IQE is the leading global outsource supplier of customized epitaxial wafers to the semiconductor industry.

Their technology is of most advanced like AFM means Atomic Force Microscopy and moves a minuscule cantilever over an objects surface, a sharp tip passes over dips or rises punched in the surface and reads out digital information. This technology is not going to slow down it is going to speed up and has to replace most existing forms of memory storage by virtue of capacity and size.

The future of nano-technology, these tiny/minute robots would need very small processors and most sure strained silicon could provide these.

The low share price is due to uncertainty as to when the cash will run out, but I don't think this will happen as cash is of 12 to 15M and NAV of 30p, and losses are going to drop on the next 3 month and we could have profits on the Q4 2004.

Latest news from the Chairman were" The Group remains confident that it is in a strong position within the outsourcing market, although the protection of its cash position is paramount.
With a broad product portfolio allowing the customer base to use IQE as a 'one stop shop', a large available production capacity and a strong balance sheet, the Board believes the Group will benefit strongly as the overall semiconductor industry recovers and will continue to strengthen its position as the leading outsource supplier of advanced wafer products to the sector. "

Nearly all the recent results have been encouraging. Q4 accounts are being completed (30th Dec 2002). IQE know where they stand, if things had got worse their would have been a trading statement by now, and with Amberwave (IQE's partner) increasing its Asian presence, this is a bullish trend and a good point to pick up the shares @ 4.25p

Intraday

5 month MA and Indicators

Sir Derek Jones appointed as a non-executive director at IQE - brings some strong connections:
http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=5762291

Barclays Capital Overweight 167.00 - 210.00 Initiates/Starts

Director/PDMR Shareholding

IQE plc (AIM: IQE) was notified on 4 December 2017 that Mr Phillip Rasmussen, Finance Director of the Company, sold 353,012 ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares") into his Self Invested Personal Pension ("SIPP"), and Dr Howard Williams, Operations Director of the Company, sold 537,202 Ordinary Shares into his SIPP. Both sales were executed at the gross average price of 162.875 pence per Ordinary Share (the "Transactions"). These Transactions, which were undertaken for tax planning purposes, were completed on 4 December 2017.

Following the Transactions, Mr Rasmussen's beneficial ownership of Ordinary Shares are unchanged at 1,573,357 Ordinary Shares, representing 0.2% of the Company's issued share capital, and 2,211,444 unexercised fully vested options over Ordinary Shares. Dr Williams' beneficial ownership of Ordinary Shares are also unchanged at 2,392,965 Ordinary Shares, representing 0.3% of the Company's issued share capital, and 3,089,907 unexercised fully vested options over Ordinary Shares. In addition, Mr Rasmussen and Dr Williams each have 5,226,108 share options, which vest in January 2019 subject to performance criteria.

Same holdings held - merely filed differently ;-)
Just a shame that it has to carry a 'SOLD' headline.

Juzzle as I've posted elsewhere, I've underlined the 'helpful' hints in the above post :-)

Looking oversold?

A very impressive pdf presentation put together last month by IQE. Well worth a read:

http://www.iqep.com/media/166855/Introduction-to-IQE-November-2017.pdf

Holding(s) in Company - T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. --> 11.55%

Where is the end of the falling?
Has gone under the 50 days Moving Average, an important buying issue on the past

Is 143p the buying point for a bounce?

looks that a lot of stale bulls are baling out as no rns - very likely just short term margin traders

i have a small buying order in at 145.75 but sp has moved aboved that

================

lucky or what?
order filled at 145.05

IQE is one of the top shorted shares. Something will have to go pop eventually, I certainly wouldn't short it!

Nor me. I am not averse to placing occasional downbets - in some cases as a short term additional play whilst holding onto a longterm stake in the same stock - but I don't regard IQE as a stock on which it would be safe to dare do so.

154.50 and still strong
Strange shenanigans last Friday was a good sign of the turning on the way
143.95 was my buying price on Friday

Market potential- VCSEL
the summary (preamble) of the Report very interesting

https://preview.tinyurl.com/yd94j9a7

Those who took those extra shorts one Friday may well be regretting it now!

but not those of us who opened new long positions :-)

Well done Cynic!😊

I don't fret about shorters. Some will be perfectly reasonably hedging a long position in this stock or another, or merely here hedging a sector. Or any number of other tactical scenarios that don't actually indicate hostility. I've held stocks that were continually shorted for many months or longer while still rising regardless.

2017 Pre-close Full Year Trading Update

Trading on track to exceed full year expectations.

