ASOS have dropped quite significantly in the past week for no particular reason and I view this as the perfect opportunity to invest as I can see them bouncing right back up to the 5.50p mark in the next 2-3 weeks. STRONG BUY!!

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/tvlicensing/cs/1022.htm

check out the above, it would appear that they have a license to broadcast a fashion channel, covering all bases by the looks of it. With success of IDS, seems likely to be a winner.

anyone know anything about this ?

capa

I just rang them from your link capa. After a bit of stammering(on their end), it's being looked into and they will ring me back. I'll report as soon as I know more.

capa, sandrew

Brilliant spot, capa! Well done, sandrew! A licence is the sort of thing you have to do but you wouldn't expect it to be picked up on and put into the public arena. They may be at an early stage with their planning and not ready for the public gaze. But you recall John Marshall's article last month which mentioned the TV potential. I wonder if there will be anything on the 21st. As you say, with IDS success with a much more ordinary offering, this could perhaps replicate their internet success. Ever upwards, ever onwards! Could this be the share of the year for 2005, as well!

By the way, see my post re SEO.

Eric

Hi everyone,

Glad to read your wife up and running Eric.

I think we need a good forward looking statement on the 21st to smooth PE figures for ASOS. There are current concerns that it is a little high, but that could, and I hope, will change. It has been a wonderful share during 2004 and we need to review it's potential for 2005 after the company announcement.

Re: Share challenge, we might as well follow the lumpen newspaper blitz, when all the pundits become Fund Managers overnight, and either endorse our current selections or nominate new ones. After all this exercise has been successful, and maintained interest in the ASOS BB so why not continue!

Again thank you Eric for keeping the share challenge going and I admire you for looking into the Crystal Ball every day and seeing things I can't!!!

Off to make some money now...Bye! John

Hi John

Good to have you back! Mary's hardly running yet, never a forte, skiing is fine but not so good without the skis! Having tests including ultrasound to determine whether gall bladder is the problem.

Agree we should confer after 21st results re future of ASOS Challenge. Interesting how it has turned into a three horse race although there could be a dark horse in there somewhere. Given 50m is current share cap of ASC, seems reasonable to look for 100m by year-end which could mean a fresh challenge even if this one is not over. It might be good to put this challenge on the backburner and start another. We'll see what people think after the 21st.

Would appreciate your view on the SEO charts - my guts are making their feelings known, my heart is warm but the head needs to be engaged first!

Eric

Just had a phonecall back from the finance department at asos. Sorry he caught me in the middle of doing the washing up and I can't remember his name(what an exciting life I lead). He stressed that the teleshopping is an idea they are "actively investigating", but they are "not committed yet". I said I thought it was a great idea and he assured me that the costs for setting up and running such a venture are now significantly cheaper than they were several years ago and that we weren't looking at some sort of void that money would just disappear into. He also noted the benefits of reaching the sector of the market that perhaps weren't sitting with an available computer at their desks all day, but had access to SKY and other such services. He also mentioned people perhaps at the hairdressers or such like watching it. This has made me wonder if what they have in mind is something more along the lines of Fashion TV as opposed to the QVC format I was originally picturing.He did keep stressing that were "not committed" to the idea yet and they were still "activately investigating" this option. A very nice chap to speak to, sounding very enthusiastic, yet coy about giving too much away.
Well spotted capa.

Eric,
Got yr email, forgot what I asked.!!!!

sandra, thanks for that post, confirmed what I guessed.

I imagine that the idea is indeed a fashion channel, sounds like a winner.

capa

Sharon (I know I was calling you sandra myself which is only natural!)

Excellent piece of research - we'll appoint you research director. You obviously need relief from the household chores so you can remember pertinent details, such as who you were speaking to! Reading between the lines I would say they were doing it but not ready to announce. Might double the sp again, might it not?

Funny day today with sporadic selling and then some decent buys at the end of the day including 100K to finish with. Suggests better start in the morning.

Eric

John and team

Thinking about John's suggestion re a second challenge, I for one have found this very instructive: not always profitable but not to blame the portfolio; seen the error of my ways and now a chartist for the TIMING of a purchase!

My ideas for 2nd Challenge. Each participant has 20K which can go into 1,2,3 or 4 shares in units of 5K. ASC has 20K and is team yardstick, not in individual portfolios. Period could be a year but I would suggest 6 months to maintain interest. Existing challenge a bit on backburner but we would keep an eye on it. Progress reports would rank shares by performance but also participants (initial only to protect from the ridicule of outsiders!). We could e-mail participants in last challenge in case they have taken eye of the ASC ball (naughty! naughty!)

