Lastminute.com Market Outperformer+++++++++++ - 500 Beiträge pro Seite

[jli]

  Consors News   X  
Lastminute.com: Market Outperformer (Goldman Sachs)

In der Studie vom 26. November 2001 sieht Goldman Sachs in der Aktie von Lastminute.com einen “Market Outperformer“.

Der britische Dienstleister habe erneut solide Zahlen veröffentlicht. Es sei sowohl eine Verbesserung des Top-Line-Wachstums als auch der Kostenkontrolle gelungen. Um im Gesamtjahr den Break-Even zu erreichen sei ein gesamtes Transaktionsvolumen von 480-500 Mio. Pfund notwendig, so die Analysten. Ein wichtiger Test für das Unternehmen werde die Beibehaltung des Wachstums sein. Hierzu müsse die Firma ein Wachstum auf allen Märkten und nicht nur in Großbritannien und Frankreich erwirtschaften. Die operativen Kosten hätten sich von 110% des gesamten Transaktionsvolumens im letzten Fiskaljahr auf nur noch 46% reduziert. Die gut vorangeschrittene Integration von Degriftour und die Effizienz aus den verbesserten Technologien sollten Raum für weitere Kosteneinsparungen bieten.

Das Unternehmen verfüge über einen Bargeldbestand von 46,4 Mio. Pfund und sinkende Bargeldvernichtungsraten. Somit sollten die liquiden Mittel bis zum Erreichen des Break-Even ausreichend sein. Die Analysten heben ihre Prognosen für 2002 und 2003 an. Goldman Sachs erwarte weiterhin einen volatilen Kursverlauf und stuft die Aktie von Lastminute.com weiterhin mit “Market Outperformer“ ein.
Analyst: Goldman Sachs
WKN der Aktie: 936071
KGV 02e: k.A.
Besprechungskurs: k.A.
Kursziel: k.A.
Rating des Analysten: Market Outperformer

Quelle: Aktienresearch 27.11.2001 10:38

[jli]

Analystenhäuser
ABN AMRO,Lehman Brothers,Goldman Sachs,Morgan Stanley
mit der Empfehlung:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggressiv kaufen 1
Kaufen 2
Halten 0
Reduzieren 1
Verkaufen 0

[jli]

lastminute.com and Disneyland Paris establish online travel partnership

Financial Press Releases | General Press Releases




4 December 2001

 

lastminute.com, the online provider of travel and leisure solutions, today announced it has signed a long term travel partnership with Disneyland Paris. The deal enables lastminute.com users to purchase packages to Disneyland Paris including travel on the direct Eurostar, Park Passes and accommodation at one of the seven onsite Disney hotels. Users will also be able to take advantage of special added value offers, such as ‘Kids Go Free’.

The deal further widens lastminute.com’s short breaks and family product offerings, which are key growth areas of the business. The strategic partnership will give Disneyland Paris even greater access to its core target audience of families with kids. It will also enable Disneyland Paris to expand its reach to young adults without children looking for an alternative short break.

Helen Baker, UK Managing Director, lastminute.com commented: “Our partnership with Disneyland Paris further expands our global travel and family offerings which are significant growth areas for us. With such a well-established global brand, the deal highlights the complementary nature and strength of the lastminute.com model to companies like Disneyland Paris.”

Jo Rzymowska, Managing Director, Disneyland Paris, UK, Ireland and Nordic, said: “This partnership with lastminute.com, one of the biggest names in last minute bookings, will enable internet users to book packages to Disneyland Paris with ease. With the opening of our second theme park in the spring, Walt Disney Studios, this is a great deal to further extend our distribution channels.”

