Close menu




December 16th, 2020 | 10:08 CET

Freenet, Upco International, Ceconomy - clever moves are rewarded

  • Investments
Photo credits: pixabay.com

There are many examples of smart strategic moves that give companies new growth potential. The various facets and their leverage on the share price development are considerable. Let us surprise you!

time to read: 2 minutes | Author: Carsten Mainitz
ISIN: CA9152971052 , DE0007257503 , DE000A0Z2ZZ5

Table of contents:


    FREENET AG - significantly deleveraged

    Freenet is much more than telecommunications. Its mobile communications business characterizes the Group. In addition, the North Germans have built up the second pillar of TV and media since 2016, home entertainment (music and video offers) and smart home applications are some of the keywords. The combination of the two business areas shapes Freenet as a "digital lifestyle provider". A multi-brand strategy (discount to premium) enables it to meet the needs of virtually all customer groups. Around 13 million customers reflect the success.

    Based on the latest figures, it can be said that the Group is holding its own with slight year-on-year revenue and profit growth after nine months. Only the weaker development in TV customers was disappointing. The outlook for the current financial year was confirmed.

    Wisely and with foresight, Freenet refrained from paying a dividend in the summer and generated around EUR 1.1 billion through the sale of a stake. As a result, debt reduction has been significantly improved. In recent months, Freenet also bought back its shares. If the business picks up again, shareholders will benefit in several ways - with rising profits as the number of shares falls and a dividend.

    UPCO INTERNATIONAL INC - UpcoPay as a share price driver?

    Upco International has achieved a lot in 2020 and laid the foundation for further growth. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Vancouver and New York City, the Company operates in two business segments: telecommunications and digital services. In doing so, Upco operates in niche markets worldwide.
    Its core business is international wholesale voice over IP (VOIP) products. Here, the Company announced in November the acquisition of the Equinox Group, a telecommunications company from the Dominican Republic with wholesale operations in the US and the Caribbean.

    In our opinion, great fantasy lies dormant in solutions for payment services, which can be assigned to the digital services area. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Company announced it was launching the beta phase for UpcoPay. UpcoPay is an innovative, secure and convenient direct payment solution between individuals and between individuals and merchants. The goal is to implement an e-wallet after the start-up phase, starting in 2021, to recharge funds or enable payments via an app, among other things. This service will first be available in Europe.

    If Upco succeeds in turning telecommunications customers into additional users for payment services, the Company's growth will accelerate significantly. However, many providers with different solutions are competing in the market. But given the low market capitalization of around CAD 4 million, success should quickly translate into rising sales and share prices.

    CECONOMY AG - Bang for the buck

    The operator of the electronics stores MediaMarkt and Saturn reported a critical step, which the share price honoured with a big jump yesterday. For many years, disputes between the shareholders of the Media-Saturn Holding Company have been a burden. Now Ceconomy announced that it would acquire all of the remaining shares (21.62%) from the existing shareholders. In return, the existing shareholders will receive up to 29.99% of Ceconomy, making them the largest shareholder.

    In the future, Ceconomy will focus on new store concepts and the expansion of eCommerce. The Group's vision is to "build the largest omnichannel platform in Europe." The complete takeover of Media-Saturn-Holding marked an important milestone on this path.

    Ceconomy's stock market value currently stands at EUR 1.8 billion and, in terms of valuation, still leaves room for rising prices. Investors also participate in the Company's success through the high dividend payout ratio of 45 to 55 percent of earnings per share.


    Conflict of interest

    Pursuant to §85 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG), we point out that Apaton Finance GmbH as well as partners, authors or employees of Apaton Finance GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Relevant Persons") may in the future hold shares or other financial instruments of the mentioned companies or will bet on rising or falling on rising or falling prices and therefore a conflict of interest may arise in the future. conflict of interest may arise in the future. The Relevant Persons reserve the shares or other financial instruments of the company at any time (hereinafter referred to as the company at any time (hereinafter referred to as a "Transaction"). "Transaction"). Transactions may under certain circumstances influence the respective price of the shares or other financial instruments of the of the Company.

    Furthermore, Apaton Finance GmbH reserves the right to enter into future relationships with the company or with third parties in relation to reports on the company. with regard to reports on the company, which are published within the scope of the Apaton Finance GmbH as well as in the social media, on partner sites or in e-mails, on partner sites or in e-mails. The above references to existing conflicts of interest apply apply to all types and forms of publication used by Apaton Finance GmbH uses for publications on companies.

