Forum Topics 2025 AGM Season
Karmast
Added 3 months ago

Over the past few years, I think I have developed a small "edge" by attending AGM's and putting relevant and simple questions to the Boards and Management at companies I own or would like to own. Most of the time, the answers are OK but every year there have been a couple that either really build conviction or alternatively break my thesis (usually around trustworthiness/alignment or capital allocation skills).

So, with that said, here is the list of AGM's I will attend over the next few months, as a part owner of the business, taking this rare chance to get an up close look at my leaders.

DTL - Data#3

JIN - Jumbo Interactive

MAD - Mader Group

DUR - Duratec

CSL - CSL

PWH - PWR Holdings

TNE - Technology One

SUN - Suncorp (as a proxy holder - not a shareholder)

DMP - Dominos Pizza (as a proxy holder - not a suffering shareholder!)

SGR - Star Group (as a proxy holder - not a suffering shareholder!)

EML - EML Payments (as a proxy holder - not a suffering shareholder!)


I will have questions of my own but if anyone has a relevant and important question you'd like put to the company, please let me know and I'll ask if I can.


p.s. Last week I attended CKF - Collins Foods not as a shareholder but a proxyholder. It's a well run and shareholder friendly business right now. The new CEO seemed like he was getting on top of things and their pivot back to KFC Australia, ramping up KFC Germany and closing down Taco Bell, all seem sensible and the early signs are encouraging.

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Strawman
Added 3 months ago

Let me try and amplify this @Karmast -- i 100% agree that there is good signal to be had in attending AGMs, and your offer to put forward member questions is greatly appreciated.

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Lewis
Added 3 months ago

Hi @Karmast,

No questions rush to mind, but some field reporting from the Duratec meeting would be great. Even if it's just a few sentences with your 2 cents and a vibe check.

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Karmast
Added 2 months ago

Sadly @Lewis Duratec has decided to do an online only AGM this year. So, I will tune in but it does deny one the opportunity to see what they are like in person and easily ask follow up questions. I have written to them expressing my displeasure at no in person AGM and that if they have aspirations to join a bigger index in the coming years, then no in person component of their AGM will be viewed poorly.

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Lewis
Added 2 months ago

That rings a bell @Karmast, I think there was a question last year along those lines. From memory the answer was something like "we'd think about doing an in person meeting in the future but for now we're worried no one would turn up". Paraphrasing a bit there.

I don't know if it's my owner bias coming through but I don't mind them focusing on running the business over wining and dining prospective investors. Having said that, I've never been able to make it to an in person meeting for anything I own, so don't know what I'm missing out on.

Do you get a different read on the team from being in the same room, it sounds like you go to a few?

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lowway
Added 2 months ago

What a great initiative on behalf of your fellow SM community @Karmast, good on you!!

I have aparticular interest in $DTL and still holding my shares since they IPOed many moons ago. I purchased these via a very pro-broker and loved the fact they were a Qld/Brisbane start-up with a founding CEO being an ex Qld and Aust rugby league rep. Unfortunately in 1997, that was about the limit of my investment knowledge and relied entirely on my broker advice!!

Luckily, that proved pretty good as the years progressed!!

Anyway, after that somewhat lengthy preamble, it would be great if you could engage with a few of the following queries if you get a chance at the AGM.


Possible Gaps in my info on DTL & AI/ Questions

These are things where public information is not explicit or might be risk-areas for me:

1. How much investment Data#3 is doing in R&D / in-house AI model development versus relying on third-party models.

2. What their plan is for proprietary AI IP (if any) or owning unique AI products rather than being mostly a services / integration company.

3. How they manage regulation & liability risks (e.g. in health, government) with AI.

4. What their roadmap is for AI infrastructure (on-prem / edge / cloud) domestically, especially given sovereignty / data locality concerns.


Thanks again @Karmast

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SudMav
Added 2 months ago

Thanks for offering @Karmast. Echo the positive sentiment and the value that this is offering.

I'm keen to hear about DTL and the AI / PC Refresh opportunities that they see over the next few years.


Otherwise I'm keen to get a few questions to the JIN team around the following:

  1. Understanding the potential pipeline of tender/M&A opportunities in the market for good capital allocators like them
  2. JIN have a significant margin/price differential between the TLC offering and was wondering if they believe that there is any correlation between the decrease in their ability to attract/retain players over the previous years. If so, would they consider something like a temporary promotion, or a permanent solution to see if that helps to keep customers using the site?

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SudMav
Added 2 months ago

No need for Question 1 now @Karmast, as this was addressed in the preso today.

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