A New Year is going to mean a change in fortune for Prty and to celebrate the fact, I have started a new thread kicking off with a quick SWOT analysis.

STRENGTHS
a) Strong management team
b) Innovative company
c) 16 Brands to chose from (see below)
d) New licensing agreements Bond movie slots etc
e) Multi-Language interface
f) Global reach within legal constraints
g) Technologically advanced
h) Ease of use coupled with 24/7 support
i) Fully integrated marekting/advertising campaign
j) Advertising revenue from US site
k) Growth potential, games and customer reach
l) Peers posting positive results and KPI's
m) Support of share from Directors holdings and buy ins
n) Dikshit voluntarily paying DoJ suggesting resolution in sight
o) PartyCasino extended deal with Paramount will be launching slots
based on High Noon & Naked Gun
p) PartyCasino to launch live dealer and a further 50 unbranded games
q) PartyPoker incs Roulette at poker table and to inc sports betting slip
at pokjer table
r) Partypoker to launch in Italy

WEAKNESS
a) Negative impact of DoJ negotiations claiming Prty
"may" have done something wrong! What?
b) Banned in various countries
c) Lack of confidence on markets
d) Competition (that's also healthy)
e) Temporary lack of dividend
OPPORTUNITIES
a) US Government considering legalisation of Internet Gambling Barney
Frank looking into it over the next two weeks (Feb 2009)
b) Announcement on Asia and other emerging markets
c) Further new licensing agreements
d) Regulation & taxation of industry opening new markets.
e) Smoking ban keeping Players at home, playing on-line
f) TV licensing agreements in other countries
g) Industry ripe for consolidation.
h) Profile of online gambling increased as a result of WTO rulings
i) Politicians calling for regulation
j) Macau $12bn p.a market, in which Magicboxcasino operates
k) RGA to take action on behalf of EU gaming operators against US
violation of WTO
THREAT
a) Privitisation
b) Competition
c) Continual profit takers not allowing the SP to rise!
d) Peers posting positive results & KPI's - are
they growing their market share at Prty's expense?

The key issue surrounding Prty short term is the ongoing discussions with the US Department of Justice instigated by Prty. The possible outcome of these discussions are a fine, although this may be levied against the directors personally and not to the PLC (as with Dikshit paying up!): this uncertainty has hindered the current share price as investors remain cautious. However, the fact that Prty approached the DoJ to resolve the issue and not the DoJ chasing Party. From Sunday Times 4 Jan 2009: (edited) "You can always rely on Paddy Power to lighten the gloom. The bookie offers 6/1 on president-elect Barack Obama legalising online gambling as his first act in office"

Looking at the rest of the business, Party have moved away from being a one dimentional business to a multi-faceted technologically advancedcompany offering Poker, Betting, Casino, Bingo, Backgammon, Slots and Spread Betting across Europe and the rest of the world. They have embarked on a major advertising campaign to raise consumer awareness and make sure they are the number one leisure company of choice.

The past 2 years have been tough and the share price reflects this, however this is still a young and innovative company now offering a wide range of games and services to a much wider audience 2009 will demonstrate how you can turn a hand dealt in to top trumps.

Sept. 29, 2008 - Today: iMEGA filed its brief with the US Court of Appeals,

This is a very simple argument on which we ask the Court to overturn this law, said Joe Brennan Jr., iMEGA chairman and CEO. UIGEA should be void for vagueness, in that Congress has not defined what an unlawful Internet gambling transaction is, as they are required. Congress cannot delegate that necessary determination as to what is lawful or unlawful to US banks and credit card companies. The Department of Treasury, which has been tasked with drafting the regulations for UIGEA, has testified before Congress that they themselves cannot make that determination. Because Congress refused to draft necessary standards, the law is so inherently flawed as to make it totally vague and unenforceable, and we are confident that the Court will overturn it.


MARGINS: Poker 16%, Casino 15%, Betting 41%

USEFUL LINKS

http://www.gambling911.com/online-poker-rooms.html
http://www.worldseriesofpoker.com/ http://www.pokernewsdaily.com/
http://www.pokerscout.com/
http://www.pokerlistings.com/
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/partypoker.com
http://uk.advfn.com/p.php?pid=quote&btn=s_ok&symbol=LSE%3Aprty&mid=1&period=5&dm=0
http://partygaming-news.newslib.com/
http://www.iii.co.uk/articles/articledisplay.jsp?section=ShareDealing&article_id=9915329
http://www.bloomberg.com/streams/video/LiveBTV200.asx
http://www.pokerchanneleurope.com/

BRANDS
http://www.partygaming.com/
http://www.PartyPoker.com/ http://www.PartyBets.com/ http://www.PartyCasino.com/ http://www.PartyBingo.com/ http://www.PartyGammon.com http://www.partymarkets.com/ http://www.partymarkets.com/ http://www.empirepoker.com/ http://www.noblepoker.com/ http://www.fairpoker.com/
http://www.clubdicecasino.com/ http://www.entercasino.com/ http://online.casinocity.com/casinos http://www.scasino.com/ http://www.casinoswiss.com/
http://www.casinolasvegas.com/ http://www.casinoking.com/ http://www.50starscasino.com/ http://www.magicboxcasino.com/ http://carnivalcasino.com/
http://www.missbingo.com/http://www.gamebookers.com/ https://www.affclub.com/http://www.palladiumlounge.com/
http://www.partybets.it/index.php


KEY DATES 2009 (TBA)
2008
H1 trading update 8 Jul confirmed
interim results 29 Aug confirmed
2nd Qtr KPI's 01 Aug
3rd Qtr KPI's 19 Nov confirmed

+ July 2008, China allows its first bet (on horses) since Chairman Mao
+ January 2009 new President sworn into office.
+ January 2009 Singapore?
+ DoJ settlement
+ iMEGA bubbling away

EBITDA on continuing operations:
2006 $50.9m
2007 $111.7m
2008 $165.8m (forecast)
2009 $194.7m (forecast)

Some Peeps may have seen this thread on a competitor BB, however thought I'd post it here too.