CARDPOINT, A GROWTH COMPANY GOING PLACES.

Im recommending Cardpoint after having this stock on my watch list for the last three months and have to say it really as a fantastic management, and a management that backs the company up with solid Director Buying. It’s a simple business the management have formed and has been acquisitive throughout the last financial year creating growth and value for company shareholders.

What Does It Do?

Cardpoint plc is an independent owner and operator of 1,800 ATMs and 2,900 mobile top up terminals across the UK. The ATMs are typically placed in convenience stores, shopping centres, motorway service stations, hospitals and train stations, and in areas that are not traditionally serviced by other ATM providers, thereby offering their customers greater convenience and access to cash. The Company typically charges #1.50 per cash withdrawal, with its customers' go-ahead, and also receives transaction revenues for balance enquiries and rejections. The Company recently acquired Securicor Cash Machine Limited for up to #9.2m over two years. The mobile top division, acquired in July 2003, trades under the name of PT Distribution Limited and is being rebranded to Cardpoint Merchant Retail from September 2003 onwards and operates in retail outlets such as MOTO, Londis, Costcutter and Spar. Cardpoint is a full member of the LINK Network, the only branded shared network of ATMs and self-service terminals in the UK, which allows more than 80 million cardholders of every member financial institution to use the ATM of another LINK member. Cardpoint listed on the Alternative Investment Market in June 2002. The Company's Stock Exchange EPIC is CASH.

Recent Developments.

The company put out this recent trading update and also news of another quality acquisition.

Trading Update Cardpoint plc, the AIM listed ATM and mobile top up operator, is providing the following trading update as it goes into its closed period. Having reviewed the draft unaudited management accounts for the financial year ended 30 September 2003, the Board believes that the Group's performance will be closely in line with the revised market expectations following the two significant acquisitions made by the Company. The Preliminary Results will be released on 24 November 2003. The integration of Securicor Cash Machine (SCM), which was acquired in May 2003, and PT Distribution, acquired in July 2003, is continuing extremely well and the improved margins that were expected are filtering through to the bottom line.

Mark Mills, Chief Executive of Cardpoint plc, said: "The recent acquisitions have transformed Cardpoint into the fastest growing and third largest independent ATM deployer in the UK. "As a result of the recent acquisitions, the Group has continued to benefit from improved margins and a number of cross selling opportunities. We have a good pipeline of new business and are in the process of rebranding our machines to further increase visibility and footfall. I am confident that our figures will be in line with market expectations and the Board looks forward to start of the new financial year with great confidence."

News Of The Acquisition.

Cardpoint PLC 21 October 2003 Press Release 21 October 2003. Cardpoint to provide Thresher wine merchants with 1,000 mobile top up terminals Cardpoint plc, the AIM listed ATM and mobile top up operator, has been awarded a two year contract to provide Thresher Group with 1,000 electronic mobile top-up terminals across the country in the first major deal this year in the retail mobile top-up sector. The contract win follows Cardpoint's acquisition of PT Distribution Limited from Project Telecom in July for 1.7 million. PT Distribution has subsequently been renamed Cardpoint Merchant Retail. The top-up terminals will be rolled out before the end of 2003 with full supporting point of sale and marketing material. Thresher Group is the UK's leading specialist retail drinks retailer with over 2000 shops operating under brand names such as Thresher, Wine Rack, Victoria Wine and Bottoms Up. The group is the fifth largest private retailer and attracts over 150 million customers each year.

Mark Mills, Chief Executive of Cardpoint plc said: 'Since acquiring the top-up business, Cardpoint has restructured the sales and marketing functions which have directly led to this significant contract win. As I stated in our positive trading update of 30 September 2003, the Group has continued to benefit from improved margins and a number of cross selling opportunities following recent acquisitions and we are confident that our figures for the year ended 30 September 2003 will be in line with market expectations.'


Results And Forecasts.

Years To Sept T/O(m) Pre/Tax Profit (m) EPS(p) P/E

2002(A) 3.1 (0.8) (5.4) n/a
2003(E) 11.2 (0.5) (2.1) n/a
2004(E) 30.3 1.9 5.0 15.9


House Broker.

Evolution Beeson Gregory - recent comment.
All the acquisitions and cost-saving potential has created tremendous 'value creation' possibilities. For 2003 they expect earnings before tax, depreciation and amortization of 1.4 million and a pre tax loss of 500,000.

For 2004 they expect 6.6 million before EBITDA, with pre-tax profits coming in at 1.9 million on sales of 30.3 million. This would put the shares on a forward P/E rating of 15.8, which they point out is very cheap for a company with reasonable gearing, impressive margins and a very solid base on which to build out further growth.

Traded on Aim.

I believe this is a medium to long term growth punt and potential investors, please DYOR, you are responsible for your buying and selling actions.

Regards GF.

Yup good one there aimtrader, Ive just seen aswell they were tipped in the Aim and Ofex tip sheet, must be about the fifth one that as tipped them. They have an excelent management.

cheers GF.

GF,

i have just read the latest Shares Magazine, and one of their jouralists has chosen Cardpoint as one of his top picks for 2004!!!

Reading through his article i can see why he has made his choice.

CASH have reduced transaction costs from 20p to just 5p per transaction.

1875 ATM machines now in service.
2200 ATM machine target by end of 2004.

Each new ATM becomes profitable after 800 withdrawals have taken place each month, (which is hardly a demanding target in my opinion).

CASH have a good record of increasing transaction volumes per machine, using improved signage and machine access.

Cashpoint is expected to make a pre-tax profit of 2.6 million in 2004, and 4 million in 2005.

