Frank ferments wine share price

Tuesday, 12 September, 2000 - 21:00
EVANS & Tate chairman Frank Tate, visiting London to lift a cup for best red of the year at a big international wine show, decided to play up his luck by calling on institutional investors in the city.

Since going public a year ago, the Evans & Tate share price has not matched the rich bouquet of its inestimable products.

The dollar shares shot up to $1.40 in the early going, but have since gone further south than Margaret River to trade at $1.05. A presentation to institutions in London and Sydney might whip up orders for a few rounds.

The company’s problem is that it is too small to attract a strong following and one day it may be swallowed up by a major.

There was nothing wrong with the maiden results released recently. Profits were the full bottle $2.38 million forecast in the prospectus and the promised 3.2c dividend was paid for the year.

The company is focused on the domestic market, but it has opened sales offices in Europe and the UK. WA expatriates shopping at Marks & Spencer might be unknowingly quaffing E & T wine sold under the store’s own label.