at the Buncefield oil depot, which forced the website to close for five weeks.

Asos also said that sales in the first 13 weeks of this financial year were 85pc ahead of last year, but it is being cautious in its outlook with three quarters of the year left to go, including the peak time of Christmas. Analysts point out that the sales growth will slow when comparative figures become more difficult, but there is no doubt that momentum looks good.

Asos has diverted its advertising spend from traditional formats into its own monthly magazine.

Mr Robertson reckons the magazine, which includes celebrity interviews and beauty tips, is helping drive people back to the Asos site who may not have shopped there in a while. It also means the company has tighter control of its advertising costs.

Questor recommended selling the shares at 93p in October when the shares were trading at 21 times earnings. Although the multiple is now 28 times, the shares have put Questor to shame, especially as a dividend is forecast for next year. Pricey, but hold on if you already own.

I'm surprised to see the SP falling today. I really thought that it would kick-on from here following this week's results.

queen i dont now what else the co can do impressive results s/price falls.i could understand it if the s/price had gone on a bull run over the last 6 months.

I know Woodie - extremely bizarre.

AGM STATEMENT

* ASOS.com sales up 80% for the 6 months to 30th September 2007

* Gross clothing margin up 3.5% points

* Profit before tax for the year to 31st March 2008, likely to be
slightly ahead of market expectations

* 1,425,000 registered users as at 30th September 2007 (1,075,000 as at
10th October 2006)

* Continuing investment in infrastructure and personnel to support
future growth

Nick Robertson, the Chief Executive, will make the following comments on current
trading at the Annual General Meeting to be held at 11.00am today at ASOS,
Greater London House, Hampstead Road, London, NW1 7FB.

'I am very pleased to report a strong first half performance in terms of both
sales and margin. Sales are 80% ahead of last year and our clothing margin has
improved by 3.5% points for the 6 months to 30th September 2007. Consequently,
we believe our profit before tax for the full year to 31 March 2008 will be
slightly ahead of market expectations.

We have experienced exceptionally strong performances in our women's clothing,
menswear and our lingerie and swimwear departments. We have also been encouraged
by the reaction to our new designer boutique and the recent launch of our
premium brand offer.

We have continued with our planned programme of investment, adding resource
across the business as well as increasing our logistics capacity to support our
current and future growth.

With six months of the year to go, including the important Christmas period, and
faced with tougher comparables, it is too early to assess whether our current
sales performance will continue for the full year.

Interim results will be released on 5th December 2007.'

.

nice set of results- was about time though that this sp started to move again

Consumers click to Asos prices
By Tom Braithwaite

Published: October 4 2007 03:00 | Last updated: October 4 2007 03:00

Asos, the fast-growing online fashion retailer, continued to outperform its high street rivals with a trading update that prompted analysts to increase sharply their profit expectations.

"For the past 18 months to two years we have been talking about investment, investment, investment," said Nick Robertson, chief executive. "We have done well with that and now if sales are ahead of budget it falls through to the bottom line."

In a statement to accompany its annual meeting, Asos recorded an increase in sales of 80 per cent in the six months to September 30 and its gross clothing margin rose 3.5 percentage points.

The company's registered users increased from 1.1m in October last year to 1.4m a year later as shoppers were lured to the website and its cheap versions of celebrities' wardrobes.

The shares rose 5p to 129p after analysts celebrated the positive news on trading with a slew of upgrades. Seymour Pierce, the company's broker, raised its forecast for this year's pre-tax profit from 5.1m to 5.5m and from 6.6m to 8m for next year.

Mark Photiades, of Landsbanki Securities, said: "While Asos is not completely immune from the bearish consumer sentiment on the high street, we believe that its core customers - young women - are unlikely to be hugely affected by the five interest rate rises over the past year."

Asos did include a note of caution on Christmas trading, saying it was "too early to assess whether our current sales performance will continue for the full year".

Mr Robertson said women's wear and men's wear were performing well, while footwear and accessories were growing more slowly.

"That means 50 to 60 per cent up instead of 100 per cent," he said.

