Marchpole is one of those stocks which have had a really bad time. Boardroom battles, losses, price collapse, profit warnings up the ying yang.

Now all of those things seem to be sorted out, new management are getting to grips, new contracts and the price is on the up. So much so that Monday ought to see a 50/200 day MA golden cross.

DYOR of course, but I think I will be putting a few of these away at the open.

Socco

Emanuel Ungaro is perhaps their best signing todate

French fashion designer Emanuel Ungaro formed Emanuel Ungaro S.A. in 1965 after spending some six years working alongside the Spanish designer at the fashion house Cristobal Balenciaga. He quickly established his own sense of fashion on the international scene, with his first pret a porter collection launched in 1968 as well as his first flagship boutique in avenue Montaigne, Paris.

In the 30 years which followed, he has established his house as one of the premier fashion design houses in the world, with an extensive clientele including many celebrities. In 1973 he launched his first menswear collection, Ungaro Pour Homme, opening a Pour Homme store on avenue Montaigne in 1974. In 1980 and 1981, Emanuel Ungaro received the Golden Thimble Award for his
contributions to fashion, and became a figure of reference in the fashion world.

The celebrity client list of Emanuel Ungaro includes Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Penelope Cruz, Liz Hurley, Catherine Zeta Jones and Sharon Stone.

The Company has appointed JosLy to inspire and create the Emmanuel Ungaro and Ungaro collections. JosLy is famous for his tailored menswear and has formerly worked with Holland & Holland, Nina Ricci and Cacharel. He has also produced his own collections which have met with critical acclaim.

Has been posted on advfn today, certainly looks good for the future...


DRAPERS RECORD 11th December 2004

Marchpole poised to buy Louis Faud

By Chris Curtis and Jessica Brown

Menswear supplier Marchpole is on the brink of buying Louis Faud to add to its brand stable. The UK business is understood to be in negotiations to take on the brand, which is in administration in Germany.

Other UK businesses have run the rule over Faud and various options, from a licence deal for the rights to Louis Faud menswear in the UK through to purchasing the entire brand, are said to be available. Marchpole is understood to be keen to buy the business outright.

Marchpole chief executive Greg Tufnell said: Its no secret that were on the lookout for deals. Faud has come across my desk and were looking at it because it fits our criteria, but I cant comment on how far negotiations have progressed.

One well-placed menswear source said: Marchpole has been looking at it for a few months and is at the deep legal conversation stage. Everyone expects it to lose YSL (when the licence runs out in spring 07), but Louis Faud is the kind of label that could really help take up the slack. Its strong on mens formalwear but not as strong on casualwear, and I would expect Marchpole to ease the entry point lower to boost volume of sales.

YSL tailoring is pitched between 199 and 249, slightly below Faud at 299 to 399. The Egomark agency handles menswear sales in the UK with around 45 accounts including John Lewis, Slater Menswear, Hoopers and Moss Bros. De Keyser Fashions handles the womenswear, which has around 50 UK accounts.

Another source said: Faud doesn't have very wide distribution any more and the previous owners have struggled to make it pay. The brand was very strong in the 1980s but doesnt have much recognition now. Marchpole will put a lot behind it and the idea is it will be a replacement for YSL when the licence agreement runs out.

The improved financial performance of Marchpole over the past two years has put the business in an acquisitive and expansive mood. It is also understood to be interested in Cerruti, whose Italian parent FinPart is in financial trouble, and is considering ambitious plans to open distribution channels in the US.

It is thought the company is seeking someone to represent it in the US, and is believed to have approached former Camper and Boxfresh director Mark Giltrow with an autumn 05 launch in mind.

One source added that: Marchpole wants to use an agency operation run by someone who knows how the UK works because it feels it will be easier to manage. Giltrow would understand how the company wants things done and what adjacencies it is looking for.

Tufnell would not be drawn on immediate plans but said: We want to develop global brands rather than territorial brands to open up the biggest markets, such as China and the US.

Found in the Telegraph today (26th December)

Marchpole fashions a new future

Two and a half years ago, Marchpole (27.75p), the group which licences and distributes up-market fashion brands, was on the brink of collapse. It was seen as too reliant on its main asset, the Yves Saint Laurent licence in the UK.

Since then Greg Tufnell, the chief executive, has patched up the group, which moved back into profit earlier this year. Tufnell has signed new deals with Ozwald Boateng, the Ungaro label and has bought Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, one of the best-known Paris fashion houses.

The shares have been hit recently by concerns that changes at Gucci, which owns the YSL label, will mean Marchpole will lose its licence in 2007. This is likely but Tufnell is already on the lookout for more labels. The other issue is a nasty breach of contract dispute with Boateng. But even if that is not settled, Marchpole has a contract to use the brand until 2009.

We last tipped the shares at just 4.25p in April 2002. While they have risen by more than six-fold, Tufnell should yet squeeze out more value and readers should keep buying.

MPH treading water waiting for bounce back above 30p and beyond to higher highs.Timely reminder to keep on buying.good value here.

mph on the march again...short term 32p then retest 40 ... imo, dyor

016622: As the Telegraph said on 26 December 2004, keep buying!

Nice time to top up. As the Telegraph said on 26 December 2004, keep buying!

09/11/04 08:31 Marchpole Holdings (MPH)
Marchpole sees continuing success at FY after strong H1 UPDATE

LONDON (AFX) - Marchpole Holdings PLC, which designs, produces and sells clothing and accessories for six world class brands including Yves Saint Laurent, Boateng and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, said its continuing success will be reflected in results for the full year.

