It might be a little too early to think about Christmas, but it could be time to wonder what is going on at artificial Christmas-tree maker Boto International Holdings.
Boto's story has been an enviable one with strong fundamentals, a dominant position in a small but rapidly growing market - retail sales of artificial trees hit HK$800 million last year - and a round of applause from analysts and shareholders on its March 1997 listing and beyond.
David Webb, editor of webb-site.com and campaigner for minority shareholder rights, made the company his stocking-filler for 1999 on the basis of the soundly run, profitable business.
In fact, but for the potential fly in the ointment, this Christmas tale would have a happy ending.
The fly comes in the shape of Robotica, Dr Festive and the Dream Helmet, the characters lying at the heart of Boto's technology investments: the Drfestive.com Web site and Imagi, a production company which produces the Robotica television series.
In making his recommendation in 1999, Mr Webb said 'the company has not indulged in property or stock market speculation, nor has it tried to dot-com itself'.