The equipment rental specialist
Vp plc is a specialist rental business providing products and services to a diverse range of markets including civil engineering, rail, oil and gas exploration, construction, outdoor events and industry, primarily within the UK, but also overseas
Vp is a well established group which has evolved over nearly 60 years of trading from a broadly based plant hire company to a service based group providing equipment rental and associated services to a range of market sectors. Floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1973, Vp now comprises 6 business divisions:- Groundforce, UK Forks, Airpac Bukom Oilfield Services, Hire Station, Torrent Trackside and TPA.

Final results - Tuesday 4 June

Vp PLC : Final Results

Press Release 4 June 2013


Vp plc, the equipment rental specialist, today announces its Final Results for the year ended 31 March 2013.

Highlights
•
Profit before tax and amortisation increased 9% to £17.4 million (2012: £16.0 million)

•
Basic earnings per share pre-amortisation improved 15.3% to 35.47 pence

•
Revenues of £167.0 million, 3% ahead of prior year (2012: £161.5 million)

•
Operating margins increased to 11.9% (2012: 11.5%)

•
Return on average capital employed improved to 13.3% (2012: 13.0%)

•
Modest increase in net debt to £45.3 million (2012: £40.4 million) after funding:-
◦
Capital investment in the fleet of £22.5 million

◦
Acquisitions of £4.1 million

◦
Tender offer for shares completed at £7.8 million


•
Final dividend proposed of 9.0 pence per share, making a total of 12.25 pence for the full year (2012: 11.35 pence), an increase of 8%

•
Solid balance sheet with strong operational cash flow of £39.8 million


Jeremy Pilkington, Chairman of Vp plc, commented:
"The Group has delivered another strong performance with increased profits, margins and return on capital employed. Whilst the economic background still contains significant uncertainties and challenges, this set of results again demonstrates the Group's ability to continue to deliver value for shareholders even within a relatively unsupportive trading environment.

"Each of our businesses continues to work hard to uncover opportunities for investment and growth and we believe that the Group has positive momentum moving into the new financial year. We look forward to another year of progression as we maintain our focus on delivering consistent, quality and sustainable returns over the long term."

- Ends -

VP rallies as full year earnings shine
Tue 04 Jun 2013


VP rallies as full year earnings shine LONDON (SHARECAST) - Rental equipment specialist Vp delivered a strong full year performance with improved profit, margins and dividend and said positive momentum continued into the new financial year.

The group, which provides products and services to oil and gas exploration markets, civil engineering, rail and construction, said profit before tax and amortisation increased 9% to £17.4m for the year ended March 31st 2013 compared to £16.0m in 2012. Basic earnings per share pre-amortisation improved 15.3% to 35.47p.

Revenues increased 3% to £167.0m while operating margins increased to 11.9% from 11.5% previously. Net debt increased to £45.3m from £40.4m after it invested in its fleet and made acquisitions of £4.1m.

Chairman Jeremy Pilkington said: "Whilst the economic background still contains significant uncertainties and challenges, this set of results again demonstrates the group's ability to continue to deliver value for shareholders even within a relatively unsupportive trading environment."

"Each of our businesses continues to work hard to uncover opportunities for investment and growth and we believe that the group has positive momentum moving into the new financial year. We look forward to another year of progression."

A final dividend of 9.0p per share has been proposed, giving a total of 12.25p for the full year, an increase of 8%.

Shares in the group jumped 5.99% to 358.25p at 11:30 in London

VP PLC (VP.:LSE) set a new 52-week high during today's trading session when it reached 358.25. Over this period, the share price is up 43.38%.

Shares today -

VP’s opportunity to play catch-up


Better-than-expected full-year results from construction equipment rental group VP (VP.) have boosted stock by 6% to 358.25p, yet the small cap could rise further still before it catches up with its rivals.

