Arkle Resources (LON: ARK) is raising £500,000 at 0.3p/share. That was a 28% premium to the previous closing price. Each share comes with a warrant exercisable at 0.3p/share. The cash will finance development of the Stonepark zinc project in Ireland and lithium and magnesium prospects in Botswana. The share price increased 27.7% to 0.3p.
IT training firm Northcoders (LON: CODE) reports improving interim margins. In the six months to June 2025, revenues fell 16% to £3.7m. There was a rise in privately funded places, but government funded trainees declined in numbers. The consultancy business is building up work. Annualised fixed costs have been cut by two-fifths. Underlying EBITDA is expected to be maintained at £400,000. Gross cash is £2.25m. The full year outcome will depend on gaining new regional government contracts, but the timing is uncertain. The share price rebounded 11.8% to 42.5p.
Video game outsourced services provider Winking Studios (LON: WKS) says interim revenues were at least one-fifth ahead at $15.2m. The growth is mainly due to the acquisition in April. Underlying EBITDA will be more than 10% ahead of the $2.1m made in the corresponding period last year. The interim results will be published on 13 August. The share price improved 8% to 13.5p.
FALLERS
Restaurants operator Tasty (LON: TAST) has lost 17.2% to 0.6p, following gains earlier in the week due to the confirmation of talks with former Fulham Shore boss David Page. There could be a share placing.
Concrete levelling equipment supplier Somero Enterprises (LON: SOM) has been held back by further weakness in the US. June was particularly weak. A further $3m is being cut from annualised costs. A better second half is expected. Even so, full year revenues guidance has been cut by 14% to $90m, while EBITDA guidance has been reduced by one-quarter to $18m. The share price declined by 16.7% to 187.5p.
The value of the portfolio of Caledonian Holdings (LON: CHP) has risen from £1.77m to £2.09m in the quarter to June 2025. However, that was after an additional investment of £750,000 in Albaco, as part of a sector focus on financial services. Disposals generated a gain of £29,000, but there were unrealised losses, particularly in Northcoders. Cash has fallen from £787,000 to £428,000. The share price fell 13.3% to 0.00325p.
Content management technology provider Fadel Partners (LON: FADL) says interim revenues were $4.7m and this led Cavendish to cut its full year revenues estimate from $14.3m to $12.3m. Fewer implementation projects has hit service revenues. Annualised recurring revenues rose 8% to $9.9m. Strategic options are being reviewed. The share price slipped 13.3% to 65p.
Franchise Brands (LON: FRAN) has been hit by weak discretionary spending. Interim revenues were flat at £70.4m, although pre-tax profit was 10% higher at £11.7m. Net debt was £62m at the end of June 2025. The interim dividend has been raised by 5% to 1.15p/share. Allenby has reduced its 2025 forecast revenues to £427.3m and the pre-tax profit estimate cut from £27.3m to £23.5m. The share price deceased 7.17% to 126.25p.