Meeting:

Monthly Meeting - February 2004

 

Held at:

The Alexandra Club, Crewe

Date:

27th February 2004

 

 

Time:

17:20 – 18:00

Prepared by

Dave G from Adrian T’s notes

 

Chairperson:

Adrian T

 

Present:

Adrian T

 

 

Richard W

 

 

Kit P

 

 

Chris B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies:

Simon B

 

 

Dave G

 

 

 

Chairman’s Acceptance of Minutes

 


_____________________________________________


____ / _____ / ____

Signature

Date

 

 

 

1          NEXT MEETING

To be arranged.

Venue: The Brocklebank 16:45 – 18:00.

2          Minutes of previous meeting

Accepted.

3          ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

3.1      Actions Closed Since Last Meeting

Ref.

Description & Progress

Status

RW/0123/01

Send out proposed criteria for 2nd mechanical portfolio and the list of stocks that currently pass those filters

0227: See later in these minutes

COMPLETED

DG/0123/02

Contact Proshare to see whether they know of a constraint that limits the subscription amounts for club members

0227: Proshare know of no limit to member subscriptions.  See also item 4.2 later in these minutes

COMPLETED

3.2      Actions Carried forward to Next Meeting                  

See end of these minutes.

4          Treasurer’s Report

4.1      Monthly Report Summary

See separate report for detail. 

Highlights/Lowlights  Unit value up from 433.643 to 470.422.  We have £6827.06 of non-mechanical cash.  Over 11% gains across non-cash holdings this month.  Total club assets now at another record high of £21320.34.

4.2      Matters Arising From Report

Richard’s details will need certifying with broker.

Following on from action DG/0123/02 (see above), discussion took place on raising limit on subscriptions.   It was thought that there may be a limit of £1000 per annum imposed by Inland Revenue for tax reasons so this would suggest a limit of £83.33 per month.   Until such time as the existence or otherwise of this limit can be confirmed, it was agreed to raise the limit on subscriptions to £80 with effect from April subs (i.e. those paid in late March).  Club rules will need to be revised accordingly.

Anyone wishing to increase their subs should notify Chris as soon as possible.

 

5          PORTFOlio Management

5.1      Monthly Money Management Checks

Non-mechanical cash was still in the “Too High” category (32% of total assets against strategic maximum of 25%) and the proportion of assets in common UK stock is in the “Too Low” category (67% against strategic minimum of 75%).   Fundamental portfolio was also “Too low” (23% against strategic minimum of 25%).

A purchase for the Fundamental portfolio would address all of these.

5.2      Mechanical Portfolio

British Vita will be sold this month.  Due to being underweight in Fundamental portfolio, consideration was given to moving it into the Fundamental portfolio in a similar manner to WH Smiths in December but the suggestion wasn’t taken further.

The replacement stock for the mechanical portfolio will be selected over the weekend after a rerun of the selection process taking into account changes this week.  Last weekend’s run threw up only two successful stocks, TDG and WAGN.  We already hold TDG so likely selection will be WAGN.  To be confirmed at weekend though.

Current holdings 

British Vita

To be sold on Monday

Crest Nicholson

HOLD until April 2004

TDG

HOLD until June 2004

European Motor Holdings

HOLD until August 2004

Severfield Rowen

HOLD until October 2004

Countryside Properties

HOLD until December 2004

 

Richard W and Dave G had sent out a proposed approach to a second mechanical portfolio prior to the meeting.  This was discussed.  It was agreed that the portfolio should run from March as per the proposal other than possibly reducing the lower limit on market cap.  Richard W to investigate implications of reducing this limit. 

It was decided that we will allocate £6500 to the portfolio, starting next month.  Although this effectively uses up all the available cash, it will be drip-fed over the next 12 months, so the money can  be 'borrowed' if required for fundamental / speculative buy proposals in the meantime as the next 12 months’ subscriptions will more than adequately cover any such ‘loan’.

All need to provide their weighting values to Richard W by 12th March to allow consolidation ahead of the first run proper of the new portfolio.

Exit criteria for this new portfolio could not be agreed upon at the meeting so will be deferred to next meeting.

 

5.3      Monthly Reports For Each Company in Fundamental Portfolio

CodaSciSys

HOLD – Review in May 2004 (see table in 5.5 below)

Mothercare

HOLD – Not yet met sell criteria (see table in 5.5 below)

ISG

HOLD – Not yet met sell criteria (see table in 5.5 below)
Due to be reviewed next month

WH Smith

HOLD – Not yet met sell criteria (see table in 5.5 below)

 

5.4      Speculative Portfolio

Parity

HOLD – not worth selling

Atlantic Caspian

HOLD (especially as it’s delisted !!)

Templeton Emerging

HOLD – not worth selling but look to sell if opportunity arises as the warrants expire in September 2004

London Clubs International

HOLD – Not yet met sell criteria (see table in 5.5 below)

Cape

HOLD – Not yet met sell criteria (see table in 5.5 below)

Ashtead

HOLD – Not yet met sell criteria (see table in 5.5 below)

5.5      Stop Loss / Sell Criteria (as of date of treasurer’s report)

The following is the summary of sell criteria for each stock held within the Speculative or Fundamental portfolios (the Mechanical holdings are dealt with as part of section 5.2 above).  The stop loss is invoked against the “end of day” price, but the sell decision may wait for the opening price to avoid rogue trades at the end of day.

