21st Mar 2018 18:14
LONDON (Alliance News) - The following is a summary of director dealings reported in London on Wednesday.----------FTSE 100-listed Micro Focus International announced share purchases by five different directors, including its chairman and chief executive. Executive Chairman Kevin Loosemore bought 20,156 shares at a price of 1,006.50 pence each, at a total cost of GBP202,779 in a transaction on Wednesday.Chief Executive Stephen Murdoch, who replaced former CEO Kevin Hsu on Monday, bought 5,390 shares at 920.00p, for a cost of GBP49,588, also on Wednesday. Micro Focus Chief Financial Officer Chris Kennedy purchased 10,000 shares at a price of 928.00p per share on Wednesday for GBP92,800.Senior Independent Non-Executive Director Karen Slatford bought 9,915 shares on Wednesday at a price of 1,001.00p each, for GBP99,249.Independent Non-Executive Director Darren Roos purchased on Wednesday 4,926 shares at 1,009.56p per share for GBP49,731. In addition, Micro Focus said that a person closely associated with its Independent Non-Executive Director Richard Atkins bought shares in software and IT firm in transaction on Wednesday.Julie Atkins purchased 10,350 shares at a price of 973.22 pence per share, worth GBP100,728.The FTSE 100-listed software firm said Monday its year-on-year revenue decline has been "greater than anticipated" since reporting its interim results in January. As a result, it expects constant-currency revenue for the year ending October to decline more than originally forecast.Micro Focus now expects pro forma constant-currency revenue to fall between 6% and 9%. This is compared to a 2% to 4% fall originally forecast in January.The company saw around GBP3.75 billion wiped off its market value, with stock closing down 46% on Monday. Shares in Micro Focus were closed down 1.9% at 972.60p each on Wednesday.----------Spire Healthcare said Non-Executive Director Simon Rowlands acquired shares worth GBP248,794 in the private hospital operator in a transaction Wednesday last week. After the transaction, Rowlands held 328,516 shares in Spire. Rowlands - a non-executive since 2014 - bought 114,000 shares at 218.24 pence each. Shares in Spire closed 0.3% lower at 213.62 pence on Wednesday.----------Arix Bioscience said Fosun International Holdings and Chairman Jonathan Peacock acquired shares in the healthcare and life sciences firm as Woodford Investment Management cut its stake in separate transactions on Tuesday. Peacock acquired 90,000 shares at 225.00 pence each, worth GBP202,500. His holding after the transaction was not disclosed. Fosun - also a life sciences firm - held 11.1 million shares in Arix after the transaction, equivalent to a 8.2% stake in the firm. The holding of Fosun prior to the transaction - if any - was not disclosed. Fosun's buy comes shortly after it announced in late February a strategic agreement with Arix to develop and commercialise new clinical therapies for patients. Woodford, in contrast, cut its stake to 33.1 million shares, equivalent to a 24.6% stake in the 134.8 million shares outstanding. Prior to the transaction, Woodford held a 30.7% stake in the company. Shares in Arix closed 1.9% lower at 210.00 pence on Wednesday.----------Forbidden Technologies said Chief Executive Officer Ian McDonough acquired shares worth GBP23,500 in the video platform technology firm in a pair of transactions on Tuesday. McDonough - who became CEO in September 2017 - bought 200,000 shares at 4.25 pence each and a further 300,000 shares at 5.00p each. Shares in Forbidden Technologies closed 11% higher at 5.20p on Wednesday. Last Thursday, Forbidden Technologies blamed disruption due to the lack of CEO after the departure of former CEO Aziz Musa in February 2017 on revenue dipping to GBP758,835 in 2017 from the GBP774,825 the year prior. Invoiced sales fell to GBP714,903 compared to GBP1.0 million in 2016.----------Centaur Media said its chairman bought shares in the firm after its 2017 loss narrowed as exceptional costs subsided and revenue rose in what it termed an "important" year and with 2018 getting off to a good start. In 2017, pretax loss narrowed to GBP700,000 from GBP8.9 million the year prior. This was after revenue rose to GBP65.4 million from GBP59.7 million the year before. Profit performance at Centaur - which operates business-to-business exhibitions as well as publishing digital media - was also helped by a steep fall in exceptional costs. In 2017, these costs amounted to a GBP4.4 million drag on profit compared to a GBP12.6 million cost in 2016. On an adjusted basis - excluding exceptional costs - pretax profit was broadly flat at GBP3.7 million. Centaur announced Chairman Neil Johnson acquired shares worth GBP50,000 in a transaction on Wednesday. Johnson - chair since January - bought 100,000 shares at 50 pence each. The holding of Johnson after the buy was not disclosed. Shares in Centaur closed flat at 49.0 pence on Wednesday.----------Murray International Trust said that its Non-Executive Director Kevin Carter bought a total of 10,000 shares worth GBP119,562 in the company on Wednesday. Carter purchased 5,000 shares at a price of 1,195.24 pence per share, worth GBP59,762 and 5,000 shares at 1,196.00p each, totalling GBP59,800. Murray International Trust shares closed down 0.4% at 1,197.28p each on Wednesday.----------AB Dynamics said that its Systems Director Andrew Rumble and his wife sold shares in the advanced testing systems company. In separate transactions on Monday, Rumble disposed 22,553 shares at a price of 932.00 pence per share, worth GBP210,194, while his wife sold 1,190 shares at 950.00p each, totalling GBP11,305. Following the transactions, Rumble and his wife held 1.4% interest, representing 269,565 shares, the company said. AB Dynamics shares closed down 4.0% at 917.00p each on Wednesday.----------Fevertree Drinks said that Non-Executive Director Jeff Popkin acquired 500 shares at a price of USD41.22 per share on Monday. Shares in Fevertree closed up 1.30% at 2885.00 pence on Wednesday.----------BCA Marketplace said its Executive Chairman Avril Palmer-Baunack bought shares in the used vehicle marketplace company on Wednesday. Palmer-Baunack purchased 13,524 shares at a price of 147.05 pence per share, worth GBP19,887. BCA Marketplace shares closed down 1.5% at 147.80p each on Wednesday. Following the transaction, Palmer-Baunack held 1.7% interest, representing 13.8 million shares.----------Croda International said that its Global Operations President and a person closely associated with him sold a total of 1,722 shares in chemicals company in the transaction on Tuesday. Stuart Arnott disposed 1,372 shares at a price of 4,559.00 pence per share, worth GBP62,549, while Yootha Arnott sold 350 shares at 4,554.30p each, totalling GBP15,940. Croda International shares closed up 0.2% at 4,597.00p per share on Wednesday. The company did not provide the Arnott's holdings, if any, following the transaction.----------National Express Group said Chief Executive Officer Dean Finch sold shares in the train and bus operator. Finch disposed 84,598 shares at a price of 392.20 pence per share worth GBP331,793. Shares in National Express closed at 390.00p each on Wednesday. Following the transaction, Finch holds 249,483 shares, the company said. National Express also said that including shares awarded under executive deferred bonus plan and long-term incentive plan, Finch held 1.3 million shares.
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