its been a long time since I played with these ....


Alan Sugar returns to City with secret swoop on Pace Micro
Louise Armitstead S Times



SIR ALAN SUGAR, one of Britains best-known entrepreneurs, has been secretly buying up shares in Pace Micro Technology, Europes largest set-top-box maker.
Sugar, who founded Amstrad 35 years ago, could use his stake to launch a takeover of the troubled company. Contacted by The Sunday Times, Sugar would neither confirm nor deny that he has been acquiring shares. An Amstrad spokesman said: Amstrad and Alan Sugar are fully aware of their obligations to make disclosures about share purchases.

Pace is vulnerable, having seen its share price plunge by 98% in three years after a series of profit warnings. It is now valued at 43m. Ten days ago it lost its chief technology officer, Tim Fern, and it is still without a chief executive after the departure of Malcolm Miller.

Demand for set-top boxes has dried up in the wake of the financial turmoil at NTL and Telewest and the collapse of ITV Digital. Pace, which depends on the British market for 78% of its revenue, was forced to post a 15.9m half-year loss to November last year as turnover plummeted by 61% in the same period.

Although most analysts have a gloomy outlook for Pace, Sugar clearly feels that the company is undervalued. Its entry into the American market has been disappointing so far but with operations in France, Spain, Germany and Hong Kong, Pace should be well positioned to take advantage of the global switch from analogue to digital television

In fact from watching the closing auctions last week, this could all be about a seller trying to move a lot of stock.

TWT is stuck in nonsense random-number-generator thin-trade land, and I try not to amuse myself too much with it presently. Just wish though they'd pull out the stops and let us know the best/worst. Looking for a TWT/Pace price ratio of about twice what it is now, hopefully before that reverts and in that order.

I decided to leave them alone - not one that I have a lot of faith in long term and they seem to have lost their way with lots of competition coming in


TWT - very difficult if not impossible to trade at this time but still tracking to add a few. Seems the D4E will be months rather than weeks away


ains

Hmmmmmmm ..... this will not help the price


LONDON (AFX) - Amstrad PLC chairman Alan Sugar this morning dismissed rumours that either he personally or the company intends buying a controlling interest in Pace Micro Technology PLC.
He said: "In view of recent media speculation and continuing persistent press enquiries, I would like to make it perfectly clear that I have no intention or desire at this time to acquire control of Pace.

"That is also the position with regard to Amstrad, which has much the same technology as Pace, and has the same important customer base available to it.

"One of my private companies once owned some Pace shares but no longer does so."

I think the market already knew this, just like every other Pace bid rumour. The real story now is the business recovery, and cash & news flow.

You may well be right about Sweet - not sure about the recovery




Telegraph - Pace Micro Technology slipped 0.75 to 27p as Amstrad chairman Sir Alan Sugar denied he is interested in taking over the set-top box maker. He said: "I would like to make it perfectly clear that I have no intention or desire at this time to acquire control of Pace. One of my private companies once owned some Pace shares but no longer does so."

Have I had a post pulled!? I thought I wrote on here about the recovery being in progress. Or am I going mad, or used a wrong thread, perhaps even over 'there'. Must be getting too much of this week's sun.

I went out to purchase a Pace digital decoder - I was disappointed that they were not available in the shops. (In fact for once, couldn't find any Pace products.) Ended up getting on for 75 made by Grundig. Is Pace being black listed by the shops or something?????

There is a shortage of decoders generally if its for the free to air service - apparently everyone has been caught short against the demand.

loads of Grundig box's about, no PACE.

Profit margin must be realy tiny easy for the company to sell millions and end up losing money.

problem is its just a black box, brands have little value in this sector these days IMHO.

It's the big winner at this moment - over a million sold overall.

Are PACE working on a High Def digital box ?

Gross Margin on Pace's Freeview box is 20%.

Link:- Pace to Supply Set Top Digital TV Boxes to Viasat Broadcasting

Link:- Pace Targets German Digital TV Retail Markets

Try this http://www.pace.co.uk/newsroom/index.asp