ANT considers sale or liquidation
Digital TV software provider ANT took a tumble on Thursday after it said the business could be sold or put into voluntary liquidation.
Digital TV software provider ANT took a tumble on Thursday after it said the business could be sold or put into voluntary liquidation.
Its shares were down 12% after the company announced it was looking to maximise shareholder value, "which may involve continued trading, voluntary liquidation, the sale of the company or asset sales".
The firm said it delivered record revenue in the first half of 2012 but with the most significant contribution being from royalties, the long haul in bringing products and projects to market had significantly eroded gross margins.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Revenue was up 15% to £2.47m, but gross margin was down to 65% from 84% the year before.
This led to losses before tax increasing to £0.44m from £0.28m previously.
"The material increase in royalties revenue and unit shipments, which reflect an initial customer rollout, masks the underlying performance of the business," said Chairman Roysten Hoggarth.
"The changes in our market, and the increasing demand for the supply of turnkey solutions has put a considerable stress on the business," he added.
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.
-
LendInvest: a promising fintech firm going cheap
Opinion LendInvest has made some mistakes in the past, but it’s now primed for growth, says Rupert Hargreaves
By Rupert Hargreaves
-
What caused the Birmingham bin strike – and what does it mean for British businesses?
The Birmingham bin strike is the fallout from an equal-pay claim brought by female cleaners. That bodes ill for the rest of British business
By Simon Wilson