16th Feb 2021 10:50
(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers among London Main Market small-caps on Tuesday.
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SMALL-CAP - WINNERS
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Kerry Group, up 3.6% at EUR110.20, 12-month range 90.9p-126.5p. The Irish food producer posts a drop in profit in 2020 as volumes take a hit from the pandemic, but was able to increase its shareholder distribution. For 2020, the Tralee, Ireland-based company with Consumer Foods and Taste & Nutrition divisions records pretax profit of EUR635.3 million compared to EUR645.9 million in 2019. Kerry declares a 60.60 euro cent final dividend, giving a total dividend of 86.50 cents - up 10% on 2019. Says it is undertaking a strategic review of its dairy business in Ireland and the UK, which may lead to a transaction in the coming months.
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Metro Bank, up 2.5% at 146.40p, 12-month range 57.36p-211p. Shares in the challenger bank are higher as part of a wider sector rally amid hopes of a swift UK economic recovery. "London-listed, oil, mining, banking, transport and travel stocks are showing respectable gains, the moves are connected to the idea the vaccine roll-outs will pave the way for economic recovery," says CMC Markets analyst David Madden. Transport firms Stagecoach and FirstGroup are up 2.7% and 1.2% respectively.
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Restaurant Group, up 2.5% at 96.40p, 12-month range 20.26p-136.3p. Gym Group, up 5.5% at 250p, 12-month range 75p-310.20p. The restaurant operator and gym chain are higher amid reopening hopes. "Investors will be watching Boris Johnson's scheduled statement on the easing of coronavirus restrictions closely when it is delivered at the beginning of next week but in the absence of solid news on the pace at which lockdown will be loosened, the market has decided to put on a happy face and hope for the best," says AJ Bell's Russ Mould.
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By Arvind Bhunjun; [email protected]
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