IPT

[fairfield]

 
iParty (AMEX: IPT) received a huge shot in the arm with the Celtics being in the NBA finals. iParty is the Official Boston Red Sox party store and the largest New England party-store company with almost 50 stores in the area. iParty recently hired a PR company to increase shareholder value. The company was recently chosen as "Party Store Retailer of the Year 2008" by the National Party Retailing Awards in Las Vegas.


The news below just hit the wires.....

Celtics gear flies off retailers' shelves

By Greg Turner
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 - Updated 21m ago


If iParty stores had cellars, that's where Celtics merchandise would have dwelled last year, just like the last-place basketball team.

But with the new Big Three and company powering through the NBA playoffs, all the Green gear has a more prominent presence in the party-goods retailer's stores across New England.

Several months ago, Dedham-based iParty bulked up on Celtics-themed items and filled shelf space that until recently was reserved for sports-business contenders the Red Sox and Patriots.

"It's all new to us, because we have plenty of experience selling Pats merchandise, and we have loads of Sox stuff," said Sal Perisano, iParty's chairman and chief executive. "We're selling Celtics merchandise, of all things. It's weird."

IParty's Green gear runs the gamut, from temporary tattoos and felt pennants to pencils and ice pails.

Perisano said the top sellers have been Mylar balloons bearing the Celtics logo, Mr. Potato Head with a team jersey and basketball, and Celtics playing cards.

"We're definitely seeing a bump in interest in all those items," he said. "As long as the media makes a meal of Tinsel Town vs. Beantown, it's all good."

That's the theme of a T-shirt that goes on sale today exclusively at the pro shops of Boston's TD Banknorth Garden and the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The $25 shirt features Celtics and Lakers stars from the 1980s and present rivalries on the front and the NBA Finals history between the teams on the back. The slogan is, "Where rivalries renewed happen."

"It's really cool," said Lauma Cerlins, retail director for the Garden pro shop. "We keep getting restocked, and we're getting new designs every day."

Modell's, the New York-based sporting goods chain with several stores in the Boston area, already brought in a second batch of "Beat L.A." shirts.

"This is the rallying cry for all of Boston," said Chief Executive Mitchell Modell. "It's beyond our wildest expectations."

About iParty Corp.

Headquartered in Dedham, Massachusetts, iParty Corp. is a party goods retailer that operates 50 iParty retail stores and licenses the operation of an Internet site for party goods and party planning at www.iparty.com. iParty's aim is to make throwing a successful event both stress-free and fun. With over 20,000 party supplies and costumes and an online party magazine and party-related content, iParty offers consumers a sophisticated, yet fun and easy-to-use, resource with an extensive assortment of products to customize any party, including birthday bashes, Easter get-togethers, graduation parties, summer barbecues, and, of course, Halloween. iParty aims to offer reliable, time-tested knowledge of party-perfect trends, and superior customer service to ensure convenient and comprehensive merchandise selections for every occasion. Please visit our website at www.iparty.com.

[missdell]

Profitable $90M with only $7M market cap?? Wow. I will look into it before the new PR firm starts pumping this thing up. Looks this is the base and should go up from here.

[vivaviagra]

There were some large purchases today. IPT closed up on 2 times avreage trading volume.

[vivaviagra]

By the way, iParty has almost 50 stores in the New England area...the largest party store company in the area.

[fairfield]

I forgot to attach the link for the Boatonherald.com news regarding the huge upswing in Celtics-related sales at almost 50 New England iParty stores:

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1098634

[fairfield]

I know that at this time IPT is not a "sexy" stock at this time....it is a not a China stock...it is not an oil/gas stock. Volume is low and watching it trade is like watching paint dry. On the other hand you can go to sleep at night knowing that it is now at the basement and the only was from here is up.  The fact that sually quiet IPT management just hired a PR company to raise awareness about this sleeper stock is a good sign.

I don't like chasing stocks and lose my azz if I buy at the peak only for the thing to collapse and end up holding the bag. Been there ...done that. I like to find super-undervalued fundamentally strong stocks with a few catalysts in the near and long term:

Catalysts??

- IPT hired PR company. Expect some road shows, presentations to institutional investors, and other activities to raise awareness about the stock.

- The windfall expected from Celtics gear sales could mean long-term gains as well. Those new customers buying Celtics gear will likely come back for other occasions.

- At a P/S of 0.07 and profitable Y/Y IPT is an attractive acquisition candidate due to swift setor consolidation. Fair value on a sale?.....at least $3

AAH Holdings is buying all smaller party-store chains in sight. It recently acquired Factory Card, Party America, and others. iParty is the largest New England chain in this sector. Link:

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu8ojekdI8D0A2VpXNyoA?p=aah+party+stores&fr=ush1-finance&ei=UTF-8

- IPT's store-store % gains are going up because the new stores it acquired from rival chains in the last 3 years are now turning profits. IPT's gross margins are amongst the highest in the retail indistry...in the mid 40's.

Eventually IPT will become a "sexy" stock again (it was sexy 3 years ago) and stock chasers will push my shares way up. I expect 100- 300% gain this year. Today IPT is fundamentally a lot strionger than 3 years ago when it reached $1.6

Good luck

[vivaviagra]

 iParty Stores....Celtics' Party Central....it is already The Official Party Store of the Boston Red Sox and  have a great relationship with Pats fans being the largest party store in new England.

   
http://www.iparty.com/whats_new/celtics_zone.asp

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1098634

IPT is doing a great job milking the Celtics cash cow thanks to the Boston Herald article. I am sure that this effort will translate into long-term loyalty from those new to iParty thanks to the mighty Celtics.

