PapalPower
- 30 Jul 2007 09:24


Main Web Site : http://www.firstartist.com/index.asp
20th June 2007 Broker Note : http://www.esnips.com/web/PPOtherStuff/
Major News/Events :
Trading Update July 2007
First Artist Corporation plc, is one of the worlds leading integrated marketing, sport and entertainment management businesses. Our companies are recognised experts in entertainment and sport representation, wealth and media management, advertising and events, and the complementary nature of their skills makes our offer truly exciting.
Group Web Sites :
MARKETING
http://www.sponsorshipconsulting.co.uk
http://www.newman-displays.com/
http://www.dewynters.com
http://www.theatremerchandise.com/
http://www.firstrights.co.uk/
SPORT
http://www.firstartistsport.com/
http://www.firstartistscandinavia.dk/
WEALTH
http://www.optimalwm.com/
EVENT MANAGEMENT
http://www.finishingtouchevents.co.uk/
ENTERTAINMENT
http://www.firstnci.com/
Broker Forecast 25th June 2007 :
2007 PTP 2.6m
2007 EPS 13.30p
2008 PTP 3.6m
2008 EPS 15.70p
PapalPower
- 30 Jul 2007 13:26
- 9 of 55
Yes, at the time of the acquisition then, a share consolidation too.
HARRYCAT
- 30 Jul 2007 16:26
- 10 of 55
Am tempted with this one, but if there is a big market correction, I feel that this sector will not be immune.
On my watch list.
andysmith
- 30 Jul 2007 21:13
- 11 of 55
Papal, better header than my page with more research info, same conclusion though, this should be a double-bagger if not more once results are in. so much growth potential and cross-selling opportunities. FAN is on the up.
PapalPower
- 23 Aug 2007 15:44
- 12 of 55
Bit of interest returning to FAN.
Fred1new
- 23 Aug 2007 18:29
- 13 of 55
With a chart like this one Andy I would think you are going short.
andysmith
- 23 Aug 2007 20:17
- 14 of 55
Not likely, the forecasted earnings have FAN on PE <7. In the current market this is exactly the type of company to invest in. More likely to be adding.
Big Al
- 23 Aug 2007 20:27
- 15 of 55
I bought these for growth in the SIPP, but the trend changed to down so I flogged them a few weeks back. ;-(
halifax
- 23 Aug 2007 21:19
- 16 of 55
So did I.
andysmith
- 23 Aug 2007 21:41
- 17 of 55
The sp dropped when the overall market wobbled and some people have banked their profits, I will never argue with that however nothing has changed with the company. Forecast earnings and growth are strong, once confirmed with results the share price will respond. IMO Under-rated on forward EPS.
PapalPower
- 30 Aug 2007 12:34
- 18 of 55
Tomorrow is the last day of the financial year, so hopefully we can have a pre-close trading update soon, which should set the scene for results hopefully around late Oct or early Nov.
PapalPower
- 04 Sep 2007 08:41
- 20 of 55
Well, Footy may only now be 20% of what FAN do, but its nice to read this for the Football side of things :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6976231.stm
Monday, 3 September 2007
TV deal 'fuels transfer spending'
Liverpool paid 20.5m for Fernando Torres this summer.
New owners and a massive television broadcasting deal have helped English football clubs spend more than 530m on players this summer, a survey says.
The study, by Deloitte............
PapalPower
- 06 Sep 2007 09:16
- 21 of 55
First Artist Corporation PLC
06 September 2007
First Artist Corporation plc
('First Artist' or 'the Group')
The Finishing Touch Signs Major Contract with
The Training and Development Agency for Schools
First Artist Corporation plc, the integrated marketing, sport and entertainment management group, today announces that it has signed a three year contract through its event management subsidiary, The Finishing Touch, with the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA). Included within the contract is the option to extend for a further two years.
The Finishing Touch will be responsible for delivering the TDA's training events programme aimed at 'securing an effective school workforce that improves
children's life chances'.
The Finishing Touch has an established relationship within the public sector,
having worked with a division of the TDA over the past four years. In the
Group's audited accounts for the 10 months to August 2006, the contribution to
First Artist revenues from the public sector totalled 1.4 million. Management
expectations are that this new enhanced contract, which will commence
immediately, will be materially larger than this on an annual basis.
The TDA is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for
Children, Schools and Families. It also has a close working relationship with
the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
Richard Hughes, Group Managing Director of First Artist, commented:
'We are delighted to be awarded this contract as it represents a considerable
development in the relationship with the TDA and comes at the end of an extended and particularly competitive tendering process. It is a clear endorsement of the quality of work that The Finishing Touch undertakes and we look forward to further developing our successful partnership with the agency'.
