(Alliance News) - Zegona Communications PLC on Thursday said it will return EUR400 million to shareholders under a new capital allocation framework, raising total returns to shareholders since buying Vodafone Spain to EUR2 billion. Read More
(Alliance News) - Vistry Group PLC on Thursday said it was streamlining the business but does need to raise equity, as it lowered profit guidance amid continued tough trading conditions. Read More
(Alliance News) - The following London-listed shares received analyst recommendations Thursday morning and on Wednesday: Read More
(Alliance News) - AO World PLC on Thursday said both revenue and profit grew in the first half of its financial year, but the online electricals retailer kept its full-year profit outlook unchanged, as it plans investment spending and faces a challenging second half comparison. Read More
(Alliance News) - Raspberry Pi Holdings PLC on Thursday said it was well placed for further rapid growth after delivering a record first-half performance driven by strong demand, increased unit shipments and a favourable product mix. Read More
(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London opened mixed on Thursday, as a global bond sell-off deepened amid concerns over US inflation and the prospect of further interest rate hikes. Read More
Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC - London-based pharmaceutical maker - Appoints Rebecca Hall as chief financial officer, effective from a to-be-announced date in the first quarter of 2027, which Hikma will confirm "in due course." Hall joins Hikma from ViiV Healthcare Ltd, a specialist HIV pharmaceutical company majority owned by GSK PLC, with pharma firm Shionogi & Co Ltd as a shareholder. At ViiV Healthcare, Hall is senior vice president and CFO, responsible for finance, supply chain and business development. Hikma Chair Victoria Hull said: "Becky's appointment is a further step in broadening the expertise we have across both the executive team and the board, positioning us well for long-term sustainable growth." Read More
(Alliance News) - Halma PLC on Thursday raised full-year margin guidance after making "strong progress" in the first half but left the outlook for its high growth Photonics business unchanged. Read More
BTG Consulting PLC - Manchester, England-based insolvency and real estate advisor - Says it has acquired property and asset manager Hornbeam CPAM Ltd for up to GBP4.0 million. Hornbeam will be integrated in BTG Eddisons, the real estate advisory branch of the group. The initial consideration is of GBP2.0 million, of which GBP1.65 million in cash and GBP350,000 through the issue of 313,059 new ordinary shares of 5 pence each. Two additional payments of GBP1.0 million each payable in cash are conditional to financial performance in the first two years after the acquisition and profit-enhancing financial performance conditions. BTG says the cash consideration will be met from the group's existing financial resources. Managing Director of BTG Eddisons Anthony Spencer says: "The acquisition expands our property management activities, adds complementary asset management expertise and strengthens our offering to institutional property investors." Read More
(Alliance News) - Halma raises its full-year margin guidance following strong first-half trading. Pub operator Mitchells & Butlers reports a return to sales growth in its fourth quarter, while Vistry swings to a substantial first-half loss as it outlines plans to become a smaller business. Read More
(Alliance News) - Tens of thousands of young Britons will be offered employment and work experience with some of the UK's biggest defence firms as part of an agreement between the government and defence industry. Read More
(Alliance News) - The UK Treasury is considering accepting a smaller fiscal buffer at next month's budget in an effort to limit tax rises and spending cuts, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Read More
(Alliance News) - Stocks in London are set to open marginally lower on Thursday as investors weighed a sell-off in US government bonds, firmer oil prices and reports the UK Treasury could opt for a smaller fiscal buffer at next month's Budget. Read More
Autins Group PLC - Rugby, Warwickshire-based maker of acoustic and thermal insulation solutions - Announces a trading update in advance of its annual general meeting on Wednesday. Says revenue in the first five months of the financial year ending March 31 2027 is GBP8.0 million, up from GBP7.7 million the year prior, albeit overall trading performance during the period has been impacted primarily by increased raw material and transport costs as a consequence of the Iran war. Autins is monitoring its cost base closely and has implemented a cost savings programme with benefits expected to build through the remainder of the financial year. Performance will be weighted towards the second half of the financial year as new projects begin to enter production and the impact of the cost-saving measures take effect. Overall, trading for the full year remains in line with market expectations. Company understands market forecasts for FY27 to be revenue of GBP21.8 million and a profit after tax of GBP800,000. Chief Executive Andy Bloomer says: "Our European businesses continue to outperform, gaining significant traction with multiple car makers, despite the continued headwinds faced by the automotive industry. In the UK, production of our proprietary Neptune material is at record levels, helping to offset the impact of lower UK vehicle production volumes. The wider UK manufacturing environment remains challenging, with increased energy, labour and input costs putting pressure on margins." Read More
SDI Group PLC - Cambridge, England-based maker of scientific and technology products for digital imaging and sensing control applications - Provides an update on trading for the current financial year ahead of Wednesday's annual general meeting. The company reaffirms that it expects to deliver full year results in line with market expectations. For FY27, SDI puts these for revenue of GBP82.8 million, adjusted operating profit of GBP13.1 million and adjusted pretax profit of GBP11.2 million. "SDI remains focused on delivering both organic and inorganic growth. Its decentralised model pairs group-level financial and strategic support with genuine autonomy for its portfolio businesses. SDI continues to explore the acquisition of complementary businesses with strong niche positions and international reach, that would benefit from the wider group's scale and synergies," it says. Read More