I hold a few of these and a little surprised to see them move up sharply today - in a really bad market - I believe they are undervalued and the CEO is always buying but ......

anyway here is the reason


'Mail on Sunday advises: Universe announced a total dividend of 1.95p. At 21p the shares yield 9.3% and trading at 5.5 times forecast earnings for this year. However, there are reasons to be cautious. Universe is listed on AIM and with a value of just 7.5 million the shares can be volatile. It is unusual to find shares that offer income, growth and recovery, but Universe may fit the bill. Be aware of the risks, but the shares are a speculative buy, the paper says'


The shares are up over 19% today on more than three times average volume - worth looking at the following links to hear/see latest results

UNIVERSE GROUP PLC [UNG]

Universe Group plc - itruffle presentation (part 1) - slides - 19 March 2003 : 24 March 2003 3:25 pm
http://www.itruffle.com/link.asp?t=cbe&id=4020

Universe Group plc - itruffle presentation (part 1) - video (2.1MB) - 19 March 2003 : 24 March 2003 3:25 pm
http://www.itruffle.com/link.asp?t=cbe&id=4021

Universe Group plc - itruffle presentation (part 2 - questions) - audio (1.1MB) - 19 March 2003 : 24 March 2003 3:40 pm
http://www.itruffle.com/link.asp?t=cbe&id=4022



ains

Announc. of new banking facility

shares up

Now up 17.5% albeit a wide spread at this time

17.04.03 :+3.5, (23.5) announces that it has reached agreement in principle for increased banking facilities with its existing bankers The Royal Bank of Scotland ("RBS"). The new facility comprises of a 3.75m loan repayable over five years, and overdraft facilities of 3.0m. As part of the arrangement of this facility West Register (Investments) a wholly owned subsidiary of RBS will be granted an option to acquire 5.3% of the Universe issued share capital, representing a maximum of 1,874,900 new 0rdinary 5p shares at a price of 21.5p per share. This option will be exercisable on or before 30 June 2004. Universe Chief Executive, Ray Mackie, said: "The Board of Universe are delighted to have agreed an increase in our facility with RBS. This will allow us to continue our planned investment programme, in particular the further expansion of our fast-growing First Remit money transfer activities. First Remit continues to make good progress and has recently opened in a further two countries, Canada and Israel, and now operates in forty countries."

Decided to accept the script issue today instead of the divi .... remember divs? - currently worth around 8% on this share with the CEO holding lots and lots



ains

Thanks K .

UNIVERSE GROUP PLC

9 MAY 2003


Universe Group PLC (the 'Company') - Placing of new ordinary shares to raise
623,500 (the 'Placing')

The Board is pleased to announce that Charles Stanley & Co Limited has placed
2,900,000 new ordinary shares of 5 pence each with institutional investors to
raise 623,500 before fees and expenses.

The shares were placed at a price of 21.5 pence per share. The Placing
represents 8.14 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of the Company.

The proceeds of the placing will be used to augment the Company's existing
working capital facilities.

The new ordinary shares will rank pari passu with the existing ordinary shares
of the Company save for the final dividend in respect of the year ended 31
December 2002. Application will be made for the new ordinary shares to be
admitted to trading on the Alternative Investment Market and dealings are
expected to commence on 12 May 2003.

AGM STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN


George Welham, Chairman of Universe Group plc told shareholders at the AGM
today:


"The opening months of this year have scarcely been any friendlier to Universe
than last year, and we are a long way from seeing what might be described as
favourable trading conditions. The absence from Paris of tourists in their
traditional large numbers has been a particular concern.


I am therefore delighted to be able to tell you that we have increased our
trading profit in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period
last year, and by a significant margin.


This is due almost entirely to HTEC, which has continued its impressive
performance. Master Change, not surprisingly, is continuing to reflect the
depressed market for tourism. We have tight control of costs; but what Master
Change needs is tourists and it's anybody's guess when they will start returning
to Europe in their previous numbers.


Our newest business, First Remit, is growing well. When I tell you that we
completed only a very small number of transactions in April last year, 226 in
October and 1,640 last month, you can see why we are optimistic that we've got a
winning formula in money transfer. In the next couple of months this business
will be covering its cash operating costs on a monthly basis while continuing to
grow rapidly.


We spend a lot of time trying to take out cost across the Group. One of our
most recent initiatives is the decision to close our Queen Anne Street Office in
the West End and relocate it at HTEC in Southampton."

LONDON (AFX) - Universe Group PLC said trading profit in the first quarter has increased by 'a significant margin' year-on-year, mainly due to the continued impressive performance of unit HTEC.
Chairman George Welham told shareholders at the company's AGM that the opening months in the year were still a 'long way' from favourable trading conditions.

"The absence from Paris of tourists in their traditional large numbers has been a particular concern," he said, adding that its Master Change operations continue to reflect the depressed market for tourism.

"We have tight control of costs; but what Master Change needs is tourists and it's anybody's guess when they will start returning to Europe in their previous numbers," he warned.

The company's newest business, First Remit, is growing well, he added.

"In the next couple of months this business will be covering its cash operating costs on a monthly basis while continuing to grow rapidly," he said.

In addition, the company is proposing to close its Queen Anne Street Office in the West End and relocate it at HTEC in Southampton.

ra

Ticking up with the market @ 23/27p up over 6% intraday

ainsoph,

Are you still in ?
Bought at19p last November.
Why are they classified as "Security & Alarms Services" ?

Check out the new thread

http://www.moneyam.com/InvestorsRoom/ShowPostList?fID=1&tID=4606

All the latest news there, as well as the tip sheet post that led to yesterdays strong buying.