Yes I know Im on holiday so Ill make it quick. Just had a phone call and an e- mail from a City pal of mine and hes drooling over this company. Hes a trust worthy chap and has given me some fantastic tips over the last 10 years.
Hes going on about it being a ten bagger, but I dont like that kind of talk, best to just see how the market rates it. He says theres going to be a lot of news flow so that should provide for a momentum driven price. Have to say I have never known him quite so excited about a stock. Ive just gone in and bought a nice holding.

Heres the e-mail he sent me. It might be worth your while having a dabble. Citywire seem to think its going to be a hit.

Health minnow makes strong return to market
Published: 11:51 Wed 22 Oct 2003
By Joanne Wallen, Associate Editor
Email to a friend


The chief of Healthcare Enterprise Group sold his last business to private healthcare firm Bupa and he's now raring to go again; the business may be worth a second look.

Shares in the 24 million AIM-listed business were suspended in August pending a couple of key acquisitions, and returned to the market on Monday after the deals were announced.


Healthcare Enterprise Group (HCEG) (HCEG) paid a total of 11.5 million for the Safa Group and Industrial Pharmaceutical Service (IPS) as well as a 60.7% stake in SafaTec. The company raised a total of 10 million via a placing of shares at 1p to fund the acquisitions and also took on 3.5 million of bank debt.


Chairman Stuart Bruck, who previously founded private medical services business Barbican, which he sold to Bupa in January 1999, is hoping to build a significant business providing medical services to corporate customers. He is hoping to be a consolidator in what he told Citywire is a very fragmented market.


Both Safa and IPS provide first aid kits, training, first aid suites and a host of other medical and occupational health services to large corporate customers such as British Airways, Marks & Spencer, BT, Sainsbury and government procurement agency OGC. Both companies also have advanced 'replenishment systems,' which enable companies to maintain adequate supplies to satisfy UK health and safety legislation.


Bruck said these acquisitions would provide a 'platform' for further acquisitions.


The company had previously accrued minority stakes in a total of 14 small healthcare services companies in the UK and the US. In March it listed on AIM by reversing into a cash shell.


Bruck said the minority stakes offered it an entry into the market, but the company has now decided to focus on wholly operating and owning businesses. It has therefore identified four of its US businesses that it would like to buy the remaining stakes in. These are all within a two hour drive of the company's Los Angeles office, and would be run from there.


The company has also 'packaged up' the remaining eight businesses with a view to selling each of its minority stakes. Bruck said the pricing being talked about is already ahead of the indicative pricing given in March.


Safa and IPS apparently already have a 30% share of the corporate medical services market in the UK. They are both cash generative from operating activities. Both companies are based in the North of England and do not have a huge penetration in London, where Bruck believes the company has 'a huge opportunity.'


He reckons they have so far penetrated around 50% of the FTSE 100, and therefore have a 'great client base' to which they should be able to sell additional services.

SafaTec has interests in a number of early stage companies that have developed some innovative healthcare products and technologies, which the company is hoping to commercialise. For example, Safa has secured a sole international distribution agreement with Ebiox, a manufacturer of a unique decontaminant and cleansing product range based on a patented formula. SafaTec UK has a 35% interest in Ebiox and HCEG is negotiating to acquire a controlling interest for the enlarged Group.


Bruck does not expect to make any more major acquisitions in the next year or so, but thinks there are a lot of small players that the company might be able to mop up.


'This is very exciting, I am looking forward to digging in,' he said.


Shares are currently at 1.7p.


Citywire Verdict:


The corporate healthcare market is becoming increasingly regulated, which favours HCEG. Bruck's track record should also be worth buying into.


The corporate structure looks pretty complicated at present with all of the minority shareholdings, but Bruck now seems keen to get the point quickly where HCEG controls the majority of the businesses it operates.


This is obviously early days, but for anyone that fancies a speculative punt on a penny share, HCEG is worth a second look.ENDS.

