Tipped by Shares Magazine (13th May 2004)

Shareholders in Top Ten can look forward to a solid set of results that should deliver profit ahead of expectations, thanks to a bouyant second half at its amusement arcades and bingo halls. The group is also expected to announce its first-ever dividend. The amusement operator indicated last month results will be ahead of market expectations, without being specific with its forecasts. The group has benefited from increased footfall at its sites, partly as a result of the purchase of another eight bingo clubs and four amusement arcades in October last year. The sites cost the group 5.8 million, comparable with interim revenue of 5.3 million, and were funded by a placing worth 4.65 million.

So far, management says the acquired sites are starting to show an "increase in spend per head and a reduction in operating costs". Top Ten has proven itself able to buy sites and quickly turn them to profit on more than one occasion now. The purchase of 5 Welcome Clubs in December 2002 was behind a 93% lift in revenue in the interim period.

Shares says: It looks like investors could be onto a winner.

http://www.ateonline.co.uk/library/1847BINGO_LoRes_06.pdf
http://www.ateonline.co.uk/default.asp?showid=5&pageid=33&pressreleaseid=7694

Results out June 7th. Get in early!

Top Ten Holdings , which reported a 120% jump in annual profits today, is a smaller, though more focused player in the bingo market. However, as a bit-part player, in my view Top Ten (LSE: TTH.L - news) is likely to be more vulnerable to competition from the majors. That said the proposed changes to the gaming legislation, which could be announced this month, could have a beneficial effect on all bingo licence holders including Top Ten.

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/040607/35/eve0v.html

With the strategy anounced to day, this is well worth a punt imho. but dyo research!

Great long term play. Disappointing results day. Due to the fact that bingo is not considered "sexy", and TTH is so unknown. This will soon change though as TTH appears more in the public eye.

Greetings Aeroturd
TTH worth a thought

Thought I would bring this one back in play for a bit.

Maiden Dividend goes ex dividend soon at 0.05p, Not bad at all and not noted in Money AM forward diary.

Times(Business) 04072004

Channel 4 Boss bets big on Bingo

Luke Johnson, the entrepeneur and Chairman of Channel 4, has bought a chain of Bingo Clubs in a bid to take advatage of the shake up of Britains Gambling Laws.
Johnson has backed a Management Buy-in at Mayfiar Bingo, operator of the six-strong Riva Chain of clubs. Although the terms are not being made public, analysts estimate the business could have cost between 4m and 9m. Royal Bank of Scotland helped finance the deal.
The chain has sites in Aberdeen, Bristol, Brighton, South London and two in Newcastle. Johnson hopes to use the business as a platform to aquire other bingo clubs or related gaming comapnies.
Although bingo is often written off as an old person's pastime, Johnson thinks the oevr 50's are a growing segment of the population. Riva will be run by chief executive Simon Hannah, a veteran of Mecca and finance director Paul Viner, who was previously at Totenham Hotspur FC.
Johnson has invested in the business through Risk capital Partners, his private equity vehile. Its other investments include the res=taurant chain Giraffe and Lowey, a marketing services business.

Infer nothing from the above.

Goes ex div wednesday 0.05p(currently 7.38p)

Expecting a nice rise leading up to ex div day! The smart money will be getting in now!

The Independant

Promise of High Returns as AIM flourishes:

*Dobbies Garden Centres (LSE: DGC.L - news) - Matrix Communications (LSE: MXC.L - news) - Tissue Science Laboratories (LSE: TSL.L - news) - Jourdan - Moneybox - Top Ten (LSE: TTH.L - news) .

just paid 9.5 for 52k got shafted as i placed order they shot up never mind still more to go hope

Can't see your trade in the ticker.

Who are your Brokers?

They did not do too well for you at that price!

tdwaterhouse and still not showing my trade maybe short of stock

Hmmmmmm.........

Yes or they put it in at a later stage where it won't look out of place, or am I being too devious?

Your trade would be bound to tip it up the next percentage point in my opinion.

Well it went through eventually.

Did nothing to the price, never mind.

Good luck to you.

anyone know the reason for the downturn in price AND why cant we call up previous trades beyond July 9th ?

The price inflated just prior to going ex dividend.

The corresponding drop the next day was more than the divi because of that.

The price is holding at a satisfactory level for this stage of their financial year I beleive.

They are in negotiations to buy 10 more clubs from Gala.

I say that because I have not seen news of the sale going through.

When and if it does, the price will reflect the sale.

There is positive up side in these shares, but who can predict when that will kick in?

thankyou seawallwalker, I had totally forgotten that they had declared a div. Your note that they intend to buy 10 more clubs from Gala had been noted by me..but everything seems to take so long in the financial world these days. Would you have any opinion as to how well this outfit will fare from the potential of gaming machines on their premises, or even how many they are permitted to operate. I must confess to total confusion about the present intentions of this Government - who seem to change their mind with the wind (or, perhaps, just Prescott's wind)

Div was a bit of a red herring - mine was not enough to buy even a cheap bottle of wine.

hilldee - no idea in respect of gaming machines.

For me this is a long term hold.