[jli]

=DJ THE BOTTOM LINE: Online Travel Agencies Face Bumpy Ride


By Valerie Venck and Andrea Barsony
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

PARIS (Dow Jones)--Online travel companies, caught in a storm since the Internet bubble burst, economic slowdown and travel fears after Sept. 11, may seem to have few options other than going bust or being taken over by stronger rivals.
Unless, that is, they can identify specialist niche markets the major participants either can`t fill - or aren`t interested in. Some of them are doing just that as predators, most of whom are clicks and mortar companies, such as large hotel groups or airlines, circle the sector.
"The September 11 events will only hasten consolidation in the sector. Sales have plummeted between 30% and 40% since then. Many companies will either have to be bought out or file for bankruptcy," said Olivier Kervella, managing director of French online travel agency Anyway.com.
Gilles Despas, director for France, Germany and Switzerland of Ebookers.com PLC (EBKR) said: "The (consolidation) trend will accelerate because some companies will soon need funds, and prices are undoubtedly lower than a year ago. The main players will likely be those with critical mass and a strict financial policy, as well as the sector`s major players."
Major hotel groups, such as the U.K.`s Six Continents (SXC), Accor SA (F.ACC), Hilton (U.HGP) and Mariott (MAR), have a part to play in the industry`s restructuring, said Georges Panayotis of French leisure consultancy MKG Conseil.
Low-cost air carriers such as the U.K.`s Easyjet (U.EZJ) and Ryanair (U.RYA) are also likely to be among the buyers, said Jaap Favier, an analyst at Forrester Research.
Michel Bre, head of NF-Online, the Internet subsidiary of French tour operator Nouvelles Frontieres, agreed that the clicks and mortar companies "will be the only ones to survive, apart from a few sites offering cheap flights," adding that he has doubts about the long term prospects for online travel agencies such as U.S. groups Expedia Inc. (EXPE) and Travelocity.com Inc (TVLY).
"Online travel agencies are in a weak position, compared with large carriers and hotel groups, particularly because of their weak market shares and the limited value-added of their services," added an analyst at a large French bank.
However, Ebookers` Despas believes in the future of the online business and thinks the strongest among them - Expedia, Travelocity and Ebookers - should survive, although he named Germany`s Preussag (G.PRS) and Thomas Cook PLC as potential buyers.
One niche market currently being explored by online companies is the last-minute travel booking market.
According to Jupiter MMXI, Lastminute.com and its French partner, Degriftour, were the third and fourth most visited travel Web sites in September, just behind those of national railway company SNCF and Air France.
The group expects to breakeven in April 2002, while its French and U.K. units are just about to reach this level, said Denis Philipon, managing director of Lastminute.com`s French unit, adding that the company doesn`t have "any real direct competitor on the Internet."
But Anyway.com`s Kervella predicted: "Companies need to be backed up by a large group. A year from now, there won`t be one independent start-up company in sight." Anyway is a unit of Canadian tour operator Transat A.T. Inc. (T.TRZ).
Alongside the smaller online companies, analyst say some much larger businesses may also be on raiders` radar. They nominate major leisure groups Club Mediterranee (F.CLU) and possibly Carlson Wagonlit Travel, which is 50%-owned by hotel group Accor and 50% by Carlson Companies Inc. (X.CRL), as potential takeover targets.

Squeezed By Airlines` Commission Cut

Restructuring in the French travel industry began in 2000, when the U.K.`s Lastminute.com PLC (LMIN) bought French rival Degriftour. Preussag, which acquired a 13% stake in Nouvelles Frontieres in February, will acquire a majority holding in 2002.
The trend continued in October with the acquisition of Promovacances by Karavel, a travel agency controlled by U.S. travel reservations specialist Sabre Holding Corp. (TSG) and France`s Societe Generale (F.SGF).
The main issue for online companies is financial as cash has become a rare commodity after the Internet bubble burst and revenue slowed on air travel fears after Sept. 11.
"If revenues fall 40% and you don`t cut fixed costs, your bottom line is bound to suffer," said Anyway.com`s Kervella, adding that air traffic is unlikely to pick up before next summer - at least in France.
In addition, U.S. airlines Continental and Northwest have decided to stop paying commissions to online agencies which are competing with their own distribution network. This is bound to come to Europe sooner or later, observers said.
"Today, airlines pay a commission representing about 5% of a ticket face value. It was 9% two years ago, and we`re moving toward goal zero in three years` time," said Forrester`s Favier.
The latest Internet developments at major airlines, which include the creation of Orbitz, a site set up jointly by U.S. airlines, seem to be in line with Favier`s forecasts.
Nine European airlines - including Air France (F.AFG), British Airways PLC (BAB) and Deutsche Lufthansa AG (G.LHA) - have invested EUR128 million creating a rival portal, dubbed Opodo (short for "Opportunity to Do"), whose first site will be launched in December in Germany.
"The advantage of a joint portal is that it enables airlines to reduce distribution costs by 25%," said Opodo`s Chief Executive Giovanni Bisignani.
As a result of the airlines` move, travel agencies will have to add a transaction fee to their services, said Karavel`s managing director Alain de Mendoca.
"Customers will have to pay for the service, like Travelocity, which charges $10 per purchase...but this means companies will need to justify the fee somehow," he said.
Still, in recent weeks, the spate of special flight offers has been a boon for Internet sites, as most travelers delayed plans to the last minute, and business travelers, having seen Sabena and Swissair grounded, flocked to their computers to book alternative flights, added Forrester`s Favier.
Another niche market is the travel auctions market, key to the success of Nouvelles Frontieres` Web site, said Nf-Online`s Bre. Every week since 1998, Nouvelles Frontieres has been auctioning flights and package holidays on its site.
The auctions "correspond to what Internet users are looking for," Bre said. "It allows us to cut stocks and fill planes and hotels, while offering excellent bargains to customers," he added, calling the auction system "a killer application."
-By Valerie Venck and Andrea Barsony, Dow Jones Newswires; 331-4017-1740; [e-mail]

