AMR. Anyone into this? Price has trebled in 6 months - which might frighten some people, but I usually include one such aggressive grower in my portfolio if the story and chart look sound. At present I have this one and MNA (which has quadrupled in 12 months, but which I joined more recently).

Among other stuff, Armour Group produce hands-free kits for mobile phones in cars - and had plentiful stocks distributed ahead of this week's change in the law.

Some believe that they are expected to shortly announce a deal with one of the major mobile phone companies. Meanwhile the company recently doubled its size by taking over four companies (Veda,QED,Goldring,iMi)with niche markets at the top end of the built-in home entertainments market.


Listed on AIM. Official nms is 1000 shares, but marketmakers currently quote for 10,000 lots. Chairman is Bob Morton, whose name will be familiar to many as chairman of at least half a dozen other companies.

This is how The Mail saw things 10 days ago:

"GREEN lights are flashing at Armour Group, 2 1/4p up at 57p. The ban on motorists using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is extremely bullish news. Armour is the British market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of telemute leads, which are used by the main mobile phone networks when installing hands-free car kits. Demand for these kits should rocket."




NOTE: A LOT OF THE NEWS ITEMS LISTED FOR THIS COMPANY RELATE TO A US COMPANY WITH THE SAME TICKER.

Here is the statement from yesterday's agm:

RNS Number:0588T
Armour Group PLC
10 December 2003

ARMOUR GROUP PLC (THE "GROUP")
Annual General Meeting

Armour Group plc, the UK market leader in the design and supply of electronic
interconnects and fitting solutions for in-car entertainment/communications and
home hi-fi and entertainment markets is holding its Annual General Meeting at
11.00 today. Bob Morton, Chairman, will make the following statement:-

"The Group has had an excellent 2003. Our trading performance in the year to 31
August 2003 has demonstrated the underlying strength within the Group, in our
brands, our products and also our ability to successfully grow the Group both
organically and by acquisition.

Audio Electronics Division

The Audio Electronics Division has started the new financial year well with
operating profits in the first quarter to 30 November 2003 comfortably ahead of
our expectations and well ahead of last year.

The Veba brand of in-car DVD's, screens and accessories is making good progress
in the professional fit market place offering solutions to customers such as
Fiat, the Hartwell Group, Scania and Halfords, who have now started selling the
Veba range in over 230 of their stores. The new business pipeline for Veba is
very promising and our expectation is for a much bigger contribution from Veba
in 2004.

As the UK market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of telemute leads
that link mobile phone hands free car kits to the in-car entertainment systems,
we have been preparing ourselves for some months for the introduction of the new
legislation banning the use of mobile phones in cars other than in a hands free
car kit. Our build programme has ensured that we have had sufficient stocks of
telemute leads to meet the increased demand for this range of products, which
since the 1 September 2003 has seen sales increase by in excess 30% over the
comparable period last year. This increase in sales is rising month by month,
with the sales figure for November 2003 being 50% up on last year and 50% higher
than October 2003.

The CTI antenna business continues to perform well and is exceeding our
expectations. Its prospects for the current financial year are encouraging with
the introduction of new products, overseas sourcing and the securing of new
customers. In addition, we currently have under test with one of the major
mobile phone network providers in the UK a number of CTI's GSM vehicle mounted
antennas. We are confident as to the outcome of these tests and the ensuing
potential business, which could be significant in terms of CTI's existing sales.

Home Electronics
The acquisitions on 31 October 2003 of Veda, QED, Goldring and IMI to create the
Home Electronics Division were a key step forward for the Group. It has almost
doubled the size of the Group both in terms of sales and operating profits and
we are confident that these acquisitions will be earnings enhancing in current
financial year.

The home hi-fi and entertainment market is set to grow with the continued demand
for home theatre products and development of the emerging home automation
market, where multi-room systems will be a key component. Having acquired some
of the leading UK companies and brands serving the niches of electronic
interconnects and multi-room systems in the home hi-fi and entertainment market,
the Group, through the Home Electronics Division, is well placed to benefit from
this anticipated growth.

In the month since their acquisition, the companies making up the newly formed
Home Electronics Division have all traded in line with our expectations and
ahead of the comparable figures for last year.

