9 September 2010

Growth Company Awards 2002

01/05/2002

We are delighted to announce the results of the 2002 Growth Company Awards, sponsored by KBC Peel Hunt. Now in their second year, the awards are intended to be a real measure of quality for those involved in the growth company arena. They also represent what we believe to be the most impartial and equitable method of choosing award winners.

The winners should be proud of their achievement. By far the most awards have been decided by firms' client companies telling us, in strict confidence, how satisfied they are with their professional advisers. The companies had nothing to gain or lose by doing this, so we can assume they are being honest. The awards should be seen as an indisputable validation from client companies that the winners are striving to deliver an excellent service.

Our exhaustive research led to the compilation a shortlist of the 'Top five' firms in each category. These were then ranked by our independent judging panel. The judges were chosen as respected experts in their fields. We thank them for their time and care.

The company and fund shortlists were based on financial performance, with no account taken of share price movement.

As with last year's awards, the questionnaire responses for the professional adviser categories suggest Aim companies are satisfied, if not delighted, with their advisers. The vast majority of responses fell into the 'neutral' and 'good' categories. However, like last year, the strongest views were reserved for advisers perceived to be doing a bad job. High costs and poor delivery were a common complaint. These were, it must be stressed, few and far between.

We were delighted to receive the support of KBC Peel Hunt, without which the 2002 Growth Company Awards would not have been possible.

AIM Company of the Year:

MacLellan

Sponsored by Seymour Pierce

This was one of the most closely contested of all the awards, with software firm Tribal, sports and entertainment management group CSS Stellar and support services group MacLellan vying for first place. MacLellan just edged it in our judges' minds.

The shortlist was drawn up following quantitative research among all Aim companies, focusing principally on improvements in earnings per share over the previous reported financial year.

We took into account those companies that have distorted figures due to exceptional corporate events, and, where relevant, interim performance. Our judging panel, made up of analysts, corporate financiers and journalists, then ranked the companies on the shortlist.

The shortlist was compiled in the middle of the spring reporting season, when many companies were updating the market about their financial performance. As a result, some firms' most recent results were not in the database when the shortlist was drawn up for distribution.

AIM Broker of the Year:

Collins Stewart

Sponsored by Binns and Co PR

AIM Adviser of the Year:

Collins Stewart

Sponsored by Baker Tilly

AIM Accountant of the year (joint winners):

Ernst & Young

PKF

AIM Lawyer of the Year:

Gouldens

AIM PR Firm of the Year:

St Brides Media & Finance

The shortlists for the above awards were drawn from responses to a questionnaire sent to all Aim companies. It asked them to rate how satisfied they were with their professional advisers. As with the Company of the Year Award, the shortlists were then sent to a panel of judges. To make the judging as fair as possible, no professionals were asked to judge their peers in the same category.

Ofex Company of the Year:

Legends Surf Shops

The shortlist for this award, as with the Aim Company of the Year category, was derived principally by looking at earnings growth, with turnover growth and business development also considered. The judging panel then ranked the companies.

Ofex Financial Adviser of the Year:

DWA Capital

As with the Aim adviser categories, we sent a questionnaire to all Ofex companies. The judging panel then ranked the advisers.

AIM Fund of the Year (joint winners):

AIM Trust

Pennine AIM VCT

Smaller Companies Fund of the Year:

Close Beacon Investment Trust

These shortlists were put together following analysis of net asset value improvement over a three-year period.

Growth Company Journalist of the Year:

Miles Nolan, Investors Chronicle

The judges were as follows:

Peter Binns, Binns

Bill Brown, Friends Ivory & Sime

Dru Edmonstone, Durlacher

Richard Feigen, Seymour Pierce

Ken Ford, Teather & Greenwood

Geoff Foster, Daily Mail

Simon Griffiths, Theodore Goddard

Adam Hart, KBC Peel Hunt

Bob Holt, Mears Group

Richard Oldworth, Buchanan Communications

Chilton Taylor, Baker Tilly

Robert Tyerman, Growth Company Investor (former editor of the OffExchange newsletter)

Mark Watson-Mitchell, SQC Research

Peter Webb, Unicorn Asset Management

Sector: General Industrials

Companies: Maclellan Group , Tribal Group , CSS Stellar ,

Subscribe today


More breaking news stories.
More extended feature articles.
And a depth of analysis you
can't find anywhere else.

Subscribe today and save 50%

VCT Report 2010

VCT Report 2010 uncovers the money available

for investment in every single VCT, helping you get one step ahead in the race to attract funding for your unquoted, AIM-listed or PLUS-quoted

company.

Order VCT Report 2010 today using this online form

Cash Shells Directory 2010

A comprehensive overview of cash shells on AIM and PLUS, companies that have become a significant feature on the market landscape. For more information and to order, click here or contact our marketing team on 020 7250 7056.

Coverage of AIM, techMARK and PLUS Markets

Informative features and research on fast-growing companies, small-cap and growth stocks, penny shares, stock market tips and share recommendations, directors' dealings, company news and analysis, new issues and upcoming IPOs.

The Financial Times Guide to Personal Tax

is the definitive and most up-to-date guide to completing your self-assessment tax return, making sure that you get it right and on time, and showing how you can save tax. For more information and to order, click here or contact our marketing team on 020 7250 7056.

Take control of your investments

A full year's subscription to What Investment magazine for £19.95, a whopping 58% off. Get the latest news, features and expert advice on ISAs, Investment Trusts and Funds, SIPPS, Investing for Children and much much
more. Find out more here.

The AIM Guide Spring 2010

The new, fully updated AIM Guide is now available to buy for only £49.95 (saving you £30).

A 'must-have' for any serious investor or professional interested in the market for young, fast-growing companies. Order your copy today Hurry, as offer ends soon!

Growth Company Features, Research and Analysis

In-depth coverage of selected AIM companies within the small-cap and fast growing company sector including AIM and PLUS Markets shares and listed stocks. Company research and analysis from GCI analysts updated daily.

Popular Features

Latest Features

The challenge for companies targeting AIM 13/08/2010

With AIM investment advisers speaking of ‘cautious optimism’ and a ‘stronger deal pipeline’, Robert Tyerman assesses whether we are soon to see a deluge of new issues

Tags: AIM , Deals & contracts , Fundraisings , Growth Stocks , New Issues

Companies: ReneSola , SureTrack Monitoring , Argos Resources , Metminco , Emis , Ncondezi Coal Company , Bellzone Mining , Kea Petroleum , Squarestone Brasil , Oxford Nutrascience

Time to pile into property?
13/08/2010

Accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has bearishly declared that by 2015 there is ‘a 50 per cent chance that property prices will be below 2007 levels’.

Tags: AIM , Cash , Emerging markets , Fundraisings

Companies: Max Property , London & Stamford Property , LXB Retail Properties , Lok'n Store , HML , West Pioneer Properties

People: Perfect pitch? 13/08/2010

As Tajikistan-focused gold explorer Kryso Resources celebrates the appointment of experienced gold miner Andre Gaston as chief operating officer, London public relations outfit Walbrook has announced to an unsuspecting world that it has won the PR account for the AIM-quoted company.

More Features

Sectors

Vitesse Media Events