(END) DOW JONES NEWS 11-30-01

[siba]

Hi jli
Du bist ja nun fast Alleinunterhalter. Ich muss neidlos anerkennen, dass mein Ausstieg wohl doch zu früh war. Wie es aussieht, hast du echte Chancen auf weiter steigende Kurse und ich werde wohl nicht mehr unter 0,6 reinkommen.
Glückwunsch und weiter alles Gute!
Frohes Fest und Guten Rutsch
siba

[jli]

@siba

Gleichfalls alles Gute. Derzeit ist wohl wieder alles möglich auch bei
lastminute unter 0,6 einzusteigen. Ich Frage mich nur warum Du auf
vergleichsweise so geringem Niveau überhaupt raus bist? Sah doch alles
relativ gut aus.

Gruß jli

[jli]

Published: 13:04 18.12.2001 GMT /HUGIN /Source: lastminute.com Plc
/LSE: LMC /ISIN: GB0001583078

lastminute.com launches affordable online lifestyle management
service: lastminute.com VIP




lastminute.com has just launched a new venture to provide customers
with a lifestyle assistance service: `lastminute.com VIP`. At less
than £5 a week, it is the first easily affordable consumer lifestyle
and home management service to manage anything that people don`t have
the time, energy or expertise to handle for themselves - be it in
their business or personal lives.

lastminute.com`s UK managing director Helen Baker says there is a
real desire for lifestyle management services as an increasing number
of people are spending over 60 hours per week at work*. "Following
current trends in lifestyle management and interest from our
customers, we have taken a concept that has traditionally only been
associated with employees of major corporates and made it available
for any busy individual who needs it, making a tangible difference to
busy peoples` lives."

lastminute.com has partnered with the European market leader in
lifestyle management and concierge services, tenUK, to provide the
service. tenUK cater for over 75 percent of the existing lifestyle
management and corporate concierge market.

tenUK chief executive officer Alex Cheatle says: "It is a perfect
time for this alliance; due to an already established marketplace,
lastminute.com VIP customers are able to take advantage of an
exceptional pricing offer and virtually limitless scope via access to
an enormous number of qualified and vetted suppliers for whichever
service they require - however large or small."

lastminute.com VIP enables users to find solutions to their everyday
needs, from travel and leisure products to everything from shopping,
gardening and motoring services, to financial and property
assistance. Customers sign up to the lifestyle service by purchasing
membership from lastminute.com. Requests can then be made either
online or by telephone, fulfilled either with lastminute.com
inventory or other products or services from the extensive lifestyle
management database, created by tenUK for lastminute.com VIP.
Membership to lastminute.com VIP is £19.99 a month - the best value
offering on the market.

[jli]

lastminute.com to auction holidays on live TV



lastminute.com, the online provider of travel and leisure solutions,
has teamed up with live auction tv channel, bid-up.tv, to auction off
top quality holidays with reserve prices from as little as £1.
bid-up.tv is available in all Sky Digital, NTL and Telewest Broadband
homes. As well as expanding into a new platform to reach potential
customers, the agreement demonstrates lastminute.com`s on-going
strategy to represent major innovation in holiday retail as one of
the UK`s first ecommerce companies to auction holidays live on-air.