- ends -
PapalPower
- 06 Sep 2007 09:48
- 22 of 55
Look like upgrades will be coming, from the wording by DS this morning, they need to investigate how big this will be....... :)
First Artist - BUY
Price: 93p Target price: 174p Analyst: James Hollins | 020 7776 6571
Contract win
First Artist has announced a significant contract win with the Training & Development Agency (TDA).
The two groups have worked together before, but this contract augments the relationship.
First Artist, via its event management division The Finishing Touch, has signed a three-year deal (option to extend for a further two years) to deliver the TDAs training events in the UK.
Although currently unquantified in terms of scale and scope, the contract is forecast to deliver materially higher annual revenue than the 1.4m historically generated by First Artist from the public sector.
Ahead of clarifying the potential scale of the contract, this underpins our bullish stance on the group and we retain our Buy recommendation and 174p price target.
On existing numbers, the group is trading at 7.0x FY07E.
PapalPower
- 10 Sep 2007 13:15
- 23 of 55
First Artist Corporation PLC 10 September 2007
First Artist Corporation plc
Director/PDMR Shareholding
First Artist Corporation plc (AIM: FAN) (the 'Company'), the integrated
marketing, sport and entertainment management group, announces that Richard
Hughes, the Group Managing Director, has today notified the Company that on 7
September 2007 he acquired, through his personal pension plan, an interest in
10,000 ordinary shares of 2.5p each in the capital of the Company ('Shares') at
a price of 101.25 pence per share.
Following this transaction, Mr Hughes now holds 136,799 Shares, which represent
1% of the Company's issued share capital.
PapalPower
- 12 Sep 2007 15:15
- 24 of 55
Looking nice today :)
PapalPower
- 13 Sep 2007 07:30
- 25 of 55
Sounds good.
RNS Number:7750D
First Artist Corporation PLC
13 September 2007
First Artist Corporation plc
("First Artist" or "the Group")
Final Earn-Out Payment
Optimal Wealth Management Limited
First Artist Corporation plc, the integrated marketing, sport and entertainment
management group, is pleased to announce that its wealth management company,
Optimal Wealth Management Limited ("Optimal") has exceeded the second and final
set of financial performance targets detailed under the terms of the acquisition agreement dated 21st July 2005. As a result the sellers of the company have achieved maximum earn-out payments. Following the earn-out payments, the total consideration paid is #3 million.
Optimal, formerly known as ABG Financial Management Limited, has achieved a 16%
like for like increase in operating profit for the year ended 30th June 2007,
totalling #964,180. The increase resulted from organic growth within the
business and the continued benefits of integration within the First Artist groupof companies.
Fisher Family Office LLP, the joint venture set up last year with financial
services firm H W Fisher & Company, has now started to produce positive income,
with further growth opportunities being generated.
As a result of the agreed performance targets being exceeded, the second and
final tranche of earn-out consideration has become payable to the sellers of
Optimal ("Optimal Sellers"). This consideration is to be satisfied by (in
aggregate):
*The payment by the Company to the Optimal Sellers of #450,000 in cash.
*The allotment by the Company to the Optimal Sellers of 391,700 new
ordinary shares of 2.5 pence each in the capital of the Company ("New
Ordinary Shares") on the basis of an average mid-market price of 96.10 pence per New Ordinary Share. The Optimal Sellers have agreed not to dispose of
any New Ordinary Shares for a period of 12 months following allotment.
Application has therefore been made for the admission of the New Ordinary Shares to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. Upon issue, the New Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu with the Company's existing Ordinary Shares. It is expected that admission will become effective and that dealings in the New Ordinary Shares will commence on 19th September 2007 ("Admission"). Following Admission, the Company will have a total issued share capital of 13,503,036 Ordinary Shares.
Jon Smith, Chief Executive of First Artist Corporation plc, said:
"Optimal has proved to be a very profitable and earnings enhancing acquisition
for our shareholders, and with the directors of Optimal agreeing to new
contracts with the company the future prosperity of the business continues to be assured, with further opportunities for growth".
PapalPower
- 13 Sep 2007 10:59
- 26 of 55
DS comment this morning.
First Artist - BUY
Price: 105p Target price: 174p
Code: FAN.L Analyst: James Hollins | 020 7776 6571
Strong trading in Optimal Wealth
First Artist has announced that its wealth management division, Optimal, has exceeded the terms of its earn-out performance targets.
This will result in the payment of 450k to the vendors, as well as the issue of 391.7k new shares (recipients locked-in for 12 months). These are included in our forecasts and equate to a full acquisition consideration for Optimal of 3.0m.
Optimal is trading well (+16% LFL EBIT growth in FY to June 2007, driven by organic and cross-sell growth) and, critically, the directors have agreed to new contracts to remain within the group.
Elsewhere within the wealth management division, Fisher Family Office (jv with HW Fisher) has started to produce positive income, with strong business generation leads.
Despite the positive newsflow, there is no immediate change to our forecasts and we reiterate our Buy recommendation and 174p price target.