Stock

Reportee

“High” Price

Stop Loss (based on the “high”)

Exit Criteria

CSY

Richard

362.5

181.25p

Hold until at least May 04 and then review;

In addition, review following any trading or results statement that expects / reports a fall in either revenues or profits over the previous reporting period;

Trailing stop loss of 50% to start from purchase price (based on mid-price due to large spread).

MTC

Dave

383

325.55p

15% trailing stop loss switching to a 40p trailing stop loss once share price goes above 400p

ISG

Richard

193.5

96.75p

Hold for 6 months (March 2004) then review.  Before then, run trailing stop loss of 50% to start from purchase price

CAPE

N/A (speculative)

77.5

62p

20% trailing stop loss

PTY

N/A (speculative)

88

22p

Revise on taking up the rights offer.  Existing criteria are “Start price 44p. Invoke 15% trailing stop loss once price has doubled, or sell if price falls 50% from purchase (unless not worth selling)”

ACA

N/A (speculative)

20.4

5p

Start price 10.2p. Invoke 15% trailing stop loss once price has doubled, or sell if price falls 50% from purchase (unless not worth selling)

TEMA

N/A (speculative)

57

14.25p

Look for opportunities to sell (though currently not worth selling) as the warrants expire within a year.

LCI

N/A (speculative)

127.5

108.38

15% trailing stop loss

 

5.6      New Buy Proposals

None

6          Lucky Llama competition

This month's winner is Chris with an excellent 19.9% gain.  Current standings with only one month to go are now…

Dave     

£152,598.28

Simon    

£151,064.48

Adrian   

£128,251.59

Chris    

£124,946.64

Richard  

£121,109.52

Kit      

£100,000.00

 

7.                         Competitions

Dave submitted an entry for February and picked MMO2 (OOM).  It was actually the best performer too.   Fingers crossed that our tie-breaker was good enough.


Actions carried forward to next meeting

Ref.

Description & Progress

Target Date

SB/0716/01

Issue chairman’s annual statement via email

0820: No progress

0919: No progress

1022: No progress

1121: No progress

1219: No progress

0123: No progress

0227: No progress

23/03/2004

DG&KP/0716/06

Contact Adrian B about the tape of the Radio Stoke appearance

0820: No progress

0919: DG has just sent mail to Adrian

1022: Adrian B has the tape – he has said that he will pass it on to Chris or Kit (though Dave has given him his home address so he could post it there)

1121: No progress – Dave to remind Adrian

1219: Kit thinks that Adrian may have given the tape to him – he will check

0123: Kit to contact Adrian B

0227: Kit does have the tape.  Just needs passing to Dave G

23/03/2004

KP/1219/02

(changed from ALL/1219/02 at 23/01/204 meeting)

Check to see whether you have a copy (electronic or hardcopy) of the minutes that are missing from the Website.  These are December 2000, August 2001, March 2002, April 2002, May 2002

0123: Nobody could find any electronic copies of the minutes so KP to dig out the hardcopies and scan them in.

0227: No progress

23/03/2004

RW/1219/03

Find out which instruments can be traded via our stockbroker

0123: No progress

0227: No progress

23/03/2004

DG/0227/01

Amend club rules to raise upper limit on subscriptions from £50 to £80.

23/03/2004

ALL/0227/02

Notify Chris B of any intention to revise personal subscription to the club

23/03/2004

RW/0227/03

Investigate implications of lowering market cap limit on proposed second mechanical portfolio selection criteria

01/03/2004

ALL/0227/04

Send Richard W your weighting values for the second mechanical portfolio

12/03/2004

ALL/0227/05

Consider Exit Criteria for 2nd mechanical portfolio so that they can be agreed upon at next meeting

23/03/2004

ALL/0227/06

Consider Money Management thresholds from the strategy so they can be revised as necessary for the 2nd mechanical portfolio and agreed upon at next meeting

23/03/2004


 
 
Proposed agenda for NEXT meeting.
 
RSIC Monthly Meeting – Date to be decided -  between 16:45 and 18:00

Venue: The Brocklebank

1.     Agenda Changes? (2 mins)
[Any items for AOB or any suggested reordering of agenda?]

2.     Date of Next Meeting (2 mins)
[Agree a date for the next meeting]

3.     Minutes of last meeting (1 min)
[Any comments on minutes from previous meeting

4.     Actions from last meeting (10 mins)
[Progress on actions]

5.     Treasurer's Report (15 mins)

6.     Portfolio Management (30 mins)

6.1. Monthly “Money Management” threshold checks

6.2. Mechanical Portfolio

6.3. Monthly Report for each Company in Fundamental Portfolio

6.4. Speculative Portfolio

6.5. Latest sell conditions for each share held

6.6. New Buy Proposals