All the pieces of the puzzle are falling in place....same store sales up...gross margins up....new PR company working behind the scenes...increase visibility and name recognition thanks to the Celtics resurgence.

This quarter revenues ending June 30 will be huge. The company will release earnings results during the thirt week of July

[trutv]

Celtics NBA victory will be huge for IPT

6 Month Target: $1.5 - $2

- IPT, New England region's largest party retailer with 50 stores, is a profitable and growing company with over $80M in revenues and only $6M market cap

- IPT is the Official party store of the Boston Red Sox.

- IPT received a huge shot in the arm with the Celtics being in the NBA finals. iParty is the largest New England party-store company with almost 50 stores in the area. The Boston Herald reported on June 4, 2008 that iParty stores are selling Celtics party items like never before. The second quarter 2008 ending June 30 will likely be a record quarter thanks to the celtics winning the NBA Finals. New customers coing in to pick up Celtics stuff will likely return for other party occasions.

- IPT recently hired Investor's Relations Booke Company to raise investor awareness about this growing and grossly undervalued company. The last time IPT hired an IR company the stock went from 20c to $1.6. IPT has twice as many stores, twice the revenues, and is now profitable. Booke recently responded to an investor inquiry:

..."We are compiling information for the Investor Relations (IR) kit and are planning road shows in order to provide potential investors with information about the firm and create awareness. Other media "events" are also on the schedule. iParty also hired a public relations firm and we will include select articles in the IR kit."

- On April 3, 2008 iParty Corp. was named "Party Store Retailer of the Year 2008" by National Retailing Awards in las Vegas.

- IPT has been often mentioned as a buyout candidate due to aggressive sector consolidation and because it is the largest party retailer in the New England area and profitable. Party America and other party retailing chains were recently purchased at an average 0.5 P/S. IPT currently trades at an unbelievable 0.07 P/S


ABOUT IPT:

iParty Corp. (AMEX IPT) operates as a retailer of party goods, as well as provides party planning advisory services and relevant information in the United States. Its stores feature approximately 20,000 products, such as paper party goods, Halloween costumes, greeting cards, balloons, pinatas, tiny toys, masquerade, and Hawaiian Luau items. The company also licenses the name iParty.com to third parties. As of December 29, 2007, iParty Corp. operated 26 stores in Massachusetts, 7 in Connecticut, 6 in New Hampshire, 2 in Rhode Island, 3 in Maine, and 1 in Vermont, as well as 5 stores in Florida.

[trutv]

Even though I want to Celtics to win it all, I am glad that the Lakers won last night. A few more Celtics parties coming up in the next few days caping with the NBA title celebration. My wish is Celtics in 7!! But I don't think the Lakers will be able to win in Boston

[vivaviagra]

IPT has filed the new PR company's iParty presentation for institutional investors. We should start seeing institutions flock into this undervalued and superbly managed little company:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=74787&p=irol-SECText&TEXT=aHR0cDovL2NjYm4uMTBrd2l6YXJkLmNvbS94bWwvZmlsaW5nLnhtbD9yZXBvPXRlbmsmaXBhZ2U9NTczNDA3MyZhdHRhY2g9T04%3d

BTW, the Celtics winning the NBA championship will be huge for IPT this quarter ending June 30, 2008.

[vivaviagra]

Reminder: IPT 2Q 2008 earnings coming up in less than 2 weeks. The effect of the Celtics playoffs leading to their winning the NBA championship will be huge this quarter. iParty is the largest party store chain in New England with 50 stores. iParty is the Official Party Store of the Boston Red Sox.

IPT is a rumored acquisition target due to heavy sector accumulation. Many regional party-store chains are being acquired at a record pace. The latest one is Celebrate Express. Celebrate Express (BDAY) gained 70% on acquisition news on June 26. 

As a comparison, IPT is only trading at 25c/share making its market cap about $7M....BDAY sold for $31M. IPT has more revenues than BDAY and is profitable. BDAY lost $13M last quarter!! Last year IPT had $3M cash flow to fuel more growth.

Here is the BDAY news:

Liberty Media to buy Celebrate Express for $31M
Thursday June 26, 5:40 pm ET

Liberty Media to buy Celebrate Express in all cash deal for $3.90 per share

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -- Liberty Media Corp. said Thursday will buy Celebrate Express for about $31.1 million in cash, the owner of diverse entertainment and services Web sites said.

Liberty will pay $3.90 per share for the company that sells party supplies and costumes online under the Birthday Express and 1st Wishes brands.

Celebrate Express had about 7.8 million shares outstanding at the end of March, according to a regulatory filing.

The offer represents a premium of 70 percent of the stock's closing price Thursday of $2.30. In electronic aftermarket trading, Celebrate shares jumped $1.21, or 52.6 percent, to $3.51. The company said in April it was considering a possible sale.


NOTE: IPT recently hired Investor's Relations Booke Company to raise investor awareness about this growing and grossly undervalued company. The last time IPT hired an IR company the stock went from 20c to $1.6. IPT has twice as many stores, twice the revenues, and is now profitable. Booke recently responded to an investor inquiry:

..."We are compiling information for the Investor Relations (IR) kit and are planning road shows in order to provide potential investors with information about the firm and create awareness. Other media "events" are also on the schedule. iParty also hired a public relations firm and we will include select articles in the IR kit."

Here is Booke Co's First Co Presentation:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=74787&p=irol-SECText&TEXT=aHR0cDovL2NjYm4uMTBrd2l6YXJkLmNvbS94bWwvZmlsaW5nLnhtbD9yZXBvPXRlbmsmaXBhZ2U9NTczNDA3MyZhdHRhY2g9T04%3d