(The Times) Fears grow over London market in ‘bid fever’ for UK tech firms: A trio of UK technology companies are to be sold to American buyers for a total of more than £6 billion on a day of “bid fever” that intensified concerns over the country’s ability to retain and scale innovative companies.
The takeovers include Spectris, the UK’s leading listed industrial technology company, which received a £3.7 billion offer from the American private equity firm Advent International; and the chip designer Alphawave IP Group, which recommended a £1.8 billion acquisition.
Comment: As if having the worst stock market conditions for 50 years was not bad enough, the newspaper reporting is also all over the place too. One wonders how the journalists involved get the job? Actually, one knows how they get the job: on the basis they haven’t got a clue what the stock market is for. There are two primary functions: the first is to raise capital, and the second, M&A, as demonstrated by the trio of tech companies being taken over this week. This is good news for a couple of reasons. The first is that someone (usually overpaid Americans) is prepared to send £6bn to this bankrupt country to help it be slightly less bankrupt, and the second giving shareholders a rare positive feeling. Moaning about companies being taken over is rather like moaning about winning the lottery. The main challenge is to replace the companies leaving the stock market, with good, or better new ones. Why should they bother, knowing that the reporting of the stock market in the mainstream media is so poor, over and above all the leeches one has to negotiate as a listed company. That said, we are not flying at the small cap end either, which is full of amateurs, used car salesman, and sociopaths, as well as the leeches. But that is another story for another day.
Hydrogen Utopia International (HUI), a company specialising in turning non-recyclable mixed waste plastic into hydrogen and other carbon-free fuels, new materials or distributed renewable heat, announced that investee Ohrid Organics has entered into a significant sales agreement with a licensed medicinal cannabis company in North Macedonia. The agreement provides for the supply of up to €4.5 million in GACP-compliant cannabis products over the next 12 months. This contract establishes a stable revenue foundation for the company’s North Macedonian operations and is expected to deliver meaningful profitability, supporting reinvestment into strategic infrastructure expansion. Proceeds from the agreement will directly contribute to the development of a significantly enlarged post-harvest facility, a key enabler in Ohrid Organic’s broader growth trajectory.
Comment: Bears of HUI are not going to like another stock price squeezing announcement. Hot on the heels of the waste to hydrogen part of the business getting over the line in MENA, we have the significant “stable revenue” being provided by Ohrid. This perpetual money machine aspect is a breakthrough not only in itself, securing the fortunes of HUI as a whole, but also underlining that OO has succeeded in an area where so many amateurs and fly by nights fail. Another multi-bagger share price rise could beckon, and quite deservedly.
Mindflair (MFAI), the company investing in next-generation technology focused on AI, provided a summary of recent developments. On 10 March 2025, the Company announced that it had realised £2.6 million from its direct and indirect investment interests in Visibility Blockchain Limited. MFAI said “Mindflair is in a good financial position and has demonstrated its ability to generate significant returns from its investments. It is well placed to continue to implement its investment strategy which includes investing in exciting AI focused companies with attractive growth potential as illustrated by the two latest investments made.”
Comment: There are probably plenty of people still in shock that £2.6m was realised at MFAI back in the spring. Indeed, the company just celebrated by going completely over the top and launching a new website.
Metir (MET), an international developer and provider of testing solutions for unique and underserved public health and environmental markets, announced the successful completion of a fundraise of up to £850,000. The net proceeds of the Fundraise will allow the Company to finance an increased production rate of its MicroTox® LX to improve the margin on future devices sold in accordance with an increasing order book; and provide funding to integrate specialist software with the Company’s Continuous Toxic Monitoring (CTM) machines.
Comment: Even Michael Caine would probably not know that Metir is the old Microsaic Systems. One presumes and hopes that the company’s new incarnation will do rather better than the old one after the latest Turner Pope enabled fundraise.
Zenova Group (ZED), a provider of fire safety and heat management technology solutions to a wide range of users across the globe, has secured an order to supply its all-fire type Zenova FX 6L extinguisher to SRHSE Ltd, the fire health and safety consultant to Wimbledon. SRHSE Ltd has chosen the Zenova FX extinguishers for the Wimbledon grounds.
Comment: Given how hot the French Open was over the weekend in terms of the play in the final, it is quite right that Zenova has been called in to ensure that nothing untoward happens at Wimbledon: all-fire extinguishers at the All England Club.
Ondine Biomedical Inc. (OBI), a global leader in photodisinfection technology, is presenting major advancements in the fight against multidrug-resistant pathogens at the 19th World Congress of the International Photodynamic Association (IPA) being held this week in Shanghai. The Company has developed an intelligent robotic tool that leverages advanced AI-driven algorithms to identify the most effective combinations of antimicrobial therapies for eliminating a wide range of pathogens.
Comment: Just when we thought that OBI had nothing left to prove, it ups the ante with AI-driven algos, to underline how much of a game changer its tech is.
KEFI (KEFI), a gold and copper exploration and development company focused on the Arabian- Nubian Shield with a pipeline of projects in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announces that it will host 2024 Annual General Meeting to be held at Hilton London Angel Islington, 53 Upper Street, London N1 0UY, United Kingdom at 10:00 a.m. (BST) on Thursday, 17 July 2025. A circular, incorporating the Notice of AGM for 2025, together with forms of proxy, the 2024 Annual Report and other relevant documents are available on the Company’s website at https://www.kefi- goldandcopper.com
Comment: For some strange reason, just as KEFI is approaching the big win / transformational change, that is when the moaning minnies seem to be getting all het up. However, that is the nature of the stock market. The forthcoming AGM is primed to be an unmissable affair.
