Web Site : http://www.universe-group.co.uk/

HTEC Web Site : http://www.htec.co.uk/

ABOUT UNIVERSE GROUP PLC

The retail and information systems company whose main trade name is HTEC.
HTEC is an international supplier of electronic payment, transaction and loyalty systems to the retail and communication sectors.
HTEC is an international group, providing integrated technology based services to the retail, telecommunications and business sectors.

LOYALTY SOLUTIONS - EUROPE
HTEC has vast experience in all areas of customer loyalty from hardware, software and installation to polling, database management and reporting.
Utilising the latest techniques in datamining. HTEC extract the true value of customer loyalty programmes - providing information, not just data, to enable companies to improve their business by establishing longer, more profitable relationships with their customers.
HTEC caters for both magnetic stripe and smart card platforms, and multi-retailer schemes.
Solutions for magnetic cards can also include options to convert systems to smart card.
From complete stand-alone terminals to fully integrated systems that interact with existing EPOS and management systems, HTEC focuses on the smooth implementation of loyalty programmes, with minimum disruption to business.

ELECTRONIC POINT OF SALE (EPOS) SYSTEMS AND ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER (EFTPOS) - UK RETAIL
HTEC design and manufacture high quality, integrated EPOS and EFTPOS systems for the forecourt, hospitality and high street retail sectors. HTEC systems are designed to maximise speed at the checkout, minimise management effort and bring total compatibility with existing systems.
One such system is the EFT Gemini payment terminal - a single unit designed to accept virtually any non-cash payment and which is compatible with both magnetic stripe and smart cards. The Gemini EFT terminal can provide APACS 30 on-line authorisation from aquiring banks. It also provides a ready made, flexible loyalty infrastructure.

SPECIALIST TECHNOLOGY SERVICES - EUROPE
HTECS's specialist technology services offer design, manufacture and assembly of innovative products and new technology experts in PCB design, HTEC are at the leading edge of bespoke manufacturing cabability - delivering high quality products to meet a variety of telecommunications and international standards including BABT, CSA and FCC

The latest GECR update for UNG (March 2006), I hope they are right on UNG as they were on HML, a rerating this year on pr EPS of 3p would mean a move from the present 18p up to 40p+.

Fingers crossed, results due around Wednesday this week, I think.



Universe Group**

Key Data
EPIC UNG
Price 17.25p
Spread 16.5 - 17.75P
NMS 2000
Market cap. 10.17 Million pounds
12 month range 13 - 27.25P
Market AIM
Sector Technology
Contact Ray Mackie
020 7287 0888

It has been a tough couple of years for AM listed Universe. The 9/11 attacks severely hit the number of US tourists prepared to travel to Europe and that caused a sharp downturn in trade at the company's Bureau de Change business, Universe responded by closing all marginal outlets. The chain has been reduced in size by two thirds but has been restored to profitability. An added blow was that Universe's start-up money transfer business First Remit failed to make the headway expected and indeed became an unacceptable cash drain and was sold for an undisclosed sum last year.

The saving grace throughout this period has been HTEC, a division which installs and maintains credit card loyalty and payment systems, principally for petrol retailers and hotels. Chip n'pin has been a bonus for HTEC but it also operates in a long term growth market. Desperate to both squeeze costs (for instance by replacing staff with automatic payment systems, and to enhance brand loyalty), big names such as Shell (SHEL), BP (BP.), Texaco, Total, Asda, Argos and Esso are all lining up to install HTEC's systems.

If Universe were to dispose of its remain bureau de change units which, since they are now profitable, it could well do, we believe that its remaining HTEC business would then be valued on a similar multiple to other technology stocks. Given that this one division could well have generated earnings of 2.5p in 2005 and could be on track to deliver 3p or more this year, valuing it on a mid-teens price earnings multiple would see the shares re-rated, from the current 17.75p, very significantly. Until this necessary measure is taken, shareholders have - as a not insignificant consolation - a yield of 4.2% as a reward for holding the stock.

Should be results week this week, around 29th March (but this is not confirmed, just best guess). Bring them on.