The comments came alongside strong figures for the six months ended Oct 2 2004 which showed profit before tax up 216 pct to 2.5 mln stg from 0.8 mln on turnover up 97 pct to 15.7 mln stg from 8.0 mln.

Operating profit was up 194 pct to 2.6 mln stg.

The board also declared an interim dividend of 0.25 pence, compared with nil a year earlier.

Marchpole Holdings PLC
28 September 2004
For immediate release
MARCHPOLE HOLDINGS PLC
( the 'Company')
Holding in the Company

The Company was notified on 24 September 2004 that Man Financial Limited, a
member of Man Group PLC, is the beneficial holder of 5,395,000 ordinary shares
of 1p each in the Company, representing 4.07 per cent. of the issued share
capital of the Company.

And there's that big buyer again. 150K buy has just gone through!

It's more appropriate to compare Marchpole with Burberry than Next, as they are also into the higher end of the market:

Burberry Group plc interim results
16/11/2004

Burberry Group plc reports interim results for its first half to 30 September 2004.
Financial Highlights
Total revenues increased 14% on an underlying* basis to 347 million
Retail revenues increased 12% underlying
Wholesale revenues increased 13% underlying
Licensing revenue increased 31% underlying
Gross profit margin expanded from 55.6% to 58.6%
EBITA** increased 18% (22% underlying) to 78.8m
EBITA margin expanded from 20.8% to 22.7%
Diluted EPS before goodwill amortisation and exceptional gain increased 20% to 10.8p
Interim dividend increased 33% to 2.0p per Ordinary Share

grevis

Felt I had to do a post as you appear to be aiming for the record in consecutive posts at 6! Sorry to spike your guns. Burberry figures good and demonstrate the move to quality. Next figures today poor at 2% up over previous Christmas and left with a lot of stock which is slow to move in the sales. Do you see MPH as impervious to internet sales - Next suffering with terrific growth in ASC, for instance, whilst their own on-line sales, though top in the market, is small percent of total.

Eric

Next got their stocking levels wrong which were higher than originally planned!!!

The group said that retail August 3rd to December 24th rose 12.1% year-on-year. Total like-for-like sales rose 0.5%, better than the flat level most were expecting. But clearance rates in its end-of-season sale were below its own expectations, it admitted, on stock levels that were higher than originally planned..........................Numis saying that any weakness would create buying opportunities in Ted Baker (down 8.5p to 474.5p) and Burberry (down 6p to 400p). Investors were also upbeat on the outcome for WH Smith, as its shares added 7.75p to 317.75p.........From UK-Analyst.com: January 5th 2004

Note ASC off recent 90p highs and down again today.Like to add Marchpole to that list of buying opportunities!


MPH-Expansion into Asia with new store openings planned in 2005.This month see`s the worldwide (exc USA)launch of the A/W collection of the Ungaro and Emanuel Ungaro ranges, Under the Agreement, Marchpole will be producing two men's collections per season.Good fundamentals,very successful in delivering year on year growth.Trading update soon and time to be buying and buying on weakness.Growth and company paying a dividend.Gets my vote.Markets down on sentiment today.Good buying opportunity.Resistance @ 30p.Holding.imho,dyor.

Marchpole sees continuing success at FY after strong H1 UPDATE
AFX


(adds current trading detail)

LONDON (AFX) - Marchpole Holdings PLC, which designs, produces and sells clothing and accessories for six world class brands including Yves Saint Laurent, Boateng and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, said its continuing success will be reflected in results for the full year.

The comments came alongside strong figures for the six months ended Oct 2 2004 which showed profit before tax up 216 pct to 2.5 mln stg from 0.8 mln on turnover up 97 pct to 15.7 mln stg from 8.0 mln.

Operating profit was up 194 pct to 2.6 mln stg.

The board also declared an interim dividend of 0.25 pence, compared with nil a year earlier.

YSL and Boateng combined Spring Summer 2005 order books are up 11 pct to 11.0 mln stg from 9.9 mln at same time last year. The JCC Spring Summer 2005 sales order book is at 2.5 mln stg.

Chief executive Greg Tufnell said the strong set of half year results; the successful launch and integration of Jean Charles de Castelbajac and the opening of the flagship store in Paris and the new licence agreement with Emanuel Ungaro show that Marchpole is succeeding in its strategy of developing current brands while extending the portfolio through acquisitions and licensing agreements.

The group's overall Autumn Winter 2004 order book currently stands at over 16.6 mln stg of which 86 pct has already been delivered to customers to date.

Excluding JCC there is a like for like improvement in the Autumn Winter 2004 order books of 28 pct for the YSL and Boateng brands compared to this time last year.

With these results, including the first season of JCC, and the new licence with Emanuel Ungaro in September the group is fulfilling its strategy of developing new brands and expanding the business -- a strategy which it intends to continue. The board said it is also currently in discussion with third parties to advance new opportunities both in terms of licensing and brand acquisitions.

newsdesk@afxnews.com

slm/

lex1000

Thanks for that. You're preaching to the coverted with me. I am playing a CFD which is going well and will probably add to it. Meets the 3:1 upside criteria.

Eric

Good morning all, good news I think!

http://moneyam.uk-wire.com/cgi-bin/articles/200501100700141637H.html

P

Sales appear to have fallen off, despite Xmas period (15.7M - 6mths, 21.8M - 9mths). Average for 6 mths is 2.62M/mth, for 9 mths 2.42M/mth, and last 3 mths down to 2.03M/mth.

Xmas just gone has been tough for all retailers. Still a healthy profit IMHO.

I don't see a reference to the profit to 9 mths in the RNS. Any idea?

Not yet. Wiil wait for the day to unfold and see if there are any more updates. Haven't got time at work to day to investigate unfortunately.

P