14th Mar 2025 10:40
(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers among London Main Market small-caps on Friday.
----------
SMALL-CAP - WINNERS
----------
Life Science REIT PLC, up 9.3% at 42.40 pence, 12-month range 31.30p-43.90p. The property business focused on the life science sector said it is undergoing a strategic review "to consider the future of the company". Options it will mull include a sale or managed wind down of the firm. "The board acknowledges the challenges and significant headwinds that the company has faced since IPO, in common with the wider REIT sector, including higher inflation and elevated interest rates which have driven a fundamental slowdown in leasing activity and negatively impacted investor sentiment. These factors, coupled with the company's size and low levels of liquidity have led to an underperformance of the share price, which has, as a result, traded at a significant discount to net asset value for a prolonged period of time," the real estate investment trust says. It has a market capitalisation of GBP148.7 million. At June 30, its portfolio valuation was GBP382.6 million.
----------
Ricardo PLC, up 3.5% at 233.89 pence, 12-month range 206.00p-536.22p. Shares in the environmental and engineering consultancy rise after Science Group PLC increases its stake to 15%. Science Group is a Cambridge, England-based science, engineering and technology business that provides services to the medical, defence, industrial, food & beverage and consumer sectors. Science Group says it now is the second-largest shareholder in Ricardo, and it may or may not increase its shareholding in Ricardo. The largest shareholder in Ricardo is Gresham House Asset Management Ltd, with a 22.5% stake. Science Group says Ricardo shareholders "should hold the board to account" for "weak operational performance with inadequate focus on profitability and cash flow, excessive executive remuneration and ineffective governance". Science Group shares were 0.2% lower.
----------
SMALL-CAP - LOSERS
----------
Vanquis Banking Group PLC, down 9.9% at 49.48p, 12-month range 37.40p-67.60p. It posts a wider annual loss, as it booked a write-off at its Moneybarn vehicle finance offering. The specialist bank said the write-off is not related to a recent Court of Appeal verdict in the motor finance sector. On the ongoing vehicle finance saga, where a key verdict looms, "Vanquis believes its position is differentiated on a number of grounds versus the three cases subject to the judgment", it says. Its pretax loss in 2024 stretches to GBP136.3 million from GBP12.0 million, amid the GBP71.2 million Moneybarn goodwill write-off. Total income slips 6.2% to GBP458.5 million from GBP488.8 million. The UK Financial Conduct Authority on Tuesday said it is no longer planning a further update on its review into past use of motor finance discretionary commission arrangements in May. The FCA intends to outline the next steps within six weeks of a Supreme Court verdict. This will include whether the FCA is proposing a redress scheme and if so, how it will take it forward. The Supreme Court is due to hear an appeal brought by car loan providers challenging an October ruling that sided with consumers. Vanquis added: "The future application of the Court of Appeal judgment... remains highly uncertain with the Supreme Court having agreed to hear the appeal of the two lenders involved." Vanquis adds: "Vanquis believes its position is differentiated on a number of grounds versus the three cases subject to the judgment and all customers signed a pre-contractual document that confirmed a commission 'will' be paid."
----------
By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
Comments and questions to [email protected]
Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Related Shares:
Life ScienceRicardoVanquis BankingScience Group