L2 moving up now, 4 v 1

Building up now :)

lets hope it's sustainable this time

L2 is 2 v 1

Finishing up at the end must mean results in the morning.

Hope so... let's hope the're cosmic as well and the SP goes into orbit !

Good luck to the few of us that hold these ,like you say skyhigh hope there good and attract some interest!

They should support the price at a new higher range if they are good, I think those big gains in the SP will come at interims as we will have much higher EPS (hoping for 1.5p for 6 months with a full year 3p target in this current year of 2006) and also we have the chance of other news.

Solid, 1.8p EPS last year, and an "excellent" outlook !!


RNS Number:6341A
Universe Group PLC
30 March 2006

UNIVERSE GROUP PLC

UNAUDITED PRELIMINARY RESULTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2005

Universe Group plc, ("Universe" or the "Company"), the retail and information
systems company, is pleased to announce its unaudited Preliminary Results for
the year ended 31 December 2005.

Key Points:

* Operating profit on continuing business #1,747,000 (2004: #1,356,000)
* Earnings per share on continuing business of 1.8p (2004: 1.3p)
* Profit before tax #1,201,000 (2004: #751,000 on continuing business)
* International money transfer business sold.
* Proposed final dividend of 0.25p making a total for the year of 0.5p

Commenting, Ray Mackie, Chairman of Universe said:

"In 2005 we achieved an operating profit on our continuing business of
#1,747,000 compared to #1,356,000 last year. We have adopted IFRS and group
operating profits on this basis are struck after what were formerly accounted
for as exceptional items but before the results of the International Money
Transfer discontinued operations.

"Our sales on continuing business were #17.6million against #16.6million for
2004. On this figure we achieved a profit before tax of #1.2million (2004 -
#751,000). Our earnings per share on continuing business are 1.8 pence per
share, against 1.3 pence last year on a comparable basis.

"While trading at our Currency Division remains satisfactory the prospects for HTEC are excellent. The newer Chip & PIN enabled products and our on-line
services are being established fast. These give us a growth platform in our main customer base of petrol retail and also other sectors."

Moving on to this current year (2006), I reckon that 3p EPS is achievable, so the current year PER rating is very low.

Agreed good results but shame they have cut the dividend down,

I like this bit the best and it could lead to big money.
They could fit all new pumps with there payment system at
the point of manufacture. The deals with asda morrisons and
clinton cards are the bread and butter so this deal with
the pump manufactures could give us the extra revenue we need.

Hydra OPT

The Hydra Outdoor Payment Terminal, the first fully approved OPT for use with
Chip & PIN, is in use at ASDA and, on a pilot basis, at Morrisons. Hydra OPT is
being converted to Chip & PIN across the ASDA estate. Important relationships
have been established with pump providers and anticipate that this will lead to
further Hydra OPT installations. In this regard we are working with Gilbarco and
Wayne, the two leading petrol pump providers to integrate HydraOPT into their
pump heads. This is a very exciting extension to our business.

Thus far we have an OPT fully integrated with Gilbarco's SK700 Euroline and
earlier this month, at the International Forecourt and Fuel Equipment Show, we
exhibited the solution for the Wayne 9000. An OPT integrated with the Wayne
Global Star will follow soon.

Ted, the Hydra OPT being installed by OEM's at pump manufacture is very exciting, its open many doors for HTEC and leads to possibly some decent revenue upgrades :)

Lets hope say hey PP.
Nice to see the tick up also this morning.

Full results statement at the link below :

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=200603300700316341A

Latest Broker Forecasts

Charles Stanley 30th March 2006 ACC

2006 Pre Tax Profit 1.7M
2006 EPS 2.1p
2006 Div 0.6p

2007 PTP 2.1m
2007 EPS 2.4p
2007 Div 0.7p

So why is this share going down.. when it should be going up ?
It's now down to it's lowest bid level... :(

End of tax year I think, last trading day tomorrow, so will be a few stocks hit with sells today and tomorrow.

Short term, give it some time and UNG will be moving back up into the interim results in September.