Companies that hire equipment to construction and infrastructure providers have all enjoyed strong share price appreciation over the past few years, thanks to a mixture of self-help measures and better demand. Both these factors have contributed to improved earnings and regular upgrades from analysts as they forecast higher and higher profits.

VP, alas, has been left in the shadows compared to its larger peers Speedy Hire (SDY) and Ashtead (AHT). The main reasons are that Speedy is adding greater service capabilities, so it is winning large contracts; and Ashtead is benefiting from a large presence in the US where there is structural shift from owning to renting equipment among construction companies.

VP - Comparison Line Chart (Rebased to first)

The charts (above and below) illustrate how VP has lagged its peers. Broker N+1 Singer says this outcome is undeserved and reckons the company’s intrinsic value is more than 400p.

ahtVP - Comparison Line Chart (Rebased to first)

VP has today reported a 9% increase in pre-tax profit to £17.4 million, slightly ahead of £17.1 million analyst expectations. Of particular note is the improvement in operating margins from 11.5% to 11.9% and return on capital employed moving to 13.3% from 13%.

The company says margins are getting better due to better cost control and ‘ensuring that the revenue we are generating is of the best quality.’ It has chosen to withdrawn from certain contracts after declaring them to have sub-optimal margins. This explains a small reduction in revenue at TPA as it decided various outdoor events work wasn’t worth doing.

Aside from TPA, the five other business divisions all recorded revenue gains. In fact, TPA did grow profits despite lower revenue. Yet the only disappointment on the profit side was Airpac Bukom, the oil and gas division. This was a result of tough comparative figures from the previous year where VP had large contract which ran its course.

The company says oil and gas work is now picking up, particularly Airpac Bukom’s core skill of providing support to well testing. It flags particular success in the Middle East including Kurdistan where a number of high value rentals were obtained for well test projects.

Shares last year described VP as ‘an ideal stock to buy and tuck away for long-term capital appreciation and income’. While it may lack the obvious catalysts driving Speedy Hire and Ashtead, there is reason to stay positive as VP continues to broaden its earnings streams. Non-hire work is gathering pace including training as part of Hire Station, its tools business. And the Groundforce arm has a team of engineers in Leeds who provide drawings and designs for large excavation projects. VP sees this ‘highly-valued’ skill as important for a push into mainland Europe.

A buy in this weeks IC - VP shares still looking cheap.

VP shares trade on 10.5 times forecast earnings, compared with 15 times for the wider rental sector. True, the company doesn't have the same stellar growth rates as peers, but that discount is still too wide.

Down 10% today

Ex-Dividend
10 Jul 13 VP PLC [VP.] (9 p)

Vp PLC : AGM Statement

HUG






Press Release 23 July 2013

Vp plc
("Vp" or the "Group")

AGM Statement

Vp plc, the equipment rental specialist, announces that at the Group's Annual General Meeting held earlier today, all resolutions put to Shareholders by the Board were duly passed.

Speaking at the Annual General Meeting, Jeremy Pilkington, Chairman, commented:

"The Group has started the new financial year well and in line with our expectations. The first quarter's trading has been positive, and with solid revenue growth compared with the prior year, the business is well positioned to deliver another good performance this financial year."

- Ends -

How odd ?
Not the same as ADV


Me pregunto ¿por qué?

Yes agree djalan. +3.08% yesterday close. Odd?


(VP.) Vp PLC
404.00 +12.00 (3.08%

Thanks skinny.

only -1p (0.25%) Graph wrong again not -9%





Director Deals - VP PLC (VP.)

BFN

Neil Stothard, Managing Director, bought 8,500 shares in the company on the 24th July 2013 at a price of 407.00p. The Director now holds 681,576 shares.

Story provided by StockMarketWire.com
Director deals data provided by www.directorsholdings.com

Showing a 10% fall, money am again. Not down 1%.

Investment summary: Good start to FY14

http://www.edisoninvestmentresearch.com/researchreports/VPQV020813.pdf

Vp PLC : Acquisition

HUG






Press Release 4 September 2013

Vp plc
("Vp" or "the Group")

Acquisition

Vp plc, the equipment rental specialist, today announces the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Mr Cropper Limited ("Mr Cropper") for a consideration of £4.6 million.

