20th Aug 2018 10:21
LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Monday.----------FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------NMC Health, up 5.4%. The United Arab Emirates-focused private hospital operator said its first-half performance was in line with its management's expectation, as it continues to deliver against its acquisition strategy. For the six months to June 30, NMC posted pretax profit up 20% year-on-year to USD118.7 million compared to USD99.3 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation jumped 32% to USD225.5 million from USD170.7 million a year prior. Revenue rose by 20% to USD932.0 million from USD775.2 million. "We see continuing good growth potential across different parts of the group in 2019 and beyond and remain confident in the long-term prospects of the business as we enter the second half of 2018," Chief Executive Officer Prasanth Manghat said. ----------FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------Sage Group, down 6.6%. Deutsche Bank downgraded the accounting software provider to Sell from Hold. ----------Kingfisher, down 1.0%. Davy cut the DIY retailer to Neutral from Outperform. ----------FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------Hill & Smith Holdings, up 4.3%. Investec raised the galvanising services firm to Buy from Add. ----------TBC Bank, up 3.6%. The Georgia-based lender reiterated a majority of its medium term financial targets as it reported a jump in first half profit due to increased lending activity. For the six months to the end of June, the company's pretax profit rose 25% to GEL239.5 million from GEL191.4 million for the same period the year before. At current exchanges rates, this is equivalent to GBP73.5 million and GBP58.7 million, respectively. First half net interest income rose to GEL363.6 million from GEL292.1 million in the prior year period. Return on equity on a reported basis slipped to 21.2% from 21.5% year-on-year, while return on assets fell slightly to 3.1% from 3.3%.----------FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------Just Group, down 5.4% at 87.00p. Credit Suisse cut its price target on the retirement financial products provider to 94p from 125p. ----------G4S, down 0.9%. Shares in the security services company were lower after the UK government took over management of an "appalling" Birmingham prison from G4S. Staff at one of Britain's largest prisons were found asleep or locked in offices during an inspection that uncovered "appalling" squalor and violence, a watchdog has said, as it emerged the government is taking over the privately run jail. In a scathing critique, Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke warned HMP Birmingham has "slipped into crisis" following a "dramatic deterioration" in the last 18 months. G4S welcomed the move, saying the prison, which it has managed since October 2011, faces "exceptional challenges".----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS----------Pathfinder Minerals, up 22%. The Mozambique-focused miner said Executive Director Nick Trew stepped down from his role with immediate effect. He will be replaced by Scott Richardson Brown, who has been promoted from a non-executive director. Trew has been an executive director since May 2018, following a reshuffling of leadership which saw him out of his position as chief executive, which he had held since 2011. Since March, Pathfinder received two requisitions seeking the ousting of both Trew and Chairman Henry Bellingham out of their positions at the time.----------redT Energy, up 8.2%. The energy company said it sold a 300 kilowatt-hour energy storage machine for an undisclosed price to Anglian Water alongside a partnership agreement. RedT has received an initial order for four Generation 3 units, which will be installed at one of Anglian Water's water treatment sites in the UK. The units have a combined capacity of 60 kilowatts of power and 300 kilowatt hours of energy, which will be used alongside 500 kilowatt peak of on-site solar.----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS----------Mulberry Group, down 20%. The luxury handbag maker issued a profit warning due to the collapse of UK department store chain House of Fraser. Mulberry said that its profit for the year to March-end could be lower due to challenging market conditions in the UK with sales in House of Fraser "particularly affected". "If these sales trends in the UK continue into the key trading period of the second half of the financial year, the group's profit for the whole year will be materially reduced," the company explained. Mulberry, which operates in 21 House of Fraser's stores employing 88 workers, said it expects to incur GBP3 million in exceptional costs for the six months to September, related to the fall of the struggling store and its subsequent acquisition by Mike Ashley's Sports Direct International. ----------Related Shares:
KingfisherSage GroupJust GroupHill & SmithNMC.LTBC Bank GroupPFP.LGFS.LRED.LMulberry Group