PapalPower
- 17 Sep 2007 07:12
- 27 of 55
Lovely, and broker forecasts are :
Broker Forecast 30th July 2007 :
2007 PTP 2.6m
2007 EPS 13.26p
2008 PTP 3.6m
2008 EPS 15.66p
************************************************
http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200709170701149186D
First Artist Corporation PLC 17 September 2007
First Artist Corporation plc
('First Artist' or 'the Group')
Year end close trading statement and final results release date
First Artist Corporation plc, the integrated marketing, sport and entertainment
management group is pleased to issue a trading statement for the year ending
31st August 2007. Preliminary results for the year ending 31st August 2007 will
be released on Monday 19th November 2007.
Revenue in all divisions has increased over last year in line with market
expectations, with a strong pipeline of contracted income already in place for
the coming year. Significant investment has been made in information, management and operating systems, resulting in an important enhancement of the management's ability to execute its growth strategy.
Performance within the group's five divisions is summarised below;
Events
Corporate event revenues are ahead of last year and, following the recent
significant Public Sector contract win this division has had a strong finish to
the year.
Marketing
Following their successful integration into the Group, which considerably
expanded this division, both Dewynters' UK and US operations along with Newman
Displays, the UK's leading front of house and fascia display company, continue
to deliver strong growth. The division has been heavily involved with a
significant number of new West End shows this year, including Grease and Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, both of which had very high profile
launches through their associations with prime time television programmes. Other projects the division has worked on include the heavily marketed film launches of Simpsons the Movie and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as well as the handling of the US merchandising rights for Young Frankenstein, a musical soon to be opening on Broadway, further developing the US merchandising business which currently has contracts with hits, The Color Purple and The Phantom of the Opera (Las Vegas).
First Rights, which was established in May 2007, acting on behalf of rights
holders has already completed three deals, including developing a sponsorship
strategy and implementation plan for The Art of The Simpsons and a leading
Football League Championship club.
Wealth
Optimal Wealth Management has increased revenues and maximised on its earn-out,
as announced on 13th September 2007. Post earn-out completion, senior management have been retained on new contracts.
Entertainment
This division has had a solid year with many client revenues increasing. The
business is now working with programme production companies to develop new
programme formats for its clients, which are expected to complete next year.
Sport
This division has had its best performance for a considerable number of years
completing over 120 deals throughout the division, of which 17 were
international deals, many involving collaboration between our UK and
international group offices.
Jon Smith, Chief Executive of First Artist Corporation plc, said:
'This year has been a great success with growth in all divisions and further
sizeable growth already contracted for the coming years. We have witnessed a
step change for the group with all acquisitions now fully integrated and each
experiencing strong trading. I would like to thank all staff and senior
management for facilitating such smooth transition. The group is now positioned
to enter that next stage in its development as a major player in the
entertainment delivery sector'.
Enquiries
First Artist Corporation plc
Jon Smith, Chief Executive
Richard Hughes, Group Managing Director Tel: +44(0) 208 900 1818
Bell Pottinger Corporate & Financial
Ann-Marie Wilkinson / Peter Otero Tel: +44(0) 207 861 3232
Dawnay, Day Corporate Finance Limited
David Floyd Tel: +44(0) 207 509 4570
PapalPower
- 20 Sep 2007 11:19
- 28 of 55
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2fb2b586-6580-11dc-bf89-0000779fd2ac.html
West End resurgence lifts First Artist
By Roger Blitz, Leisure Industries Correspondent
Published: September 18 2007 03:00 | Last updated: September 18 2007 03:00
A resurgent West End helped boost revenues last year at First Artist Corporation, the marketing, sport and entertainment management businesses.
The Aim-listed group benefited from theatre advertising of West End shows such as Grease and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
West End theatres are enjoying record attendances, ticket revenue, and advance booking revenue. Ticket revenues in 2006 broke 400m for the first time, up nearly 5 per cent on the previous year.
Theatreland attracted more than 12m visitors last year and contributed to the wider UK economy in terms of tax revenues and restaurants and bars, with film or TV-linked musicals in the vanguard.
Jon Smith, chief executive, said live entertainment was in demand in spite of higher new technology spending.
"There is a counter-balance in the marketplace. People are spending more and more time on live entertainment," Mr Smith said.
"You can't download it. It was our belief that the more people buy into technology, the more they will also go out and enjoy themselves in equal size and proportion."
Issuing a year-end trading statement, First Artist said revenues in all its five divisions rose over the past year in line with expectations and a strong pipeline ofcontracted income was in place for the coming year.
Client revenues rose in its entertainments division, working with programme production companies to develop new formats, and the company completed 120 football deals in the year.
First Artist bought Dewynters, the theatre marketing agency, last year, as well as Newman Displays, the front-of-house and fascia display company, both of which were heavily involved in the promotion of high-profile West End shows.
The wealth management and events divisions were both ahead of last year. The shares fell p to 105p.