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Regarding getting acquired, ABTL has been considered a candidate since a long time. I have followed the stock since 2004/2005 and nothing has happened. Only recently at the B R Riley conference did Coats hint about selling the company and the high costs of being a public company (for one of ABTL's small size). That is a positive. When will the sale occur no one knows. Ironically, if the stock goes above 1$, Coats might decide not to consider a sale. The longer it stays below 1, the higher the odds of a sale, I feel.
My biggest worry near term is the R/S. Hope the sale occurs before that.
This new partnership will likely lead to more products in the coming quarters.
Stock is back to 27 cents. Time for management to seriously consider a buyback as stock is trading close to book value. They did 2 buybacks that I know of. The last one was in Sept 2010.
June and Dec are portfolio adjustment/window dressing months for mid year and end of year performance. This block sale/buy was very likely a result of that.
Usually it takes several months before a fund makes its position known. Exceptions are when an activist fund takes position and wants to shake the tree or a holding crosses 10%.
The huge block was prenegotiated by the buyer/seller brokers hence it didn't disrupt the bid/ask. Just like yesterdays's 67 cent sale. I had a buy order at 70 cents but still didn't get it.
Many times in the recent past, when ABTL has dipped from 1$ to 70 cents, I have observed that a big block buy occurs as one disappointed fund liquidates and another buys. Check past volumes.
2 officers, each bought shares worth the princely sum of 4k.
Coats should put his money (read our money because of his high salary) where his mouth is.
A couple of years ago, Coats bought a few meagre shares just like today's report.
History of his purchases:
http://www.insidercow.com/history/insider.jsp?Cik=0001198594&company=ABTL&name=COATS%20JEFFREY%20H&title=%20director
>>If nothing else, ABTL's a good cash-cow for the executives.
Very true. That's why they will likely be reluctant to sell. Time to force a sell, if topline doesn't increase nicely.
The R/S is a big overhang, I feel. Revenue growth has been anemic. Around 16m. Post R/S, one bad qtr is all that is needed to start a new selloff/downtrend. We had a revenue drop because of Japan/Thailand and the stock stumbled but atleast it was stable around 70 cents.
They aim to do a 1 for 4 R/S. At this stage, I am not sure if new funds will be attracted simply because the stock is above 1$.
The micrcocap mkt is pretty much dead since August of last year. ABTL is a prime example. No one seems to care. 4 firms had it as a buy until April and yet the stock had difficulty staying in 90cents.
Unbelievable times in small cap, I think.
Finally we close at 40 cents. Feels like stk price is heading higher.
Management predicts rev and earnings growth for 2012 and beyond. Annual revenues will likely be around 20m for this year, nearly a double of 2009 revenues. Bottomline has also improved. They were in hiring/investment mode last year and that affected the bottomline despite the rev growth.
Yesterday's big volume was a positive. It was the biggest volume day since the NCR related buyback days, which ended in late 2010.
Chris Lahiji of LDMicro was on conf call. Good to hear new voices on conf calls.
A double to triple gain from here(30cents) is possible by EOY. But first a couple of successive quarters of good earnings are needed. OS and float are very small and big moves are possible.
NCR is a wildcard.
Big volume day today. 259k shares traded. Hopefully it will move higher from here.
Thanks for posting the Craig Hallum analysts' comments. Where did you get it from?
That high salary with constant talks of growth (which in reality is anemic) and yet he has not used much of his own money to buy stock in the open market
Sell the company, asap. Craig Hallum analyst says operating expenses are too high.
Look at the salary of management: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=ABTL+Profile
Earnings on May 9, Wednesday
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/document-capture-host-first-quarter-200000079.html
4 new scanners are described on their website:
http://www.docucap.com/
Earnings are out. Check the annual report for 2011 numbers.
http://xml.10kwizard.com/filing_raw.php?repo=tenk&ipage=8170694
Earnings on Monday after hours, April 2.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/document-capture-host-fourth-quarter-215200168.html
If it breaks 1 for a few days and nudges above 1.1 then the move to 1.4 can be swift as a lot of day traders, momo traders and technical traders will get in.
Today for a brief moment it looked like the stock might make a serious push to stay above 1. Alas, it is back to 95 cents.
CEO has used a lot of ammo recently (PRs on earnings, buyback etc) and yet the stock cannot stay above 1. Whereas the mkt has soared. One more ammo left, buy some shares Coates and management.
or Sell the company.
Oddly, the market doesn't seem to be too impressed for now. That too despite 4 firms coverng the stock!
Looks like market is looking for meaningful growth in revenue and bottomline numbers.
The institutional investors in this stock look content at dumping at 1 for now. Has been going on for 2 years now.
Thanks for the last 2 posts. Earnings should be out soon, I think.
Stock now barely trades. Dead stock.
ACFN made a nice move.
ABTL approves stock buyback.
http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/Autobytel+Approves+Stock+Repurchase+Program/7164474.html
Very much possible that we break 1$ as we head into earnings on March 1. Also funds bought a big chunk at 80 cents several weeks ago. They will likely support the stock till Mar 1. Then it depends on guidance and management commentary. It was their commentary on Thailand flooding that took the stock down from 93cents to 70cents.
Hope they have good things to say. If they do, then 1.5 is possible with the current momentum in the small caps. Just hoping that the mkt doesn't turn too negative before earings.
Brave soul thou art, for not diversifying.
But ABTL is "safe" and trading close to book value. Its websites alone will be worth 1$ as they paid quite a bit for them over the years.
But please do consider diversifying in the future. Never safe to put all eggs in one basket. You never know what can happen despite your research. Management lies, scams, scandals, new SEC rules, competition, natural disasters etc.
You may make a lot in ABTL. But in the process you will have also reinforced a wrong habit. You may do the same "all in" with the "next ABTL". and it may work again. Till one of the "next ABTL" turns out to be a bomb. "All in" is not a recipe for consistent long term gains.
Agree. I push above 1$ may attract technical traders who may pump it to 1.5
My gripe is that ABTL gets no benefit of doubt from the market. Always treated like garbage.
Hope or so. Multi dollar, I doubt. For that the revenues have to grow nicely. First let them break 17 to 18m quarterly revenue.
Craig Hallum had a 3$ target. The recent ones by B.Riley , Roth etc are in the range of 1.30 to 2.
Spartak. HH is another one. Cash and other assets total to 60 cents. Management expects 2012 and 2013 to be profitable. Another potentially good stock. Listen to the last earnings conf call to get a feel for what was discussed.
What stocks do you like?
Spartak, you may want to have a look at HPOL. They reported 3 cents earnings yesterday. It is a turnaround stock like ABTL. You can add to your watchlist.
Believe me I am a very patient soul and have been in this since Craig Hallum initiated a very buy long time ago .
But at times you have to get irritated by the lack of interest in this stock.
The drop to 70s is an exaggerated one caused by forced End of Year selling. Most stocks recover big by Jan to their normal levels. So the quick recovery move to 80s is a normal one and shouldn't be factored in as a big recent gain.
Management has talked about profitability for last 2 to 3 quarters. Yet this stock is a moribund mule.
It was nice to see the well worded press release be released when the stock was moving up along with the recent big market gains. Perfect timing to push the stock above 1$. Alas stock does nothing.
Rain or sunshine,
this stock always acts like a lazy swine.
Mkt may go up or down,
ABTL acts like a dead drunk clown
Always down, can never get up