Mr Cropper is the market leader in the rental of pile cropping machines to the UK groundworks and construction sectors. Operating across the whole of the UK with two locations in the South East and Midlands, Mr Cropper has been established for 13 years.

Mr Cropper will be integrated within Vp's Groundforce division, complementing the Group's existing piling equipment activities.

Jeremy Pilkington, Chairman of Vp plc, commented:

"We are very pleased to welcome a market leading business of Mr Cropper's quality to the Vp group. The specialist nature of the business is an excellent fit for Vp and Mr Cropper will provide complementary activities in support of our other businesses operating in the groundworking and construction sectors."

- Ends -

Vp PLC : Half-yearly report

HUG







Press Release 26 November 2013

Vp plc

("Vp" or the "Group" or the "Company")

Interim Results

Vp plc, the equipment rental specialist, today announces its Interim Results for the six months ended 30 September 2013.

Highlights





•
Profit before tax and amortisation increased 17% to £12.8 million (2012: £11.0 million)
•
Revenues of £91.3 million, 9% ahead (2012: £84.0 million)
•
Return on capital employed 13.9% (2012: 13.2%)
•
Profit margins improved once again to 14.0% (2012: 13.0%)
•
Capital investment in rental fleet 46% higher than the prior year at £18.3 million
•
Acquisitions of £4.6 million
•
Interim dividend increased to 3.6 pence per share
•
Solid balance sheet with strong operational cash flow

Jeremy Pilkington, Chairman of Vp plc, commented:
"The Group has produced another excellent set of results with profits, margins, return on capital and earnings per share all strongly ahead. Substantial capital investment in the rental fleet and the acquisition of Mr Cropper in September demonstrates our confidence in the opportunities for growth. The Board believes the Group is very well placed to continue to deliver further progress for the year as a whole and beyond."

- Ends -

27 Nov Cantor... 570.00 Buy

A buy in this weeks IC - VP thrashes forecasts.

Better than expected first half numbers from VP offered proof that the UK economy is in recovery mode. Earnings should grow nicely as the economy recovers and they still trade on less than 15 times forecast earnings, a discount to peers.

MIDAS UPDATE: That’s a pick-up! Our tip, equipment rental firm Vp, leaps 77 per cent

By Joanne Hart, Financial Mail On Sunday

PUBLISHED: 22:04, 7 December 2013 | UPDATED: 22:04, 7 December 2013

Equipment rental firm Vp has had a stellar year. With products ranging from temporary roads to forklift trucks to hand-held drills, Vp is reaping the benefits of economic recovery.


Recommended by Midas in September 2012 at 304p, we took a fresh look at the stock last February, by which point they had risen just 8.5 per cent to 3293⁄4p. Since then, they have surged by 69 per cent to 558p as results have beaten expectations and chairman Jeremy Pilkington has expressed confidence about the future.



Boom: Vp is benefiting from the economic recovery

On November 26, half-year results for the six months to September 30 showed profits up 17 per cent to £12.8 million, sales up 9 per cent to £91  million and an 11 per cent increase in the dividend to 3.6p.

Pilkington expects further good progress this year and beyond, so brokers now anticipate profits up 8 per cent to £18.9 million for the year to March, with a 10 per cent rise in the dividend to 13.5p.


The company has been investing heavily in its rental fleet, so products are in top condition and customers are satisfied. Pilkington’s grandfather founded the firm and his family owns more than 50 per cent, so he is highly motivated to make the right decisions and pay decent dividends.


Midas verdict: As the housing market has roared back to life and construction has picked up, Vp has seen a healthy rise in sales and profits.


Government promises about infrastructure investment should fuel future growth. Investors who have seen returns of 77 per cent might wish to sell half their stock, but they should keep the rest of their shares.