Well it looks very good to me although its a speculative punt, what isnt in the markets today. Good chance to get on board aswell on a bad day.

Please DYOR. You are responsible for your own buying and selling actions.

GF.

This company is going to be huge, now is the time to buy.

Well, maybe a h-disapointment, but where is there any evidence they can satisfy the healthcare market?
Not exactly active in sales, not exactly active anywhere. . . . . and the sp goes down .
Just what good news do you have?

Another good example of the risks involved if you invest in any company which does not generate cash. Not a good time to be going cap in hand to your bank, especially if your balance sheet is weak.

Oct 2007 - Shares suspended . . . whilst they look at their navels and finances.

It's difficult to find nice names to describe wasterals or scoundrells, but the fact is (if you believe they ever had a MRSA_busting product ) - they threw away a good hand . . . .and it's difficult to understand why they might do this - surely folk would be beating a path to their door? I'm sure they are all upright honest citizens, oh yes, sir.

I can only conclude we shareholders ( just a few), were not aware of the Cost of making the Ebiox- product and the Execs were more-concerned with making the business larger, by doing DEALS (never a good formula, IMHO) . . . . I distrust businesses that have no home-success before they venture for the wild West (or anywhere else I cannot reach.). . . . .
- Now, will the Banks continue to support them? . . . .

- Do you feel lucky...?

Look like the shares are back, with a small rise to 1.5pence - - - grief and these were over 1 not that long ago - but that was before they were selling the World's first superbug antiseptic which was going to do so well, they forgot to do any marketing.

Reading the RNS (Q.V.) it seems this slug of finance will repay a loan ( so someone's getting out!) and they will appoint another director to oversee the disposal of assets to produce shareholder value . . .PAH!

( -These were businesses they bought at a premium, thinking they could make a "go" of it. . . . )
To achieve s-v they need only cull all Directors and top execs who are not selling product - then sell the lot for a nominal 1 to Dettol, who will put HCEG business-plan in the shreader, then switch it ON and go to their local pub for a well-earned drink.

This outfit is incapable of - -- - just look at the sp - no need to say more; really dire. IMHO etc. DYOR.

Oh dear, too little too late.
I note that a new Director and an old one are to convert their loans into shares at a favourable price - since the inaction of the likes of the old one (by which I mean long-standing..) - have dropped so far that there is barely any space to insert a tissue paper between the sp and the graph zero-line.

This is a professionally mis-managed business and whatever share the directors arrange for themselves, they do it without any retail investor blessing....anyone care to disagree? - quoting the price you are "in" at, please.
There have been so many twists, consolidations and loans etc. that frankly I don't recall the price I bought, althou I suspect it was about 20pence - so today's sp is about 1% - but it could be 5% or .05% - - - - - frankly I have lost all interest - because whatever % these Directors own they cannot change the direction this business is moving - it's a NO-Go-er and the fall in retail investor value probably reflect the capabilities of the Directors . . . which appears to be woefully low. The opportunity to sell MRSA-non alcohol products into UK hospitals has long gone and HCEG has managed to strengthen the position of the established players. During this time they have not improved the product, neither have they done anything that makes me believe it will sell - OR - that the company has any interest in serving well those that invested. Indeed rather than attend the General Meeting ( er...?), I would be better going to the Library and catalogue old copies of the FT, in the hope I might spot a real GEM that has been overlooked by all Western Capitalists.

This stock is...... unworthy of the space it occupies... . . . . . IMHO.

Tell Nigel Wray this is one he invested in!

Oh dear, another share manipulation - if only Execs could sell the product - - - -is this never going to happen?

EDIT 19March - 20% rise Wow! but HCEG are selling the business in exchange for shares in the Purchasing co who are raising money by selling "new" shares - or did I miss something - grief this is like a game of pass the parcel - and what's in the parcel? - let's hope there is a wealthy punter somewhere - or maybe a few very fat financial hangers-on.
This is a business they "had to have" and paid a large whack for, anyone remember?
DYOR