Current market cap is 31 million.

Shares has featured Cardpoint at least a couple of times now, and I share their confidence.

This isn't a fancy tech stock, it simply gives people a service they need on an everyday basis, at a modest price, and that demand is set to increase, rather then decrease, IMHO.

CASH are looking good for the New Year, and I am making them one of my favourites for 2004.

Well a cracker of a day Andy. Fingers crossed we can stay above 100p this time.

cheers GF.

Been tipped by a top tip sheet this weekend as one of its tips for the year.

cheers GF.

News from another site that it has been tipped as one of techinvests tips of the year and doing very nicely this morning up near 5%.

cheers GF.

Evolution Beeson gregory note out on this yesterday evening.

Buy up to 119p and this may be conservastive. EBG say that the last results easily beat their forecasts and indicate a further upgrade may come.

they expect further organic growth this year, and perhaps more external moves.

cheers GF.

Up four days on the trot now. Excelent.

cheers GF.

WHAT THE BROKERS SAY

Strong Buy 1

Buy 1

Neutral 0

Sell 0

Strong Sell 0

Total 2

CHECK THIS OUT
http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/z/c/cash.l.html


cheers GF.

Up again and going well.

cheers GF.

Saturday Paper Round: other news
Published: 12:19 Sat 10 Jan 2004
By Richard Lander, Editorial Director
Email to a friend

Wall Street closes lower after disappointing US employment news; the Dow ended 133 points lower while the Nasdaq closed 13 down.


* A deal to jail Andrew and Lea Fastow, Enron’s former chief financial officer and his wife, over the group’s collapse, fell apart yesterday
* Broker tips in the papers:
Cardpoint - Evolution says buy; Auto Indemnity and Next – Teather & Greenwood says buy; Topps Tiles – Panmure says buy; MFI Furniture – Arbuthnot says buy; RM Group – Altium Capital says buy; Homestyle – Arbuthnot says sell; Computacenter – ING says sell; Alliance & Leicester – Citigroup Smith Barney says sell
* British Airways plans a cost-cutting route to recovery, says Merrill Lynch
* Edward Miliband is returning to the Treasury as chair of The Council of Economic Advisers, after a stint at Harvard Investigators raided Bank of America’s offices in Milan as the probe into the Parmalat scandal widened
* The full content of Lord Penrose’s report into the Equitable Life disaster must be made available to the Treasury Select Committee, insists Shadow Financial Secretary Andrew Tyrie
* UK independent financial advisers face a sharp rise in firms about sales of precipice bonds which is likely to push up compensation bills and put some firm out of business

Bombing along again this morning.

cheers GF.

How high will this go???

Well Im looking for 150p first pit stop. The company have said that they hope to grow both internally and by acquisitions.

cheers GF.

bit of profit taking going on today.
just popped back in for a few more at 114p

Same here BJ, excelent time to top up on the cheap.

cheers GF.

Okits lost a few bob today but I can tell you this another big Broker house as joined the fans late to day more to come. And its positive gear beleive me.

Cheers GF.

And here is the article..........

Another Broker backs Cardpoint for 2004 as share for the year.

Analyst Eric Burns of Fysthe Horton Finney comments(major points), Cardpoint has grown from a standing point to become the 3rd largest operator in idependant cash machines.
Recent full year figures were ahead of expectations and forecasts for for the current year and next have been upgraded.

With over 3,000 terminals the group is a major player. The industrys profile is is likely to increase and as investors become familiar with the business model ratings could improve.

The shares trade on a P/E ratio of around 15 times which makes them look highly attractive given prospects for above average growth. BUY.

cheers GF.

A couple of down days weve had. Good buying opportunity.

cheers Gf.

Cardpoint PLC
16 January 2004


Press Release 16 January 2004



Cardpoint renews ATM contract with Welcome Break

with five-year exclusive agreement


Cardpoint plc ('Cardpoint' or the 'Group'), the provider of electronic payment
transactions, which owns and operates 1,900 ATMs and approximately 3,500 mobile
phone top-up terminals, has been awarded an exclusive five year contract to
continue to supply Welcome Break with roadside location ATMs. Cardpoint
currently has 85 ATMs installed in Welcome Break sites and the contract provides
for a minimum of 30 additional installations.

Welcome Break is Cardpoint's largest corporate customer and the contract win is
believed to be the first major customer retention contract in the UK independent
ATM deployer market. The contract, which begins with immediate effect, provides
the Group with a significant stream of visible earnings with a minimum estimated
turnover of 8 million over five years. Welcome Break is the UK's leading
service station operator with 27 service areas covering all major motorway
routes and has an annual turnover of over 500 million.

As part of the contract Cardpoint will increase merchandising and point of sale
activity and has already begun the process of rebranding its ATMs orange to gain
greater prominence and increase transaction numbers. Cash machine services will
also be advertised on Welcome Break TV, a bespoke 'live' satellite TV station in
prime locations.

Karen McKechnie, Business Development Director of Welcome Break, said: 'We have
been impressed with Cardpoint's level of service and attention to detail in the
past and this led directly to them being awarded the tender. Their commitment
to driving customer footfall and revenues is strongly in line with our own
business objectives. We expect to extend our ATM offering over the next five
years and look forward to working with Cardpoint to this end.'

Nigel Mills, Sales Director of Cardpoint Group plc, said: 'Winning the contract,
with further potential to expand the estate, reinforces our position in the
market as a significant provider of ATMs to national multi-site Customers. The
new contract evidences our ability to build long-term commercial relationships
and will enable both parties to benefit from increased revenues as the portfolio
of installed ATMs expands.'