Cardiff, UK. 20 December 2017: IQE plc (AIM: IQE, "IQE" or the "Group"), the leading global supplier of advanced wafer products and wafer services to the semiconductor industry, announces its pre-close trading update for the full year ending 31 December 2017.

The Group announces that it expects full year revenues to be ahead of market expectations, and to be not less than £150m for the year ending 31 December 2017. Wafer sales are on track to deliver strong double-digit growth in 2017 and to continue to diversify. The three primary markets are Photonics, InfraRed and Wireless.

The Photonics business has enjoyed strong double-digit growth over the past few years largely driven by new product development and pilot production for a wide range of applications. This growth continued to accelerate sharply in the second half of 2017 as a VCSEL product development programme moved to mass market production in June. As a result, the Photonics division is on track to achieve approximately 100% growth in 2017 over 2016. IQE believes that it has created a sustainable lead in this market by virtue of its intellectual property, its ability to scale this complex technology into mass market, and its dual-site supply strategy. This is further underpinned over the next few years by several, multi-year supply contracts.

The InfraRed business enjoys global leadership in the supply of advanced antimonide wafer products. It has a history of delivering steady growth, and is on track to deliver growth in 2017 of approximately 10%. This business has historically focussed on advanced "see in the dark" technologies in the defence sector, but it is now engaged with major OEM and device companies in product development programmes targeting mass market consumer applications.

Wireless sales are expected to be broadly flat year on year, with a forex tailwind mitigated by a reduction of inventories downstream. IQE successfully managed this inventory reduction to enable it to focus capacity on the rapidly expanding photonics division. This was achievable by virtue of its strong Supplier Managed Inventory ("SMI") relationships with its customers. These inventory levels will normalise in 2018 as we replenish normal SMI levels.

The Group also generates license income from Joint Ventures. As anticipated, this will reduce from the prior year, which included significant upfront amounts. License income is expected to be no more than £2m for the full year.

The majority of the Group's revenues are denominated in foreign currency. A forex tailwind of approximately 5% against the prior year turned into an approximate 5% headwind in the second half. However, this is largely presentational as the majority of the groups costs are also in foreign currency.

The increase in wafer sales will continue to drive an expansion of wafer margins in 2017. As a result, profit before tax for the Group is expected to be ahead of current market expectations. In particular, wafer sales are expected to be materially higher, partially mitigated by lower license income. This margin expansion is after upfront investment in overheads to establish the new foundry that will begin operations in 2018. Progress with the new foundry is on track, with the first five new tools ordered being scheduled for installation in early 2018, and generating revenues by mid-year. In addition, the Group has agreed terms for a further ten production tools, and is in the process of agreeing the specification for the first five of these additional tools.

Net funds are expected to be in the range of current market expectations.

As reported in October, a prior year tax liability estimated to be £4.2m was identified and settled in full. The Group's tax advisors have now completed their review of the tax computations and the tax return has been filed. Whilst there were no indications of any further potential omissions, the Board commissioned an international independent tax firm to complete a comprehensive review of the Group's tax compliance in the UK, the US and Asia. This review is ongoing and has not identified any further unrecorded liabilities. This review is scheduled for completion during Q1 of 2018.

Additionally, the US Government's much publicised plan to reduce the corporation tax rate from 35% to 21%, if passed would have a positive long term financial benefit for the IQE group, which has operations in the US. However, if enacted, this change will give rise to an upfront non-cash deferred tax charge relating to a reduction in the associated deferred tax asset. The quantum of the potential reduction has not yet been evaluated.

The Group is scheduled to report its full year results for 2017 on 20 March 2018, and will provide forward looking guidance at that time.

Dr Drew Nelson, Chief Executive of IQE, said:

"I'm very pleased to confirm that IQE is on track to achieve record financial results in 2017. The adoption of VCSELs in the mass market has been a key revenue driver in the year. IQE has built a strong and sustainable lead in this complex materials technology. We see VCSEL being a long term growth driver for the Group across a diverse range of applications including sensing, LIDAR, optical communications, industrial heating, machine vision and heat assisted magnetic recording.

"VCSEL is just one of many advanced materials technologies that IQE has developed which will drive continuing growth in the near and mid term. IQE has created strong differentiation in the industry through its broad portfolio of materials technologies and it ability to scale and supply reliably in the mass market. Combined with our recent fund raising to pump prime our expansion, IQE's outlook is for strong, diverse and sustainable growth"

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

Peel Hunt Buy 148.75 188.00 188.00 Reiterates

watching this one until it seems to reverse current drop

Citigroup buy 140.38 195.00 195.00 Retains