The daily auctions will offer a variety of holidays and shorter
breaks via the dynamic medium of TV to more than 8 million homes in
the UK that subscribe to Sky Digital, Telewest Broadband or NTL. Via
bid-up.tv, the world`s fastest growing non-terrestrially linked
channel, lastminute.com will be able to expand its market segment
reach beyond the online audience to the digital TV audience and to
reach people in the comfort of their own living rooms.

Martha Lane Fox, group managing director of lastminute.com said:
"This is the first time any of our products have been auctioned on TV
and we`re thrilled to be at the forefront of what represents a whole
new way of buying holidays via a unique multi-platform experience. We
believe that with our product set and branding we can compliment
bid-up.tv`s already successful presence and offer their subscribers
exciting deals through their TV."

During the four-week trial between 28 January and 24 Feb 2002,
bid-up.tv will auction off one top quality holiday a day. Details of
each holiday, including the minimum (reserve) bid and estimated
selling price, will feature as trailers on bid-up.tv in the run-up to
each auction, taking place every day at 1850 hours. During the live
auctions, viewers will be able to bid for the holidays by telephone
via internet site www.bid-up.tv, competing against each other to get
a bargain.

Ashley Faull, managing director of bid-up.tv commented: "We`re
delighted to enter into this partnership with lastminute.com, and
that they have decided to auction some of their top quality holidays
on TV. We hope this will be the beginning of a long and profitable
relationship between our two organisations. Both lastminute.com and
bid-up.tv have a great reputation for quality and value for money and
we`re happy to be working together on this brand new TV initiative."

[jli]

Travelocity gelingt bei Zahlen keine Überraschung

Die Internetreiseagentur Travelocity erwirtschaftete im Q4 einen Umsatz von 68,1 Mio $ und einen Gewinn von 4,9 Mio $ oder 9 Cents/Aktie. Vor einem Jahr erwirtschaftete man einen Umsatz von 65,5 Mio $ und einen Verlust von 2,4 Mio $. Analysten hatten für das letzte Quartal einen Umsatz von 68 Mio $ und einen Gewinn von 10 Cents/Aktie prognostiziert, was nicht ganz erfüllt werden konnte. Nachbörslich notierten die Aktien zuletzt unverändert.

[jli]

Profitabilität in Australien. Bei diesen Buschfeuern wäre ich auch in Urlaub gefahren. (kleiner Scherz)

lastminute.com`s joint venture in Australia announces profit for the
month of December 2001



With Total Transaction Value (TTV) of A$1.2 million for December 2001
and continuing TTV growth exceeding 30% month on month,
lastminute.com (Aust.) has recorded its first monthly profit after
just 16 months in operation. Completed online unit sales for December
totalled over 12,000 items and were driven by a significant growth in
visitor numbers during November, when the site ranked as the 6th most
visited e-Commerce site (Red Sheriff ratings agency) in Australia.
December has shown a 15% growth in subscribers, increasing the
database to over 235,000 members.

Brent Hoberman, Chief Executive Officer of lastminute.com, commented
"By selecting a strong partner in the Australian market, we have
demonstrated that the lastminute.com business model can be
successfully exported to international markets."

lastminute.com (Aust.) is a joint venture between travel.com.au
Limited (74.9%) and lastminute.com plc (25.1%), and was initially
launched in August 2000.

[jli]

Lastminute.com Announces Strategic Partnership With Orange UK For
Mobile Commerce



lastminute.com, online provider of travel and leisure solutions, has
formed a strategic partnership with Orange UK, the UK`s most popular
mobile phone service, to develop innovative mobile retail
applications.

The relationship between the two companies draws on the potential of
the mobile market, offering convenient and fast access to retail
products direct from customer mobiles. The two companies will work
together to develop and prominently promote a unique mobile commerce
experience, and will continue to investigate new advancements such as
location-based services and GPRS to offer users the next generation
of application.

