Ashtead Technology (LON: AT.) has acquired ACE Winches for £53.5m. ACE Winches provides equipment to support installation and maintenance of offshore energy infrastructure and it has a significant rental fleet. In the year to March 2023, EBITDA was £10m. The share price improved 18.6% to 575p.
Ariana Resources (LON: AAU) announced positive drilling results from Salinbas in Turkey, where it has a 23.5% interest. The results are consistent or better than those of the July 2020 resource of 71.54Mt at 0.58g/t gold and 2.7g/t silver. WH Ireland expects an updated resource to show greater consistency. There is also potential for an extended mine life at Kiziltepe. The share price continued its improvement this week and is 8.89% higher at 2.45p.
Brazil-focused Serabi Gold (LON: SRB) is benefiting from improved recovery rates on production, which held down costs/ounce. Higher sales and increased prices trebled quarterly EBITDA to $2.1m. There was $15.4m in the bank at the end of September 2023. The strong gold price means that revenues should continue to rise in the fourth quarter. Full year EBITDA of $11.6m is forecast. The share price rose 4.41% to 35.5p.
Film and video services provider Zoo Digital (LON: ZOO) had already warned that interims would be poor with the EBITDA loss of $7.1m, but the ending of the actors’ strike in the US means that the outlook is more positive. Film and TV programme production can get going again providing a flow of work. EBITDA breakeven should be achieved in the fourth quarter and new clients have been won. A pre-tax profit of $1.4m is forecast for 2024-25 as work returns to normal levels and new business comes on stream. The share price recovered 6.25% to 59.5p.
FALLERS
Ethernity Networks (LON: ENET) has lost some of yesterday’s gains on the back of a large contract win because of a share issue to 5G Innovation Leaders Fund to cover money owed. The 43.6 million shares should be issued by 5 December and represent 18.3% of the enlarged share capital. If any of these are sold it could further hit the share price, which is down 27.5% to 1.675p – still three-fifths above the level five days ago.
Global Petroleum (LON: GBP) has raised £253,000 at 0.06p each. This will finance the liabilities of the Walvis Basin licence in Namibia. The share price fell 20.6% to 0.0675p.
Molecular diagnostics company GeneDrive (LON: GDR) reported a higher full year loss of £5.2m. There is still £2.6m in cash, but a further £600,000 has been drawn down from a placing facility, leaving £2.1m available. The cash outflow from operating activities was £3.81m. The share price decreased 18% to 6.25p.
Wynnstay Group (LON: WYN) says second half trading conditions are tough. Farm gate prices are weaker and wet weather has also hampered progress. That hit arable and feed business, while the merchanting division also suffered lower volumes. Shore has reduced its full year pre-tax profit forecast from £10.7m to £9.4m. The share price slipped 11.6% to 380p.
Ex-dividends
Calnex Solutions (LON: CLX) is paying an interim dividend of 0.31p/share and the share price is unchanged at 70.5p
Croma Security Solutions Group (LON: CSSG) is paying a final dividend of 2.2p/share and the share price fell 0.5p to 67p.
FIH Group (LON: FIH) is paying an interim dividend of 1.25p/share and the share price declined 10p to 205p.
Livermore Investments Group (LON: LIV) is paying a dividend of 3 cents/share and the share price fell 2.1p to 35.4p.
Michelmersh Brick Holdings (LON: MBH) is paying an interim dividend of 1.5p/share and the share price slipped 0.5p to 83p.
Marks Electrical (LON: MRK) is paying an interim dividend of 0.3p/share and the share price is unchanged at 89p.
Pan African Resources (LON: PAF) is paying a final dividend of 0.76p/share and the share price is 1.13p lower at 17.11p.
Tavistock Investments (LON: TAVI) is paying a final dividend of 0.07p/share and the share price is unchanged at 4.375p
Volex (LON: VLX) is paying an interim dividend of 1.4p/share and the share price rose 1p to 306.5p.
YouGov (LON: YOU) is paying a final dividend of 8.75p/share and the share price increased 5p to 1010p.