Metals One (MET1), a minerals exploration and development company, is pleased to announce the execution of the Asset Purchase Agreement relating to the previously announced conditional acquisition of the Swales Gold Property, located proximal to Nevada Gold Mines’ Carlin Complex, the largest gold mining operation in the U.S. Further to the initial announcement dated 14 May 2025, Metals One Plc has incorporated a new wholly owned subsidiary, Metals One Nevada Inc.
Comment: The share price may have cooled off, but not before MET1 has raised enough cash, and widened its footprint, to make it immune to the slings and arrows of sniping in the small cap space. The Nevada move looks to be a company maker.
The Smarter Web Company (AQUIS: SWC), a London listed technology company, announces the purchase of additional Bitcoin as part of “The 10 Year Plan” which includes an ongoing treasury policy of acquiring Bitcoin. Details are as follows: Number of Bitcoin Purchased: 45.32 Bitcoin. The June 5 fundraise resulted in a 8.10% dilution for existing shareholders, including the Directors, offset by a capital injection of approximately £13.4 million.
Comment: With sentiment and share price fully in its favour, SWC has money coming out of its ears, more than enough to stick to fingers up at the naysayers, and the ability to hoard more BTC than it could have dreamt of just a couple of months ago. It would appear that the BTC price is now anticipating demand from the Bitcoin Treasury Strategy brigade, with the tail wagging the dog.
Sovereign Metals (SVML), developer of the world’s largest known natural rutile deposit, announced that one of Japan’s premier titanium metal (sponge and ingot) producers, Toho Titanium Company Limited (Toho Titanium), has confirmed the suitability of natural rutile from Sovereign’s Kasiya Rutile-Graphite Project (Kasiya or the Project) for manufacturing high-specification titanium products critical to aerospace and industrial applications.
Comment: We have more evidence, as if we needed it, that SVML’s flagship asset Kasiya is world class. It should be the case that this feeds into the already £220m market cap.
Filtronic (FTC), the designer and manufacturer of advanced RF solutions for the space, aerospace and defence, and telecoms infrastructure markets, is pleased to announce the award of a follow-on order from SpaceX for the supply of its market-leading E-band Cerus 32 Solid State Power Amplifier (“SSPA”). The irrevocable order is the largest in value to date, worth $32.5 million (£24.0m), and is expected to be materially fulfilled in FY2026.
Comment: If there is another UK company set to leave the stock market via a takeover from the Yanks, it is FTC. This is especially the case given the UK stock market’s reticence to fully value the company, even after an avalanche of success contract wins.
Ryanair (RYAI) announced it has reached agreement with CFM to buy 30 new spare LEAP-1B engines which have a list price of $500m. These fuel-efficient engines, which deliver over the next 2 years, will support Ryanair’s fleet of 210x B737 Gamechanger aircraft and also the B737 MAX-10 aircraft which deliver in 2027.
Comment: It would appear that RYAI has made so much from stingy luggage allowances and the eye wateringly hot cheese and ham paninis, it has $500m to spare on new fangled engines.
Great Western Mining Corporation (GWMO), which is exploring multiple precious and critical mineral prospects in the Walker Lane Trend of Nevada, USA, announced the successful completion of a placing to raise £1.25 million before expenses and provides an update on its near-term exploration plans for enhancing the value of its portfolio.
Comment: It would appear that GWMO is going for the prize as far as the small company which raises the most amount of cash, without necessarily achieving that much. The market cap here is approximately the same as the fundraise size. Ouch.
Helium One Global (HE1), the primary helium explorer in Tanzania with a 50% working interest in the Galactica-Pegasus helium development project in Colorado, USA updated following the Blue Star Helium (ASX: BNL) announcement issued today regarding the Galactica Project. Successful completion of the 2025 Galactica development drilling programme; significantly advancing the Galactica-Pegasus helium and CO2 project.
Comment: Piggy backing off its US investment delivers frequent newsflow, but alas the production we are all waiting for its still apparently just around the corner. Looking forward to hearing what is going on in Tanzania…
Powerhouse Energy Group (PHE), a company pioneering integrated technology that converts non-recyclable waste into low carbon energy, announced its audited results for the year ended 31 December 2024. The Group reported an operating loss of £4,705,025 (Included £2,300,000 Goodwill Impairment) in 2024 (2023: £1,427,647). Cash at bank of £ 1.31m (2023: £4.34m).
Comment: The message at the moment from PHE is that patents don’t make profits. The question here is how does one lose £4.7m in order to make £500k in revenue? Clearly, with difficulty.
Alien Metals (UFO), a minerals exploration and development company, is pleased to provide an update on its recent and upcoming activities at the Hancock Iron Ore Project in Newman, Western Australia following its successful capital raise, as announced on 22 May 2025.
Comment: The market appears to be warming to UFO, especially after the recent fundraise means that the company can undertake some serious ground scratching over the next few months.
Disclaimer & Declaration of Interest:
The information, investment views, and recommendations in this Zaks Traders Cafe interview are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing in this interview should be construed as a promotion or solicitation to buy or sell any financial product relating to any companies under discussion or referred to or to engage in or refrain from doing so or engage in any other transaction. Any opinions or comments are made to the best of the knowledge and belief of the commentator but no responsibility is accepted for actions based on such opinions or comments. The commentators may or may not hold investments in the companies under discussion.