What do you think? Other ideas?

Eric

Eric,

Sounds like a good idea, like the idea of having four shares, always interesting to see what everybody else is into! Agree that a 6 month portfolio seems sensible.
Maybe we could toy with the idea of being able to change one share within the six months portfolio period, just in case a little gem shows up...

Christmas trading statement out next Friday then, I like the notice given today, gives everybody a chance to top up.

capa

capa this date has been on this bb for the last 2 weeks i expect nice run up to results then profit taking.cheers woodie

Yes, you heard it first on this Board. Rasham posted the date on 5th Jan. Mind, Woodie, it depends what the forward statement as regards profit taking. Quite a few profits taken this morning but suspect delayed posts as price has continued to rise.

Eric

Shares today: "Our best share tip has gone off boil. Look out for Xmas trading statment. Sell if falls below 70p." So what are expectations for trading statement: market will be expecting 80% uplift from statement in late November; may just get to 85%; key will actually be comments on prospects. May take something like TV channel announcement to get share going again. On fundamentals, probably still cheap.

Eric

once again you were told on this bb first with regard to sell below 70p see my post on 5 jan post 954 since then i have been waiting to fall to mid 70s to buy more.i expect good press comment over the weekend to give a nice run up to 21st.please fall back for my wealth? cheers woodie

WOODIE

You said it first - I wonder if Shares just read our posts! I recall you were referring to short-term trading and not your long-term holding. I am adopting the same policy with short-term via CFDs. Resistance level tested at 83.5p earlier today. The Board will do well to hold attention - important for both wealth and health!

Eric

nice one eric!i have got both spread bet for short term i might dump after results wait and see , should be upgrade from sp with regard to my share holding i intend to keep while there is growth,this should be at least until the end of the year with new products coming on board.cheers woodie

ASOS CHALLENGE PORTFOLIO

Three questions to ask you. First, has the ASC sp run out of steam? Second, are you interested in the shares in this portfolio or have your investment attentions turned elsewhere? Third, is it worth continuing with this portfolio, starting another one with our current interests, or neither (or both!).

company_________ EPC pp(p) issue-m shares price value cap-m gain % gain-wk

Broker Network H BNH 77.50 15.065_ 6450__ 127.5 8224_ 19.21 64.52_ -4.49
ASOS____________ ASC 56.00 67.97__ 8900__ 79.5_ 7076_ 54.04 41.96_ 1.27
Stanelco________ SEO 4.50_ 782.225 111000 6.38_ 7082_ 49.91 41.78_ 6.33
Civilian Content CCN 16.25 41.883_ 30700_ 14.5_ 4452_ 6.07_ -10.77 -4.92
Sterling Energy_ SEY 17.25 822.712 29000_ 15.25 4423_ 125.46 -11.59 7.02
Marchpole Hold._ MPH 33.75 120.445 14800_ 28___ 4144_ 33.72_ -17.04 0.00
Yoomedia________ YOO 22.00 499.9__ 22700_ 17.25 3916_ 86.23_ -21.59 -5.48
Cybit Holdings__ CYH 91.00 19.779_ 5500__ 65.5_ 3603_ 12.96_ -28.02 -2.24
Petroceltic Intl PCI 15.00 484.975 33300_ 8.38_ 2791_ 40.64_ -44.13 0.00
Petrel Resources PET 124.5 58.625_ 4000__ 55.75 2230_ 32.68_ -55.22 19.89
CFA Capital Gp._ CFP 0.70_ 619____ 714000 0.28_ 1999_ 1.73__ -60.00 -6.67

totals_________________________________________ 49937_______ -9.21

Not much to comment on. ASC trading statement is next Friday but no sign of a bull run. Continues to trade in a triangle and getting close to the point where it has to break one way or the other. Revenue for 6 months expected to be up 80% to 85%; not difficult because there was an 81% figure late November. To break N. probably requires some other significant news.

SEO is testing a resistance level. I've personally taken a decent stake this week on realisation of the impact of royalties on future revenues. PET and SEY have made some ground this week. PET's progress based on discussion of Jordan deal and realisation that it is not dependent on just the current bids. That's in contrast with PCI, subject of a 'brutally honest' assessment. SEY are the safest player, no doubt! BNH and CCN haven't even had a post, suggesting the former will share the latter's decline.

I made some suggestions during the week about another contest. However, I have the feeling that the attention of most participants in the first challenge is elsewhere - that's not a criticism, only the reality of an investor's future focus; one even discounts the success story when its in the bag!

Eric

eric it seems clear that lack of interest in another portfolio due to no posts since your last post on friday,this might be due to 8 stocks losing money only 3 in profit.