"lastminute.com and Orange UK will work together to ensure that
mobile users can purchase great deals - any time, any place," says
lastminute.com head of new platforms Babak Fouladi. "We are
delighted to be one of the first retail brands developing a
relationship with Orange UK in the exciting and innovative field of
mobile commerce."

Orange UK m-commerce manager Ben Hirsch says: "Mobile commerce is
now becoming a reality. Through this strategic partnership, Orange
UK and lastminute.com will use their combined expertise to bring
additional convenience to our customers."

The partnership between lastminute.com and Orange UK will bring
customers what we believe to be the best benefits of mobile
technology. Users will be able to gain access to great deals via
their mobile phone at any time and via a platform that is convenient
to them - in a secure manner.

lastminute.com will benefit from this partnership by developing
advanced mobile commerce solutions and expanding its distribution on
the mobile platform via Orange UK`s existing 12.55 million
customers.

[jli]

Analyst: Morgan Stanley Dean Witter

Rating: Outperform-V    

Update: reiterated     WKN: 936071  

Die Analysten von Morgan Stanley haben die Online-Flugbörse lastminute.com mit dem Rating "Outperform-V" eingestuft. Trotz einer überdurchschnittlichen Performance sei auch mit stärkeren Kursschwankungen zu rechnen.

Das Unternehmen mache im laufenden Jahr stetige Fortschritte in Richtung der Profitabilität. Nach dem starken Wachstum im vergangenen Jahr rechne lastminute.com mit dem Erriechen des Break-Even in England und Frankreich noch im Jahr 2002. Die Analysten sehen weiterhin keine Finanzierungsprobleme.

Lastminute.com werde voraussichtlich Ende 2003 auf Gruppenebene profitabel arbeiten, bis dahin gebe es ausreichend Cash um beständig zu wachsen. Das Unternehmen liege voll im Plan und verbessere kontinuierlich seine Kerndaten. Auf Basis dieser sich positiv entwickelnden Fundamentalzahlen verfüge die Aktie noch über Kurspotenzial. Entsprechend bestätigen die Analysten ihr Rating "Outperform-V".

[siba]

Hi jli
Du bist ja immer noch richtig aktiv!? Hab einfach mal wieder reingeschaut. Ich beobachte lastminute stets weiter und warte auf den idealen Neueinstieg. Was meinst Du? bekommt man welche zu 0,50 oder billiger? wann kommen denn mal wieder Zahlen? Dann geht das Ding doch wieder ab.
Gruss
siba

[jli]

Hallo siba

Schön von Dir zu hören. Kann leider nicht raus und bin auch eher
mittelfristig orientiert. In Deutschland scheint der Wert eher unbekannt
zu sein. In den letzten 3 Monaten waren die Umsätze hier sehr sehr
dünn. Wesentlich unter 0,5 werden sie wohl nicht zu haben sein. Ich
erwarte ordentliche Zahlen und mein Kursziel ist für dieses Jahr
vergleichbar mit ebookers auch bei 3 Eur.

Gruß jli

[jli]

lastminute.com Japan Joint Venture

lastminute.com announces intention to form multiparty joint venture
to establish a new e-commerce business in Japan

lastminute.com plc, online provider of travel and leisure solutions,
today announces it is in the final phase of signing a joint venture
agreement with Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. Ltd., Nippon Travel Agency
Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Corporation/MC Capital Fund & other investors to
establish a new e-commerce business under the lastminute.com brand in
Japan.

lastminute.com is in the process of signing an exclusive license
agreement with the joint venture company to allow it to develop the
lastminute.com brand within Japan. lastminute.com will provide access
to its international database of supply and other support during the
launch and start-up phase.

Both Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. Ltd. and Nippon Travel Agency Co. Ltd.
will package exclusive travel products for the business, as well as
providing access to their domestic and international late
availability travel supply. They will second senior management and
staff to the joint venture company, to ensure it benefits from their
considerable local travel expertise and existing relationships. The
parties have also agreed online marketing relationships with their
respective internet sites, as well as regular promotions to their
existing customer bases.

Mitsubishi Corporation/MC Capital Fund, coordinator of this joint
venture, and others will provide business partnering and managerial
support for the venture.

lastminute.com`s CEO Brent Hoberman said
"We are excited about this opportunity to enter the second largest
internet market in the world with such high calibre partners. With
their enthusiasm and belief in our business model, as well as their
local expertise, travel supply and existing customer databases we
feel the new joint venture will be well positioned to create a
successful lastminute.com business."

