Updates

Ask Central - In takeover talks

December 2003

Investing in shares may lose you all or some of your money. Past performance is no indication of future performance. Some of the shares recommended here may be small company shares, which can be relatively illiquid and hard to trade and this makes such shares more risky than other investments.

Shares in Ask have shot up to 168p after the group confirmed it had entered into merger talks with City Centre Restaurants, 76.5p. Any proposal would involve Ask shareholders receiving a premium to the current price (i.e. more than 166p). There certainly appear to be useful synergies between the two groups. While Ask is strong on the high street, City Centre, whose brands include Garfunkel"s, CafÃ© Uno, Frankie & Benny's and Est Est Est, has more sites (128) in airports and leisure parks than its 112 units on the high street. The deal also has a degree of symmetry, with the prospect of Ask's founders, Adam and Sam Kaye returning to run the company that bought out their father's restaurant chain, Garf ...

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Hornby - Gain to date: 129%

Synergy Healthcare - Preferred bidder for second PFI

Ask Central - TDR Capital bids 220p (March 2004)

Ask Central - Receives offer from City Centre (February 2004)

Ask Central - Beats expectations again (October 2003)

Ask Central - Strong buoyant candidate (June 2003)

Ask Central - Undeserved discount to Pizza Express (April 2003)

ASK Central (March 2003)

Ask Central (October 2002)

Ask Central - Thrashing pizza express (June 2002)

With small companies there is an above average degree of risk compared to buying blue chips. Please be aware that we have not assessed the suitability of any of these investments for you. The newsletter simply states a personal view and diarises the editor’s investment decisions. Please speak to your stockbroker or other qualified individual to ascertain whether any of these companies mentioned would form useful additions to your own portfolios. Past performance is no indication of future success.

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