Can You Trust Game Digital After Previous Mistakes?

New issues Just Eat PLC (LON: JE), Pets at Home Group PLC (LON: PETS) and Boohoo.Com PLC (LON: BOO) have underperformed. Will Game fare better?

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

GameGame Digital, the UK’s leading games retailer, which collapsed into administration two years ago, has confirmed that it is planning to make a return to the market after a hefty restructuring programme. 

Game collapsed during 2012, becoming one of the most high-profile casualties of the UK high street. The group was struggling to find funds to pay the rent and several main suppliers, including Electronic Arts and Nintendo, refused to provide key titles.

At the time, Game’s management claimed that there was, “no equity value left in the group” and shareholders were left with nothing, as the group fell into the hands of administrators.

However, private investment firm OpCapita, backed by Elliott Advisors, the aggressive US hedge fund, swooped in and bought the group out of administration.

Now, Elliot is planning to bring Game back to the market, but can Game be trusted not to let down shareholders once again?

Coming back

Game has been working flat out to restructure and return to health since its administration. The company has closed more than half of its stores and slashed staffing numbers, a new management team has also been brought in. 

Further, if the float goes ahead, Game will be debt-free, when the group originally collapsed, it was struggling to support debts of around £40m. 

Game reported adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of £51m on revenues of £586m for the six months to January 2014. So, full-year revenues and EBITDA should be somewhere within the region of £102m and £1.2bn for 2014. 

It is expected that when Game comes to market the initial valuation will be somewhere in the region of £400m, putting the group just outside of the FTSE 250. 

Can it be trusted?boohoo 2

The return of Game Group is likely to bring back bad memories for many private investors who saw they equity in the group wiped out during 2012.

What’s more, investor confidence in retail IPOs is flagging as new issues have all underperformed and the market is questioning sky-high valuations. 

For example, recent issues Just Eat (LSE: JE), Pets at Home Group (LSE: PETS) and Boohoo.Com (LSE: BOO) are all languishing below their listing prices.

Pets at Home has seen its shares fall 12.5% since coming to the market, although management made an 18-fold gain on their shares acquired just before the company went public.  

Meanwhile, Boohoo’s shares jumped 70% on their market debut after the company revealed a 62% jump in sales. However, Boohoo’s share have since fallen 42% below their listing price and the company’s current market capitalisation of around £500m, dwarfs its annual pre-tax profit of £3.2m; a P/E ratio of 156. 

Further, Just Eat’s shares have fallen nearly 30% from their IPO price. The company’s shares have notched up these declines despite the fact that Goldman Sachs has estimated that the company can drive profits higher by 60% per annum during the next few years.

Should you invest, the value of your investment may rise or fall and your capital is at risk. Before investing, your individual circumstances should be assessed. Consider taking independent financial advice.

Rupert does not own any share mentioned within this article. 

More on Investing Articles

Investing Articles

Dividend shares: 1 FTSE 100 stock to consider buying for chunky shareholder income

This company’s ‘clean’ dividend record looks attractive to me and I’d consider buying some of the shares to hold long…

Read more »

Investing Articles

3 of my top FTSE 250 stocks to consider buying before April

Buying undervalued UK shares can be a great way to generate long-term wealth. Here, Royston Wild reveals a handful on…

Read more »

Ice cube tray filled with ice cubes and three loose ice cubes against dark wood.
Investing Articles

Just released: our 3 top income-focused stocks to buy before April [PREMIUM PICKS]

Our goal here is to highlight some of our past recommendations that we think are of particular interest today, due…

Read more »

Investing Articles

Is this the best chance to buy cheap FTSE 100 shares in a generation?

I want to buy shares when they're cheap, and sell... never, just keep taking the dividends. And the FTSE 100…

Read more »

Man putting his card into an ATM machine while his son sits in a stroller beside him.
Investing Articles

Could NatWest shares be 2024’s number one buy for passive income?

For those of us looking to earn some long-term passive income, how does NatWest's 7% dividend yield sound? It sounds…

Read more »

Investing Articles

£12K in savings? Here’s how I could turn that into £13K annual passive income

This Fool explains how investing a lump sum can help her build a passive income stream to enjoy in her…

Read more »

Aerial shot showing an aircraft shadow flying over an idyllic beach
Investing Articles

Here’s why Rolls-Royce shares are now set to fly over the £4 mark

Once again, Rolls-Royce shares are crushing the FTSE 100. Should I add to my holding of this stock at the…

Read more »

Investing Articles

1 under the radar FTSE 100 AI stock investors should consider buying

Our writer explains why this FTSE 100 pick could be a shrewd investment with its established experience of using AI…

Read more »