[jli]

lastminute.com completes Japan Joint Venture

lastminute.com completes a multiparty joint venture to establish a
new e-commerce business in Japan, names 2 new investors and announces
Managing Director

lastminute.com, online provider of travel and leisure solutions,
today confirms it has completed a joint venture agreement with Kinki
Nippon Tourist Co. Ltd., Nippon Travel Agency Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi
Corporation/MC Capital Fund, Credit Saison Co. Ltd & Japan Efund to
establish an e-commerce business under the lastminute.com brand in
Japan, providing late availability inspirational travel products and
services.

Mr. Hirotsugu Nagasawa, General Manager of Kinki Nippon Tourist Co
Ltd.`s Corporate Planning Office, has been named Managing Director
and Representative Director to the board. He brings with him over 30
years of travel experience at Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. Ltd and will
ensure that the venture obtains maximum leverage from both Kinki
Nippon Tourist Co. Ltd and Nippon Travel Agency Co Ltd`s considerable
market expertise and existing technology platforms. Both travel
companies will package exclusive travel products for the business, as
well as providing access to their domestic and international late
availability travel supply. They have also agreed online marketing
relationships with their respective internet sites as well as regular
promotions to their existing customers.

Credit Saison Ltd. has joined the venture and aims to create
synergies with their travel and entertainment properties through
marketing lastminute.com to their existing database of over 12
million cardholders.

Japan Efund who have also joined will provide business partnering and
managerial support in conjunction with Mitsubishi Corporation/ MC
Capital Fund, co-ordinator of the joint venture. Both parties will
have one seat on the board.

lastminute.com will sign an exclusive license agreement with the
joint venture company to allow it to develop the lastminute.com brand
within Japan. lastminute.com will provide access to its
international database of supply and other support during the launch
and start-up phase, as well as occupying two seats on the board of
directors.

lastminute.com`s CEO Brent Hoberman said
"We are very pleased to be able to confirm the completion of our
Japanese joint venture agreement. Given 66% of Japanese travellers
book their travel less than 1 month before departure we believe the
last minute segment to be a very exciting opportunity in this, the
second largest internet market in the world."

Kinki Nippon Tourist Co. Ltd.`s IT Director, Mr. Keiji Mizumoto said
"The demand for last minute products within the travel industry has
been growing remarkably quickly, and we felt an urgent need to
address this market. We are excited to be part of this venture in
order to be able to develop and provide new, inspiring and attractive
last minute products as the partner of a global brand,
lastminute.com."

Nippon Travel Agency Co. Ltd.`s Director, Mr. Masakazu Hirata said
"Given our lengthy experience and wide range of travel content, we
will be able to support the growth of the joint venture by providing
travel services matching the lastminute.com concept, creating a new
and exciting offering for Japan."

Mitsubishi Corporation`s Mr. Yuji Komiya, General Manager of the
Merchant Banking Unit said
"We believe that lastminute.com Japan will provide Japanese consumers
a wonderful new opportunity to buy late availability travel and other
related products online. We are excited to have realised a strong
partnership with both Kinki Nippon Tourist and Nippon Travel Agency
and to be able to work with lastminute.com, the number one pan-
European travel property (Jupiter IDC MMXI)."

Japan Efund`s Managing Principal, Mr. Hiroshi Ikegaya said
"lastminute.com Japan is a well prepared joint venture with a proven
business model, yet also carefully customised for the Japanese
market. As investors in the joint venture we will be providing
necessary support and resources to the company, and I look forward to
seeing the company grow through the implementation of the business in
Japan."

Credit Saison Co. Ltd.`s Director, Mr. Hidetoshi Suzuki said
"We are excited to be participating in this opportunity and believe
that the joint venture is in a strong position due to its leverage of
lastminute.com`s network and Kinki Nippon and Nippon Travel`s
leadership. Through support of the joint venture we would also like
to see synergy with our own activities."

The office will open next week in Tokyo, although no formal date has
been announced for the launch of the site.

