David Atherton, owner of online computer retailer Dabs.com, is talking again of IPO, after record Christmas sales, The Sunday Telegraph reports.

The Bolton-based firm reported Christmas sales of £7.5 million, of which £4.5 million were "unassisted Internet sales". Dabs reported Christmas sales of £6.8 million in 1999.

Based on turnover and profits and the £37 million price achieved by Jungle.com in the trade sale to GUS in September, Dabs could be worth £50 million if floated, "observers believe" (a euphemism for a financial PR company - or Dave Atherton - we reckon). Dabs made £600,000 on £61 million turnover last year, and it forecasts £100 million sales this year. The company reckons it has ten per cent of UK PC sales made by mail order or the Internet. ®