lol - nice to think about the ones that got away. lol - the...

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    lol - nice to think about the ones that got away.

    lol - the biggest one that got away was "WA Woolen Mills" - ok never heard of them??? - in 1970, watso bought 5000 of them at 20c per share.  the full name of the company was called "west australian worsted and woolen mills (or something like that) - and they had wool processing factory in albany (from memory) .

    watso was attracted to the company, because in 1969 (??), the company took an option over a silver prospect - and the shares zoomed in price - and the company made a good placement of shares at a very good price  - but then the share price collapsed .

    in 1974 watso sold the shares for about $1.70 - so not a bad profit.  keep in mind that watso bought his first house for sub $10,000 in 1974.

    in 1987, those very same shares (after share splits and bonus issues etc etc) would have been worth $3m  - and all tax free, if watso had held onto them...but if watso had kept on holding them, they would have been worthless .

    mmm $3m in 1987 would be worth a lot more in present day thinking  - but even in historical cost terms, $3m would still be worth a lot today

    WA Woolen mills took over a few small local companies - watso recalls a company called westate electrical, and then another company called tropical traders ( and maybe one or two other smaller local companies) - but then they targeted a large west australian company called "bell brothers" (or whatever the listed company was called)  - Bell Brothers had a huge yard along great eastern hwy in redcliff  - with plenty of trucks  (maybe other machinery - but cannot recall).

    eventually, this little company that had a wool processing facility in albany, made a play for BHP... and the man behind the company .. robert holmes le'court ... the company eventually was called bell resources (or something like that)

    sadly, watso sold 13 years early
 
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