,

EDD have risen 1.25p to 39.75, trades have nearly all been positive this week, hopefully investors are catching onto the potential of this company.

Have noticed a large increase in trades for EDD, on a average day you would have from 5k to 15k, but last Thursday saw 28k, Friday 26k then yesterday was over 200k and today over 100k so far. I can't find any press comment or new tips for the company, but will keep looking. Maybe it's the anticipation of the trading update before the end of February, whatever it is I believe the price is now breaking upwards.

It's gotta be in anticipation of the trading update due any day now..hope the news is better than excellent !

Nothing new but came in this am from Company Watch

EDI: earning full marks

With four profit upgrades in the space of seven months, you might expect the shares of Education Development International (EDI) to be trading on a pretty rich multiple.

But despite a recent trading update, which prompted the firms broker, Brewin Dolphin, to up its pre-tax profit forecast for the current year from 2.8 million to 2.9 million, the shares sell for less than 8.5 times prospective earnings. For a business that doubled earnings in 2006/07 and looks like achieving more than 25 per cent growth in 2007/08, that is a mean rating.

EDI grew out of a dot-com disaster called Global Online Assessment for Learning and it has since been transformed under chief executive Nigel Snook. The technology it inherited remains one of the keys to its success.

There are three areas to EDIs business. In the UK, it is accredited by the government to award vocational qualifications such as NVQs, delivered by further education colleges and other training providers. Increasingly, students are assessed online, which is a big plus for EDIs margins. The firm helps professional organisations, such as accountancy bodies ACCA and CIMA, run their foundation-level qualifications.

EDI is a business growing at 20 per cent or more a year. It could get even better if government moves to promote more employer-sponsored apprenticeships and other training programmes bear fruit. In a recent announcement, the government pledged an extra 250 million to aid skills training. The likes of EDI can help employers tap that money by providing a package that gives their in-house programmes official accreditation. EDIs chances of success here have been boosted by last years acquisition of another accredited awarding body, ASET Group.

Area number two for EDI is its international exam board business, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry International Qualifications (LCCI). The business is big in South East Asia and parts of Europe (Germany in particular) and is growing at five to ten per cent a year.

Finally, there is a support services operation, the core of which is an electronic platform, i-assess, which allows professional bodies to run their own online assessments. Most of the contracts here are of several years duration and are low maintenance.

EDI made three acquisitions last year and Snook is clearly looking for more. Last years deals used up what was a mounting cash pile but, with strong cash generation, the company could well have 1 million in the bank again by the September year-end. Of course, that wont happen if it buys another business before then which seems highly likely.

Brewin Dolphin is now looking for earnings of 5.7p next year, which would drop the multiple to just 7.4. The shares performed strongly in 2007 but still look to have a long way to go on a two-year view.


Recommendation: Buy
Ticker: EDD
Sector: General retailers
Listing: AIM
Mid-price: 42.25p
Market cap: 24.3m

Interesting article skyhigh, it highlights what a good company this. And the trading statement on Friday was very positive, (exceeding market expectations) thats music to my ears. On a 18 to 24 month view I have a price target of 80p, with my fingers crossed that a takeover could happen.

Education Development Intl PLC
04 March 2008



4 March 2008


EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL PLC

Director/PDMR Shareholding


Education Development International plc ('EDI' or the 'Company') announces that
it has today been notified that Richard Price, Chairman and Non-Executive
Director, today purchased 200,000 Ordinary Shares in the Company at 42.5 pence
per Ordinary Share.

Following the above purchase, Mr Price has an interest in 700,000 Ordinary
Shares in the Company, representing approximately 1.2% of the Total Voting
Rights.

Joined you guys and looking for an easy 85p over the coming year.

Welcome aboard Dil....indeed 85p would be nice and nearly a triple bagger for me..(this would make a nice change from some of the other shares I have!)

Good luck and onwards and upwards !

good choice Dil, it's going to be a troubled year, but quality companies will always shine. At 85p it would be an excellent return, purchased these in August at 24.5. Normally I sell some on the way up, but not this one.

Watched them all the way since about 20p but due to being wary of the markets over the last year failed to act.

123k buys already and no sales, the sp is up 1.75p. Must have been a tip in the weekend press, any ideas ?

tipped by scsw.

what's scsw? any links ?

Small Company Share Watch - good track record imo.

SCSW

I don't subscribe to scsw, so have only seen headline (EDD expects results ahead of expectations) scsw must have a large following with nearly 400k transactions today.

When you look at the chart for the last year, EDD have performed very well against a volatile market. It has kept consistantly above the 200 ema line, and bounced higher off it each time. Last two days have been very strong with good volume, could be another bull channel forming.

Still very cheap for the growth on offer, the 2008 peg is only 0.4, and the 2009 peg is 0.58 that is without any upgrades.

This is the only small cap growth share I have held onto since the start of this bear market, and won't be parting with any for a while yet.

Interims due 5 June.

Spitfire43.... thanks for the info and comments..

I totally agree with you.. it all looks good and I also picked up some more this morning...should be an interesting month or two coming up ?

Recently I had thought about topping up my holding rather than bothering with any other company. But I already hold a large amount in percentage terms, but it is still very tempting.

Picked up a few more this morning...

Looking forward to excellent results next week.