SHAREMARK PRESS PACK

ShareMark, which was founded in 2000, is an auction-based stockmarket for smaller companies. Itís designed to be simple, low cost and flexible.

Like all other stockmarkets, ShareMark provides investors with a mechanism through which to buy, sell and value shares and keep up to date with company announcements in a secure and regulated environment.

However, ShareMark concentrates on provide bespoke trading solutions, not on fundraising. This allows the market to operate under lighter regulations than other markets and means that it can provide a more flexible service than other stockmarkets, for example ShareMark may be used to provide a closed or monitored market. This allows the Directors of the Company to control who buys and sells shares, thus helping to protect the interests of existing shareholders and prevent the possibility of a takeover bid.

ShareMark, which is authorised as an Alternative Trading System by the Financial Services Authority, a trading division of the The Share Centre Limited, which is one of the UKís largest independent stockbroking firms. Corporate clients include high profile names, such as M&G, Virgin and ASDA Walmart.

Companies currently traded on ShareMark come from a range of sectors, with market capitalisations varying from 0.65 million to over 60 million. Companies using ShareMark include:

ï London Irish Holdings, owner of the London Irish Rugby Club;
ï Radio Taxis, the second largest taxi operator in London;
ï Countrywide, the farming and rural supplies business;
ï City Lofts Group, ex AIM listed property development firm;
ï Dairy Farmers of Britain, the leading dairy farmersí cooperative in the UK.


2. Key facts

ï Currently, 13 companies with a total of over 150,000 shareholders are using ShareMark.

ï It is anticipated that approximately 5 million shares will trade through Sharemark in 2007.

ï ShareMark trades both equity and loan stock.

ï ShareMark auctions shares. There are no market makers and consequentially no bid offer spreads.

ï The smallest ShareMark company is Luke Hughes, a bespoke furniture manufacturer with a market cap of 600,000 and approximately 200 shareholders. The largest company is City Lofts Group with a market cap of over 60m.

ï Admission to ShareMark costs just 1500 and ongoing fees are 1,250 per quarter.

ï Companies are not required to retain the services of a professional adviser and the simple admission process limits adviser fees from the outset.

ï Companies are not required to issue a prospectus or offer document upon admission, unless they are raising finance.

ï The most recent company to join ShareMark, City Lofts Group completed the admission process in less than 2 weeks.

ï In 2004 ShareMark was appointed ëMarket Operatorí to the West Midlands Regional Stock Exchange, ëInvestBXí which is due to launch in Summer 2007.