22nd May 2025 11:28
(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers on AIM on Thursday.
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AIM - WINNERS
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Norman Broadbent PLC, up 28% at 3.98 pence, 12-month range 2.00p-9.22p. The recruitment firm says it has continued to "perform very well" in 2025. Ahead of its annual general meeting on Thursday, it says trading so far in the second quarter is "materially ahead of the equivalent period last year". "This performance reflects the company's ongoing discipline and agility in navigating challenging market conditions, underpinned by a strong and focused team and increased contribution from recent joiners," Norman Broadbent adds.
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Impax Asset Management Group PLC, up 9.6% at 181.30p, 12-month range 112.60p-532.00p. Plans a GBP10 million share buyback but also reports a decline in assets under management during a "challenging" first half of its financial year. Assets under management at the end of March total GBP23.30 billion, falling 33% from GBP35.02 billion at the end of September, as Impax suffers GBP10.02 billion in net outflows during the six months. Impax lowers its interim dividend to 4.0p per share from 4.7p. Chief Executive Officer Ian Simm says: "Although many of the investment strategies that we manage lagged generic benchmarks during 2023 and 2024, there are strong signs that this period is behind us and that our investment focus can once again deliver attractive returns. Since the start of the calendar year, our relative investment performance has improved. As at 30 April 2025, 71% of our AUM had outperformed their generic benchmarks since 1 January 2025." Simm adds: "As part of the board's capital management approach, we will also consider returning to shareholders surplus capital through share buybacks, while also ensuring there is sufficient capital available to fund future growth opportunities when they arise. In line with this, we intend to return up to GBP10 million of capital to shareholders before the end of the calendar year through a share buyback programme." Shares are down almost two-thirds over the past year. In December, Impax announced that it lost some business from St James's Place PLC. SJP terminated Impax Asset Management's mandate to manage the Sustainable & Responsible Equity Fund.
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AIM - LOSERS
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Software Circle PLC, down 5.8% at 27.80p, 12-month range 15.30p-32.40p. The acquirer of market software businesses says one of its units has been victim of a suspected payment fraud. The suspected authorised push payment fraud has resulted in one of its operating units inadvertently sending GBP426,770 from its bank account. Software Circle clarified that no evidence suggests a wider breach within its systems or data.
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By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
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Related Shares:
Norman BroadbImpax Asset ManagementSoftware Circle