20th Sep 2023 14:27
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Epwin Group PLC - Solihull, England-based building products manufacturer - Revenue in six months to June 30 up 1.1% to GBP180.0 million from GBP178.0 million. Pretax profit flat at GBP7.9 million. Interim dividend per share rises 5.3% to 2.0 pence from 1.9p a year prior. "Q3 trading to date has been encouraging with profitability ahead of 2022," Epwin adds. It expects to report annual results in line with market expectations. Underlying operating profit expectations stand at GBP24.0 million, which would represent a 12% rise from GBP21.5 million in 2022.
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Dianomi PLC - London-based digital advertising platform - Revenue in half-year ended June 30 drops 18% to GBP14.8 million from GBP18.0 million, amid "decline in traffic volumes across the group's direct publisher inventory". Swings to pretax loss of GBP2.1 million from profit of GBP897,000 a year earlier. "We are mindful of an environment that continues to be challenging and the need to adapt. The group's operational cost base has been streamlined and optimised following the restructuring of the group's global management and sales teams, resulting in an annualised cost reduction of GBP1 million. However, in spite of a difficult backdrop, I am pleased to report that Dianomi continues to attract new clients and now counts all 10 of the top 10 US asset managers as clients," Chief Executive Rupert Hodson says. Dianomi expects a profitable second-half. In addition, the firm explained it has agreed a contract amendment with "one of its largest and longest standing publisher partners". While bullish that the amendment is good news in the long-term, Dianomi noted the arrangement hurt its adjusted earnings before, interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the six months of 2023. "There will be a short-term impact on cash of GBP500,000 in the current financial year which will unwind during 2024," the firm says. Dianomi says minimum traffic levels were not met, meaning it was overpaid by the publisher to tune of USD1 million. Dianomi adds: "Following discussions, the company and the publisher have entered into an amendment to the agreement whereby Dianomi has agreed not to recoup the overpayment, in return for which the publisher will provide Dianomi with an enhanced revenue share as from 1 July 2023 and, in addition to its existing permanent ad units, will provide Dianomi with additional premium ad inventory, including a new in-article unit."
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Ten Entertainment Group PLC - ten-pin bowling operator - Total sales in half-year ended July 2 improve 3.3% on-year to GBP65.3 million from GBP63.2 million a year earlier. Pretax profit, however, falls by a quarter to GBP15.8 million from GBP21.0 million. The prior year's bottom line got a GBP4.4 million boost from a claim for reduced rate of VAT on bowling. Ten Entertainment adds: "An ongoing focus on refurbishment, customer service and digital communications gives us confidence that we can continue to deliver like-for-like sales growth from the existing estate through addition of new activities and focus on the core entertainment experience. Cost inflation remains manageable, and we expect a slightly lower than the UK headline rate as a function of our long-term supplier strategy." The firm adds year-to-date like-for-like sales are 4.7% higher.
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DP Aircraft I Ltd - Guernsey-based aircraft leasing company - Lease rental in six months to June 30 falls 43% to USD4.3 million from USD7.6 million a year earlier. DP Aircraft swings to a pretax loss of USD4.1 million from profit of USD3.0 million. "There has been a continued improvement in the global aviation market following the challenges resulting from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Recent sentiment on airline and related stocks has been more optimistic. The Ukraine war has not had as significant an impact on the industry as expected. With Covid-19 restrictions in China being lifted there is cause for some optimism in tourism numbers from that market in Thailand going forward," DP Aircraft says.
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Destiny Pharma PLC - Brighton, England-based clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on preventing life-threatening infections - Reports licence fee income of GBP831,552 in first half ended June 30, against none a year earlier. Pretax loss narrows to GBP3.1 million from GBP3.8 million. CEO Chris Tovey says: "The partnering of NTCD-M3 and the associated fundraising during the period demonstrate our ability to generate significant value from our assets, and have positioned the company for success as we advance the Phase 3 development programme for M3 and intensify our partnering activities for our lead asset, XF-73 nasal. The company is now funded through to Q1 2025, allowing us to deliver our planned activities."
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Ethernity Networks Ltd - supplier of data processing semiconductor technology for networking appliances - Revenue in first half ended June 30 surges 98% to USD1.4 million from USD704,853. Pretax loss, however, widens to USD3.6 million from USD3.5 million. Reports financing income of just GBP322,814, down from GBP1.2 million a year earlier. Ethernity adds: "The company is targeting the achievement of positive cash flow generation from operations during the second half of 2023 by continuing to fulfil customers' orders and from anticipated revenue from new contracts, in combination with a reduction in expenses."
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By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
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