FT Comment

*If enough retailers made good use of the internet earlier, Asos would have no need to exist. As it is, the high street specialists are launching better transactional websites in larger numbers. The hope for Asos is that it has grown sufficiently and developed a large enough brand loyalty to continue prospering in spite of ever fiercer competition. Without the cost burden of a store estate and having made most of the expensive infrastructure investment, it is well positioned to improve further its gross margin and start expanding profits. A forward p/e multiple of 25 is rich for the sector - but so is Asos's growth rate.

Express

SHARE WHISPER: ASOS (demand for stock outstripping supply, say traders

Moved from 120 to 170 in just 1 month or so!!!

made up for lost time.

Eric,
Still here, but a bit more wiser, how far do you think they will go now. SD

seadog i thought 1.50 would be a barrier for the s/price.showing great strength at the moment.

Midas update

ASOS is an online fashion company with a difference. The name stands for As Seen on Screen and the group sells women's clothes like those worn by celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Sienna Miller.

Midas recommended the stock almost a year ago when the shares were 109p. They have performed strongly since then.

At this month's annual meeting, the group revealed that sales for the six months to September 30 had risen an eye-popping 80% and profits for the year to March would be ahead of expectations.

Since then, the shares have soared, buoyed by speculation that a large retailer might bid for the company. The stock hit 198p last week before settling back to 168p by Friday.

Some brokers believe that the bid rumours have sent the shares too high, but others suggest that there are good reasons to buy Asos as sales are booming and margins should improve considerably soon.

Midas verdict: No retail stock is immune from concerns about a looming economic slowdown. But internet shopping is a fast-growing sector and Asos is in the thick of it. Investors who bought last November could lock in some decent profit at these levels if they sell half their holding. But keep the rest as these shares could go further.

There has been some interest in online fashion retailer Asos, Asos up 12.7p to 175p. The company is again being touted as a bid target - despite Hennes & Mauritz recently denying reports it was interested. Analysts at Daniel Stewart issued a buy note, saying Asos was an attractive target for a number of major retailers. They reckon any bidder could afford to pay up to 214p a share

With current growth on all fronts in ASOS nobody is going to get it at 214 p/s

robin i think the take out price would be 2.50 plus if it was today

woodie- agree with that regardless current P/E

If it gets taken it will be higher

Possibly 3-5

ASOS plc
('ASOS' or 'Group')
('a leading internet based fashion retailer')

INTERIM RESULTS FOR THE SIX MONTHS ENDED 30th SEPTEMBER 2007

Key Financial Results

* Revenues +83% to 31.8m
* Profit before Tax 2.4m (0.3m 6 months to 30 September 2006)
* 1.6m registered users as at 2 December 2007 (1.1m as at 27th November 2006)
* Revenues for 9 weeks to 2 December +101%
* Confident of another excellent year's trading and record profits


Chief Executive's Statement

Results

I am delighted to report on the continuing strong growth of ASOS.com. Revenues
for the 6 months to 30 September 2007 were 83% ahead at 31.8m and the business
delivered a profit before tax of 2.4m, up from 0.3m the previous year.

Particularly pleasing is the increase in profit which has been delivered as a
result of gross margin improvements of 4.7% points compared to the same period
last year.

At 2 December 2007, ASOS.com had 1.6m registered users and, according to
Hitwise, ASOS.com remains the second most visited online fashion store in the UK
behind Next. In November 2007, we received 2.6m unique visitors.

Current Trading

Sales for the 9 weeks to 2nd December 2007 are 101% ahead year on year and as a
result sales for the year to date are 89% ahead. With several peak Christmas
trading weeks and the January sale still to come, it is too early to assess
whether this performance will continue for the remainder of the financial year.

The Market

The popularity of online shopping continues. The IMRG (Interactive Media in
Retail Group) is forecasting a 42% increase in online sales over the Christmas
period. 61% of UK homes now have Internet access and 84% of those have
Broadband.

Outlook

I am confident that the investments we have, and continue to make, will enable
ASOS to stay at the forefront of online fashion shopping in the UK.

A Christmas trading statement will be released at the end of January 2008.


ASOS plc

Nick Robertson, Chief Executive Tel: 020 7756 1000
Jon Kamaluddin, Finance Director