    Risk notice

    Apaton Finance GmbH offers editors, agencies and companies the opportunity to publish commentaries, interviews, summaries, news and etc. on news.financial. These contents serve information for readers and does not constitute a call to action or recommendations, neither explicitly nor implicitly. implicitly, they are to be understood as an assurance of possible price be understood. The contents do not replace individual professional investment advice and do not constitute an offer to sell the share(s) offer to sell the share(s) or other financial instrument(s) in question, nor is it an nor an invitation to buy or sell such.

    The content is expressly not a financial analysis, but rather financial analysis, but rather journalistic or advertising texts. Readers or users who make investment decisions or carry out transactions on the basis decisions or transactions on the basis of the information provided here act completely at their own risk. There is no contractual relationship between between Apaton Finance GmbH and its readers or the users of its offers. users of its offers, as our information only refers to the company and not to the company, but not to the investment decision of the reader or user. or user.

    The acquisition of financial instruments entails high risks that can lead to the total loss of the capital invested. The information published by Apaton Finance GmbH and its authors are based on careful research on careful research, nevertheless no liability for financial losses financial losses or a content guarantee for topicality, correctness, adequacy and completeness of the contents offered here. contents offered here. Please also note our Terms of use.


    Der Autor

    Carsten Mainitz

    The native Rhineland-Palatinate has been a passionate market participant for more than 25 years. After studying business administration in Mannheim, he worked as a journalist, in equity sales and many years in equity research.

    About the author



    Related comments:

    Commented by Carsten Mainitz on January 8th, 2026 | 07:15 CET

    Gold boom as an enormous price lever for explorers like Desert Gold Ventures! In or out of Barrick and First Majestic Silver?

    • Mining
    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Commodities
    • Investments

    In recent weeks, gold and silver prices have reached new all-time highs. Silver in particular has seen a sharp increase in volatility at these elevated price levels. US investment banks remain bullish and forecast a gold price of at least USD 4,900 by year-end. Gold continues to serve as a safe haven amid geopolitical tensions, high government debt, and declining purchasing power. In addition, strategic purchases by central banks are on the rise. Taken together, these factors create a favorable environment for precious metals and producers. Last year, the shares of mining operators such as Barrick and First Majestic outperformed precious metal prices. It is characteristic of a later phase of a bull market that investor preferences shift toward explorers such as Desert Gold. We take a closer look at three industry representatives and their potential.

    Read

    Commented by Nico Popp on January 6th, 2026 | 07:20 CET

    Alternative to Barrick Mining and Equinox Gold: Why Maduro's fall could drive gold prices higher and make LAURION Mineral a strategic target

    • Mining
    • Gold
    • Commodities
    • Investments
    • safehaven

    The 2026 stock market year is beginning with a geopolitical earthquake whose tectonic shifts will be felt across global commodity markets for a long time to come. The direct intervention of the United States in Venezuela and the effective removal of President Nicolás Maduro have redefined the global security architecture virtually overnight. While Washington celebrates the move as a necessary restoration of democracy in the Western Hemisphere, geopolitical rivals Beijing and Moscow are responding with sharp rhetoric and brusque diplomatic protests. Uncertainty is spreading like wildfire – from the shores of Cuba, where the regime fears for its survival, all the way to Greenland, where major powers are increasingly competing aggressively for strategic spheres of influence. With gold already rising for months amid mounting uncertainty and monetary policy concerns, investors continue to flee to the safe haven. However, while established producers such as Barrick and Equinox absorb the first wave of panic-driven inflows, strategic investors are turning their attention to the few remaining safe jurisdictions such as Canada. Here, specialized explorers like LAURION Mineral Exploration hold precisely the kind of assets that are becoming the most valuable currency in an uncertain world.

    Read

    Commented by André Will-Laudien on January 6th, 2026 | 07:15 CET

    Battery supply on a knife's edge – NEO Battery Materials becomes an established industrial partner

    • Batteries
    • BatteryMetals
    • Technology
    • CriticalMetals
    • Investments

    The push for e-mobility and rising demand from defense applications are driving a quantum leap in battery technology. At the same time, China is increasingly putting the brakes on as an industrial partner. Beijing recently imposed export restrictions on high-performance Li-ion aggregates. This makes it a real challenge for manufacturers to equip their products with high-quality energy storage. The latest announcement from NEO Battery Materials is therefore a game-changer! Certification as an OEM supplier has been completed. NEO Battery Materials, a company that is at the beginning of industrial scaling and technical differentiation, presents itself as a specialist in silicon-based anode materials with a secured production hub in South Korea. Particularly relevant for investors: high-performance batteries are increasingly being treated as critical infrastructure in Western industrial and defense policy, meaning they are structurally tied to priority investment areas. Geopolitically motivated trade barriers must be navigated carefully. Time is of the essence.

    Read