Hello, Share Slammers. For most of my investing life, I’ve viewed cinema companies darkly. Ever since the ‘fifties, there has always been some sort of major competition for the way we spend our spare time. Back then it was TV. Then it was ten-pin bowling, next discos and so on. Now cinemas are threatened by widescreen tellies, Netflix, i-player, computer gaming and loads of other kinds of entertainment...

Last month a “Progress with PREtec field trials in Brazil” announcement from Plant Health Care (PHC) saw the shares soar towards 9p. They had since slid back to 7.5p – and today a “Pilot production of PREtec peptides” announcement…

I start by discussing visiting my local chemist and a few more thoughts on the canabbis bubble referring the hound Highland Natural Resources (HNR) which is transitioning and now wishes to be known as the bitch ZOE. I comment on Versarien (VRS) and the shocking Iconic (ICON) RNS. Then I go to town on Telit (TCM) and its interims where the numbers simply make no sense at all.

Back in May I suggested buying shares in Ferrexpo (FXPO) at 207p on the basis that the sharp fall in the share price on the news of the resignation of the auditor was overdone and that a rally to 250p was likely. The good news for those that saw 250p as a target was that it was hit in short order, with the shares going on to 285p...

The AIM casino ramp de jour Versarien (VRS) has made great claims about its US operations but if you start digging it all looks rather less transparent so here are a few easy questions for the twitter obessessed CEO Neill Ricketts.

Developer and manufacturer of carbon ceramic brakes products Surface Transforms (SCE) has announced results for its year ended 31st May 2019, emphasising “the past 15 months, and more particularly the three-month period of contract awards since 31 May 2019, have been transformational in the development of Surface Transforms. The company now has multi-year, multi million revenue contracts”. Sounds good – but the shares are currently little changed at still sub 20p…

AIM-listed Ariana (AAU) has been drilling and sampling at its 50% JV-owned Tavsan project in the hope that a decent resource will support expansion plans for the nearby Kiziltepe plant to 50,000 oz of gold production per year, up from the current 25,000 oz mark. The news this morning looks good.

Iconic Labs (ICON) stinks for numerous reasons including those discussed HERE. No doubt I will be accused of homophobia but its latest deal, to buy the IP of Gay Star News, including the website www.gaystarnews.com, a website focused on events related to and concerning the global LGBTI community for just £1 is a joke.

Something a little different this morning and that is another quick look at the AIM market-listed Abcam (ABC), which I last wrote about back in March. Back then I concluded about the "pretty fascinating company making, sourcing and selling a range of 'highly validated biological binders and assays to help study the important targets in critical biological pathways'" that:

Britain’s constitutional crisis has hit before the next great spasm of Europe’s intractable monetary crisis. But they are in close competition. The eurozone faces a category five economic storm. It is structurally defenceless as the world slides into recession. This will not be an ordinary downturn because central banks no longer have the instruments to fight it. If there is an October election in the UK - and if it delivers a bigger Tory majority as polls suggest - EU leaders will have to decide whether to risk adding the shock of a no-deal Brexit to all the other shocks hitting their industries...

Hello, Share Bunnies. A famous high street store with a fine tradition is the bicycle king Halfords (HFD). It also does healthy items like camping gear, electric bikes and kids’ scooters. So it’s with some sadness that I am still avoiding the shares. And that’s mainly because the situation facing our big retail chains is just not getting any better. Sir Philip Green’s empire has just reported big losses, for example...

Cabot Energy (CAB) suddenly seems to have become very popular for such a small AIM oil company, and given the recent news on a forthcoming discounted fundraise, I’m surprised that people are paying a huge premium to that.

I have already covered the laughable claim made by Watchstone (WTG), Quindell as was, against Slater & Gordon (SGH). Watchstone has made great hay about the conterclaim which ithe gophers of the deadwood press have swallowed hook, ine and sinker. But the actual court papers, below, are damning for Watchstone/Quindell. 

This has nothing to do with Woodford of Burford or Rob Terry or anything. It's the end of the weekend and we've organised a quick pub quiz. Grab your own beer, there are no prizes, and for Pete's sake, no Googleing!

The Sunday Times has a major expose on St James Place (SJP) based on testimony of an ex employee. It is truly shocking stuff although not shocking for me as St James pursued my late Uncle Chris very aggressively. What this firm does to screw clients and to reward staff who shaft those clients is repellent and shames capitalism. I hope the firm goes bust and its workers never work again. and it may happen...

Is there anything better than sitting back and reading a well-written article on a lazy Sunday? Every week ShareProphets features some long form journalism that you'll find of interest. Grab your cuppa and enjoy these five articles. 

Once upon a time I had shares in Edge Performance VCT over several classes of share. It proved a disaster, and I sold out at a loss. I did cover some of the problems (see HERE) some time ago, but it seems that the shit show has continued ever since. On 29^th August the shareholders decided enough was enough at the AGM, booting out three of the board and the auditor. This leaves the company with just one director – I believe company law is that it must have two as a fully listed plc, but the shares have not been suspended, nor has there been any announcement of an interim appointment.

I've broken up these lists into articles and Bearcasts for the past year so readers can get a more rounded sense of what is popular each week. But I think that I need to show you the actual, merged, top 11 for this week.

In today's podcast I look at the latest news from AIM bad boy Management Resoiurce Solutions (MRS)  where I think my critics really do owe me an apology (again). Then at Neil Woodford's latest woes at the Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT) which are the beginning of the end. Will I get to monster the board at an AGM in 2020 as I did this year? I fear I may be denied that entertainment.