(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Modern Water PLC - water decontamination - Reports rise in demand for water contamination detection bacteria from existing clients due to increase of water hygiene controls around the world due to the Covid-19 health crisis. Doubles production of reagent in UK with list price value of GBP500,000. Revenue from reagent sales under revenue sharing manufacturing agency agreement with Integumen PLC to be split 60%-40% in favour of Modern Water. Sales from Integumen agreement expected to be worth at least USD1.3 million for Modern Water in 2020.
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Accrol Group Holdings PLC - kitchen and toilet roll - Strong levels of productivity maintained throughout the lockdown restrictions. No employees furloughed. Results for year to April 30 to be in line with market expectations. Total revenue estimated at GBP133.8 million, with core revenue increasing by 14% year-on-year to GBP132.7 million. Net debt reduced to GBP17.9 million at April 30 from GBP24.8 million at October 31, 2019. Enters financial 2021 in a strong position supported by new products, improved quality and high levels of service.
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Inspiration Healthcare Group PLC - medical technology - Enjoyed very strong trading in the first quarter of 2020, with 27% year-on-year rise in revenue, excluding GBP5 million worth of ventilator contracts. Order book remains strong and receiving considerable interest in products.
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Braveheart Investment Group PLC - fund management and investment - Unit Paraytec in discussions with Aptamer Group and the University of Sheffield to define a project to develop a Covid-19 test. 80%-owned Kirkstall's Quasi-Vivo systems considered by Aptamer to provide a possible test bed for testing cancer therapeutics.
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LoopUp Group PLC - remote meetings - Revenue from January through April at least 40% higher year-on-year due to large-scale migration towards working from home since mid-March associated with the Covid-19 outbreak. Inbound leads running 4 time higher than pre-outbreak levels and new customer 2 times higher. Gross margins stable and overheads broadly in line with market expectations. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for the four months to April-end to be higher year-on-year. Confident of exceeding current market expectations in terms of revenue, Ebitda and cash generation for 2020. Closed April trading with cash of GBP3.1 million and net debt of GBP11.4 million.
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ULS Technology PLC - conveyancing software - Reiterates difficulty in predicting revenue and profitability performance for the immediate future. Expects underlying pretax profit for the year to March-end of GBP4.8 million, down from GBP5.4 million a year ago. Sales estimated at GBP28.3 million versus GBP30 million. Performance reflects the uncertainty caused by Brexit and the general election during 2019, and then the initial impact of Covid-19 during the last four to six weeks of the period. Cash at March 31 of over GBP2 million and net debt of GBP3.4 million.
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Dev Clever Holdings PLC - promotional software - Virtual reality careers guidance platforms, Launchyourcareer.com and VICTAR VR, now been localised and made available for sale across Canada. Product launch in Canada following worldwide partnership with Lenovo Group Ltd. Partnership provides Dev Clever with the opportunity to roll out its products across further territories where Lenovo's new VR Classroom V2 solution is available.
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Eckoh PLC - secure payments products - Reports significant increase in demand for CallGuard Remote product, which enables contact centre agents to take payments securely whilst working remotely or at home. Has sold and deployed CallGuard Remote to both existing and new clients in sectors spanning utilities, retail, insurance and financial services. Seeing growing levels of interest for its patented ChatGuard, which assists in securing payments made over a live web chat.
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One Media iP Group PLC - music rights - Retains strong cash position and continues to trade in line with market expectations despite challenging market conditions caused by Covid-19 pandemic. Exploring further opportunities to expand music catalogue. Declared an interim dividend of 0.055 pence per share.
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Clear Leisure PLC - technology investment - Hearing in Venice Court in respect of the Sipeim SpA claim, scheduled for Wednesday, postponed. Proceedings in respect of the Sosushi Co Srl claim may be affected as well. Investees ForCrowd srl and PBV Monitor srl slightly affected by the current situation, both in terms of delays in revenue generation and development activities.
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Condor Gold PLC - mineral exploration - Granted environmental permit for the development and exploitation of gold from the America open pit located at the La India project in Nicaragua. The America open pit hosts 114,000 tonnes at a grade of 8.1 grammes per tonne of gold in the indicated mineral resource category and 677,000 tonnes at a grade of 3.1 grammes per tonne gold in the inferred mineral resource category. The America open pit compliments the already permitted La India open pit and the recently permitted high grade Mestiza open pit.
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Ethernity Networks Ltd - ethernet adapter cards for virtualised networking appliances - Applies for a grant from the Innovation Authority in Israel. Will have to seek alternative funding in absence of the grant. Seeks shareholder approval to issue new shares to raise new capital. Sees some recovery in Chinese markets. Anticipates a roll-out of up to 2,000 smart adapter cards during 2021 at unit prices ranging from USD2,000 to USD3,000. Certain anticipated near-term agreements delayed due to disruptions. Anticipates positive cash flow generation to commence by from second half of 2021. Cash of USD1.5 million at March 31.
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Aminex PLC - oil & gas exploration - Agrees to advance a USD2 million loan to new partner ARA Petroleum to pay a tax in Tanzania to complete the Ruvuma farm-out transaction. The Tanzanian authorities require a capital gains tax charge of USD2.2 million to be paid before the Minister of Energy to approve the farm-out transaction. Disagrees with the tax calculation, but to accept the tax charge and expedite the farm-out transaction.
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Mpac Group PLC - packaging and automation solutions - Cash generation in the first three months of 2020 in line with management expectations prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Remains well positioned to meet liquidity requirements beyond 2020 from existing resources. Continues to monitor the virus impact, both operational and financial. Taken measures to preserve cash, to defer discretionary spend and utilising government support measures. Remains debt free and has access to a GBP10 million secured committed revolving facility which is yet to be drawn down.
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Cora Gold Ltd - mining - Pauses reverse circulation drill programme at the Madina Foulbe permit in Senegal. Completed 642 metre of drilling in eight holes of first reconnaissance 2,000 metre drill programme at Madina Foulbe. Results to date have confirmed extensive zones of gold mineralisation across the area tested.
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By Tapan Panchal; tapanpanchal@alliancenews.com
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