Findel (LON:FDL) (9.25p and 3% of JIC portfolio) has issued an encouraging trading statement covering the 16 weeks to 22nd January. Total sales over this period are up 10.2% which is a healthy increase on the 7.7% achieved in the first 8 weeks of the period. For the year as a whole, i.e. since 31st March 2012, group sales have increased by 8.9%.
The stand out performance is at its largest business Express Gifts where sales were up 13.3% since the 30th September, driven by an 8% increase in active customers over the year and supported by a reduction in gross margins. The Company says that it expects Express Gifts to deliver a significant improvement in profits for the year as a whole and that bad debts have remained stable.
The remainder of the business are a bit of a mixed bag: Kleeneze continued to struggle with sales down 9.1% year on year as the number of distributors fell 10.3%. Kitbag saw sales up 19% with a 2% improvement in gross margin. Education supplies saw total sales down 1.6%, although management say that there was an encouraging growth in the core business offset by the shortened duration of Sainsbury's "Active Kids" scheme. The Healthcare division saw sales 21% ahead. Discussions regarding the sale of this division are progressing.
Overall the Group seems to be making good progress both operationally and on improving the balance sheet. I think there is scope for some upgrades to existing forecasts which value the shares at 10.2x for the year to March 2013, 7.3x March 2014, (40% growth) and 6.1x March 2015, (20% growth). I increased the holding to 3% of the portfolio last week and feel happy with that decision.
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About the Author
Johnrosier
I manage my subscription website www.JohnsInvestmentChronicle.com in which I show my portfolio and all transactions. I blog within an hour of trading, with an explanation, and send an alert email to all my subscribers. I do not pretend to have all the answers but I hope my portfolio, and the trades, provides food for thought as well as helping those who are new to managing their own portfolios.I think what I do is unique. There are plenty of tipsters out there who will remind you of the good ones and quietly forget the duffers; I do not have that luxury as the portfolio is there for all to see. I have to confront my mistakes and deal with them. A tipster also does not show how a tip fits into the context of an overall portfolio. My portfolio of up to 30 holdings has different holding sizes based on my conviction behind the stock and its risk. I set up www.JohnsInvestmentChronicle.com in January 2012. Prior to that :In September 1984, I left university with a degree in Zoology and started work in the City of London. Over the next twenty five years most of my time was spent managing UK equity portfolios with Fleming Investment Management and Henderson Global Investors, for company and local authority pension schemes as well as the reserve fund for a well known charity. During 2009 I left full time employment and decided to take time out to consider the next stage of my career. In the meantime I have been putting my years of experience to good use investing the family savings. I have thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of investing from home and despite some tricky periods during 2011 it has been a rewarding experience. more »
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