The Group remains financially strong, the new financial year has started well
and a good potential new business pipeline further underlines the Board's
confidence with regard to the prospects for the Group"

Further Details:
George Dexter Armour Group PLC Tel: 01892 502700
Trevor Bass Fleet Financial Tel: 020 70670743

Veda is one of the leading wholesalers / distributors to high end specialist
retailers and custom installers in the hi-fi, home theatre and entertainment
market in the United Kingdom. It has been trading for over 20 years and
represents some of the premier brands in its niche including, amongst others,
QED, Goldring, Grado, Linn, Systemline, Sonance, Imerge and Lutron. In the
United Kingdom, Veda acts as the exclusive distributor for the QED and Goldring
product ranges. Based on the last audited financial statements to 30 September
2002, adjusted for inter-company management charges and known operational
changes in respect of property costs, Veda had sales of 10.1 million and
generated an operating profit of 0.75 million. The company is based in Bishops
Stortford and employs 27 people.

QED is one of the leading European designers and manufacturers of cable
interconnects and multi-room systems for the hi-fi, home theatre and
entertainment market. It was set up in 1973 to focus on the development of its
high quality hi-fi interconnects and is recognised as one of the premier brands
in this market. Over the last 10 years, QED has also developed, under the
Systemline and MusiQ brand names, a strong position in the market for multi-room
systems, whereby hi-fi stereo sound and video can be distributed to anywhere in
the home. Based on the last audited financial statements to 31 May 2003,
adjusted for inter-company management charges and known operational changes in
respect of property and research and development costs, QED had sales of 4.8
million and generated an operating profit of 0.39 million. The company is based
in Woking and employs 40 people.

Goldring designs and manufactures high specification styli for vinyl record
players. Its product range is targeted at the high end market and is sold
throughout the world. Goldring has long been associated with styli and record
turntables and is currently recognised as one of the leading brands of styli.
Based on the last audited financial statements to 31 July 2003, adjusted for
inter-company management charges, Goldring had sales of 1.3 million and
generated an operating profit of 0.33 million. The company is based in Bury St.
Edmunds and employs 8 people.

IMI is a custom installation business, which was set up in 1996 to service the
increasing demand in the high end property market for automated systems to
manage the home environment. It integrates home entertainment, computer
networking, lighting and telephone systems. IMI targets the 0.75 million and
above new build property market and has customers that are both house builders
and purchasers. Based on the last audited financial statements to 31 December
2001, adjusted for inter-company management charges, IMI had sales of 1.3
million and generated an operating profit of 0.13 million. The company is based
in Aldershot and employs 15 people.

On an aggregated basis and based on the last audited financial statements for
Veda, QED, Goldring and IMI, adjusted for inter-company sales and the
operational matters mentioned above, the four companies had aggregated third
party sales of 13 million, which generated an aggregated attributable operating
profit of 1.6 million.

The acquisitions are expected to be earnings enhancing in the current financial
year.

George Dexter, Chief Executive of the Group, commented:

"Veda, QED, Goldring and IMI are the market leaders in their niches. They either
own or represent some of the premier brands in the hi-fi, home theatre and
entertainment market. They are also profitable and cash generative. Taken
together, they offer critical size in their market-place. Through these
acquisitions, the Group will be well positioned to take advantage of the
considerable growth that is anticipated in the hi-fi, home theatre and
entertainment and home automation markets

And here's how Investors Chronicle described the company when listing is as one of their BUY tips on 16 October:


For a company that was struggling to find a sense of direction early last year, electronics equipment specialist Armour, certainly seems to have found its feet.

Having turned down an offer for its Audio Electronics division, 2002 began with plans to return cash to shareholders via a tender offer. That idea was rejected and the groups chairman, Roger Pinnington, was ousted.

Since then, new chairman and serial entrepreneur Bob Morton has boosted his stake in the company to a hefty 24.57 per cent. So it came as no real surprise when Armour hit the acquisition trail earlier this year.

In March Armour paid 2.1m for Continental Technologies and Investments (CTI) a European designer and manufacturer of specialist aerials and antennae for the automotive and marine aftermarkets. Although the manufacturing and sourcing synergies are yet to have a real impact on figures, results for the year to 31 August 2003 were still impressive.

Turnover from continuing operations grew to 15.1m (2002: 13.3m) while profits rose more than five-fold to 1.4m, comfortably beating expectations. Organic growth at Audio Electronics continued to benefit from the development of its Autoleads brand. The focus here is on a specialist range of connectivity solutions for in-car entertainment and communications. Meanwhile, its Veba brand of in-car audio visual products, which include DVDs, screens and accessories also performed well.

IC View: The group has a strong position in a growing niche market, with recognised brands and a healthy balance sheet including 3.4m in cash. We recommended buying the shares at 17p (IC 10 November 2000), and at an all-time high of 47p, although highly rated, it's worth holding on for more upside. Buy.

A very good tip!! Will adquire it once i see a buying dip signal. I am also with MNA (monterrico metals) which as feature in Shares Mag, page 68 a Strong Buy price Target: above 350 pence.