[jli]

lastminute.com plc: FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS - CONTINUED
STRONG PERFORMANCE



lastminute.com today announces strong Quarter 1 results.
lastminute.com remains on track to deliver profit at an operational
level in the UK and France in the April to June quarter:


- Customer conversion rate improved to 16.1% from 8.9% and 13.9% year
on year and quarter on quarter respectively

- Total transaction value for the Quarter grew by 56.8% year on year
to £31.7m (Q1 2001: £20.2m)

- Gross profit for the Quarter up 60.5% year on year to £4.5m (Q1
2001: £2.8m) and gross margin up 0.4 percentage points to 14.1% year
on year

- UK customer acquisition costs fall by 61.7% to £6.40 per customer
for Quarter 1 compared with Quarter 4 2001. UK total transaction
value grew by 114.9% year on year to £17.6m

- EBITDA loss reduced to £5.1m for the Quarter, a reduction of 10.8%
quarter on quarter and 52.2% year on year (Q1 2001: loss £10.7m, Q4
2001: loss £5.7m)

- Loss (before goodwill amortisation and taxation) down 38.8% year on
year and 2.8% quarter on quarter to £7.2m (Q1 2001: loss £11.7m, Q4
2001: loss £7.4m)

- Operating cash outflow reduced to £3.8m for the Quarter, a
reduction of 44.1% quarter on quarter and 66.5% year on year (Q1
2001: £11.4m, Q4 2001: £6.8m)

- Cash balance strong at £36.5m

- Met or exceeded expectations on all key operating metrics


Allan Leighton, Chairman said:
"lastminute.com has continued the significant progress made during
the 2001 financial year. We have maintained the important trend in
substantially reducing quarter on quarter, and year on year,
operating cash outflow and remain on track to deliver operational
profitability in our key UK and French businesses in the April to
June quarter."

Brent Hoberman, Chief Executive Officer, added:
"lastminute.com`s strong year on year growth demonstrates that our
business model is working increasingly well. An increased product
range, combined with investments in improved technology, has enabled
us to exceed all key year on year metrics. This first Quarter, whilst
seasonally the weakest for our business in terms of total transaction
value (especially when compared to the preceding quarter which is
seasonally our strongest) is in line with our expectations for the
Group. The continued rapid growth of our Company enables us to
further strengthen our competitive advantage and offer our customers
an increasingly rewarding experience when they visit our site."

[jli]

=DJ THE SKEPTIC: lastminute.com Looks Rosier, But Risky


By Robb M. Stewart
A DOW JONES NEWSWIRES COLUMN

LONDON (Dow Jones)--lastminute.com (LMIN), online purveyor of holiday travel and gifts, has managed what some cynics never thought possible: it`s still in business.
Better than that, it`s on track to deliver a profit in its core operations for the three months to June.
Cynics still have plenty to chew on. The company`s expected profit is at the operating level, not net. And it`s just for lastminute`s U.K. and French operations.
Oh, and the company isn`t expecting to be profitable at the group level until late 2003, early 2004.
Still, shouldn`t complain.
The British company, one of the high-profile victims of the bursting of the dot.com bubble, did manage to sharply reduce its EBITDA loss in the first fiscal quarter - pulling it back by 11% to a GBP5.1 million loss.
And it`s managed to boost the value of transactions in the quarter by 57% year-on-year and nudge the gross margin up 0.4 percentage points to 14.1%.
Further, cost cutting helped it stem the rate of cash flowing out to GBP3.8 million from GBP6.8 million the quarter previous and GBP11.4 million a year ago.
Trouble is, it`s still hard to get too excited. Early 2004 is along way off, particularly in dot.com-land.
The shares jumped about 8% to 41 pence on the back of the first-quarter numbers. Remember, though, that lastminute was floated almost two years ago at 500 pence.
So the current market cap of GBP71 million stands in sharp contrast to the almost GBP775 million when the stock was first sold.
lastminute may be limping in the right direction, but the finishing line still is some ways away and the competition threatens to overtake it.
Airtours (U.ATR) contends its recently launched MyTravel.com website is comfortably outpacing its rivals, and there`s still a risk the airlines will offer up better online flight booking when that industry recovers - online bookings at no-frills carriers easyJet (U.EZJ) and Ryanair (RYAAY) already are booming.
lastminute.com has shown it`s a scrappy survivor in a field littered with blowups. And, given its rosy outlook, it may be cheap - if you`ve still got an appetite for new economy-style risk and plenty of patience.
-By Robb M. Stewart, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9294; [e-mail]

