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PUBLIC
ANALYSIS AND REVIEW
BY INVESTREND RESEARCH
Randall D. Lewis, Analyst |
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Date of Report:
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July 15, 1999
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Shares Outstanding:
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11,200,000
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Stock Price:
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$7.00
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Estimated Float:
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3,400,000
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Latest 12 mo. Price Range:
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½ - 35
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Recommendation:
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Speculative Buy
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Industry Sector:
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Internet
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Target Price:
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N/A
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30-Day Avg. Volume est:
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30,000
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SUMMARY
We are upgrading AlphaTrade.com to a speculative
buy rating. We are basing the recommendation upgrade on recent company
events, namely the release of its financial portal, E-Gate. There is no
financial information to report at this time. AlphaTrade.com does appear,
however, to be following through with its business plan and is meeting
its stated schedule for company milestones.
In our initial report, issued in April,
1999, AlphaTrade.com
was assigned a neutral rating. At that time, there were simply too many
unknown variables to put an accurate valuation on the stock at that time.
Being a development stage company, AlphaTrade needed to achieve product
rollout to forecast a 12-month price target with any legitimacy. Unfortunately,
we still feel that putting a stock price target on the company is moot
at this juncture. We are, however, upgrading the stock based on the factors
discussed in this quarterly review.
First, we are impressed with the fact that
the company rolled out its flagship product, the financial portal, E-Gate,
on schedule. Typically, high-tech firms are months behind schedule in
product releases, but AlphaTrade
publicly targeted a June 30 release, and rolled out on July 9. Showcasing
the company’s "Web-to -Desktop" convergent technology, E-Gate
will be an interactive and fully customizable financial portal., containing
real-time quotes, tickers and news, as well as analytical tools generally
found in the higher-end market. AlphaTrade has had thousands of early
sign ups for the E-Gate portal.
Also since our last report, the company
signed its first licensing agreement. Though not financially-related,
AlphaTrade signed a non-exclusive agreement with Baccarat
Management Ltd. to develop the world's first online sports betting and
gaming site using AlphaTrade's browser-based technology. Under the terms
of this agreement, AlphaTrade will receive a total of $250,000 in cash,
$100,000 (already booked) upon signing and a further $150,000 which will
be used to complete an equity investment of Baccarat for 30,000 common
shares issued under Rule 144. In addition, AlphaTrade will receive 4%
of Baccarat's gross revenues on a quarterly basis.
This milestone lent credence to market
acceptance of the company’s technology and served as a basis for future
pricing models. The company still plans to target the retail investor
market, channeled through brokerage firms, who can private label AlphaTrade’s
system and provide it to their clients, thereby enhancing their product
offerings and Web presence.
In addition, PhantomFilm just signed a
licensing agreement with AlphaTrade and will pay $25,000 per month to
the company beginning in July. Management has also pointed to a number
of pending contracts and/or licensing agreements.
The next few months will be critical for
AlphaTrade.com to capitalize on its product and services. The company
has assembled an impressive array of products and technologies, which
are gaining notice by investors and technical savvy professionals alike.
In fact, a recent article by Richard Comerford of The Institute of Electrical
and Electronic Engineers, one of the leading authorities in technical
innovations, pointed to AlphaTrade’s fuzzy-logic, artificial intelligence
techniques as truly cutting edge. The company now needs to focus on marketing
its technology to generate revenues for its shareholders. AlphaTrade is
still in negotiations for financing to take the products to the next level.
Research and development is nearly complete and now it is a question of
marketing, which takes capital. The company’s working capital needs are
being met, but obviously significant funds will need to be raised to actively
market the products.
For now, the company appears to be on
schedule with its business plan and we expect that next quarter will be
a true sign of things to come.
Randall D. Lewis,
4600 Willis Ave. Suite 111, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, Phone 818-783-5006,
Fax 818-783-6321, Email: ralewis@anderson.ucla.edu
.
AlphaTrade.com, com , Suite 400,
1111 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC Canada V6E 4M3. Toll-Free: 1-877-288-7799,
Phone 604-681-7503, Fax: 604-681-7710, Email: info@alphatrade.com
, www.alphatrade.com
Investors Research Institute, Inc.,
P.O. 750471, Forest Hills, NY 11375-0471, Phone 212-484-4747, Fax 718-523-2137.
Email: iri@investorsresearch.org / http://www.investorsresearch.org
Randall D. Lewis, Los Angeles,
has more than ten years experience in security and portfolio analysis,
and served as an equity analyst at SSI Investment Management, Inc., financial
analyst for Griffin Financial Services, and research and market analyst
for Eneric Financial Services. He has published several articles, most
recently HFR Journal of Hedge Fund Research, on merger arbitrage.
He has a degree with honors in finance from California State University,
Fullerton and is a Level III CFA candidate.
Public Analysis & Review (PAR) is
a program of the Investors Research Institute, Inc. (IRI), a non-profit
membership organization for individual investors and others advocating
higher standards of "accessibility", "scrutiny" and "disclosure" for public
companies. Continuing quarterly coverage by an independent analyst is
a requirement to meet the "scrutiny" requirements for the elite "Seal
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website at http://www.investorsresearch.org.
If a company has no independent analyst following, this requirement may
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Information, opinions or recommendations
contained in this report are submitted solely for advisory and information
purposes. The information used and statements of fact made have been obtained
from sources considered reliable but neither guarantee nor representation
is made as to the completeness or accuracy. Such information and the opinions
expressed are subject to change without notice. This report or study is
not intended as an offering or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell
the securities mentioned or discussed. (c) Copyright, 1999, by IR/j:
Investors Research Journal, Investrend Research, div., IRI, Inc.
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