[jli]

Published: 10:05 22.02.2002 GMT /HUGIN /Source: lastminute.com Plc
/LSE: LMC /ISIN: GB0001583078

lastminute.com and Rapid Travel Solutions Continue To Innovate
Through Technology



lastminute.com, the online provider of travel and leisure solutions,
and Rapid Travel Solutions (Rapid) have signed a contract which will
enable lastminute.com to continue to improve the usability of its
travel proposition. It is anticipated that customers will benefit
from a range of superior functions within the lastminute.com site
including a simpler, more user-friendly online experience within the
flights engine.

Travel Traderâ will provide some key elements of the technology
process across lastminute.com`s travel portfolio. The lastminute.com
offering to customers will continue to evolve with the continued
ability to book the most competitive, available and automated travel
components right up until the same day of departure.

lastminute.com`s Simon Presswell, Head of Global Development, said
"By listening to and understanding our customers` needs we continue
to apply more functionality, user tools, information and process
automation to the lastminute.com experience. We anticipate that
these elements will enhance the customer experience and drive the key
measures and efficiencies across our business."

After examining available travel systems in the market,
lastminute.com have selected Rapid`s Travel Traderâ technology to
support the strong growth in the business and to continue to drive
the customer conversion rates above the current point of 13.9%. "Our
partnership with Rapid should assist us in continuing to drive the
value we present to our customers and suppliers".

Lawrence Hunt, Managing Director of Rapid, said, "We are delighted to
have been selected as lastminute.com`s global travel technology
partner. Our technology platform will enable us to continue to
develop the level of integration and automation within
lastminute.com`s international businesses. We are very excited to be
working with one of the leading travel e-commerce companies in
Europe".

Further details about the project will be released later this year.

- ends -

For further information, please contact:

Natasha Davies/Susan Hayes, Biss Lancaster Euro RSCG
020 7497 3001
[e-mail]
(for lastminute.com)
www.lastminute.com
Lawrence Hunt, Managing Director, Rapid Travel Solutions
01494 720414
[e-mail]
www.rapidtravel.com

About lastminute.com.
Based on the idea of matching supply and demand, lastminute.com
offers consumers last minute opportunities to acquire airline
tickets, hotel rooms, package holidays, entertainment tickets,
restaurant reservations and delivery, speciality services, gifts and
auctions in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, The
Netherlands, Australia and South Africa.

In October 2000, lastminute.com acquired the Degriftour Group, one of
France`s leading e-travel groups. At 31 December 2001,
lastminute.com had over 4.6 million subscribers to its weekly
newsletter and had established approximately 10,100 supplier
relationships, with companies such as Lufthansa, Air France,
Alitalia, bmi british midland, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic
Airways, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Kempinski Hotels, Sol
Melia, Six Continents, JMC, Disneyland Paris, English National
Ballet, The Royal Albert Hall, Conran Restaurants and The Way Ahead
Box Office.

lastminute.com is the most visited website in the travel and tourism
category across Europe according to a survey published in December
2001 by independent research company NetValue.

About Rapid Travel Solutions
Rapid Travel Solutions provides a range of innovative, proven
technology solutions and consulting services to assist travel
companies seamlessly manage customers, products and transactions
across multiple channels. Rapid is part of Telewest Communications
plc, one of Europe`s leading cable television businesses.
Rapid`s multi channel technology platform, Travel Traderâ, comprises
a modular suite of applications designed specifically to reduce the
cost of distributing and processing travel industry products
including package holidays, net, published and charter airfares,
accommodation, car rental and insurance. Travel Traderâ includes
customer management, front, mid and back office, booking engine, and
product management modules.

Rapid have implemented solutions for leading tour operators, travel
agents and principals around the world and delivered significant
improvements in clients` business performance through the use of
Travel Trader ® including:

> Reducing the cost of customer transactions by up to 50%;
> Increasing the value of customer transactions and relationships;
and
> Improving customer service levels consistently across channels.