(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Zenith Energy Ltd - oil and gas - Identified potential manufacturing facility to make personal protective equipment to export to African countries. Expects order for three manufacturing units capable of producing 50,000 masks per day, to be completed in May. In talks with partner in Republic of the Congo to build facility for hand sanitiser production.
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Erris Resources PLC - mineral exploration - Reports two high-grade gold results from sampling at Loch Tay project, Scotland. Notes prospecting and mapping work ceased temporarily due to lockdown measures in UK to halt the spread of Covid-19.
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UK Oil & Gas PLC - oil and gas - Reducing costs amid the lower oil price environment. Directors to take pay cut between 20% and 50% and looks to raise GBP1.3 million in placing of 637.5 million shares at 0.2 pence each.
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Active Energy Group PLC - biomass renewable energy - Says public comment period for its CoalSwitch plant permit in North Carolina extended to May 27, due to Covid-19.
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Sylvania Platinum Ltd - platinum group metals miner - Says third quarter to March 31 net revenue up 56% quarter-on-quarter to USD43.6 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation up 83% to USD32.0 million. Notes lockdown measures in South Africa hit operations with sites placed on care and maintenance until curbs end.
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Goldplat PLC - gold producer - Says Goldplat Recovery Ltd operations in South Africa on care and maintenance amid government-imposed lockdown. South Africa operations achieved third quarter operating profit of GBP843,000. For nine months to March 31, SA operating profit was GBP3.4 million, up from GBP1.5 million a year before. Ghana operations not forced to close due pandemic but not running at full capacity. Company benefiting from higher gold spot price.
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Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd - conglomerate - Says first quarter trading conditions challenging due to Covid-19. Warns interim results to be "significantly reduced" year-on-year. Jardine Motors first quarter earnings down, Dairy Farm sees boost in grocery demand due to stockpiling but health & beauty sales weaker. Mandarin Oriental struggles as hotels closed due to lockdowns.
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Sure Ventures PLC and Pires Investments PLC - investors - Invest in AI firm Buymie, which allows consumers to place online grocery orders. Sure and Pires note Covid-19 has caused increase in demand for online grocery shopping.
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Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income PLC - property investor - Notes some tenants experiencing financial difficulty due to pandemic, but three of top tenants by income are in food and pharma sectors and have seen demand boost. Says first quarter rent paid in full, received 67% of second quarter rent so far.
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Picton Property Income Ltd - property investor - Cuts quarterly dividend payments by 29% to 0.625p per share with immediate effect.
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Distribution Finance Capital Holdings PLC - lender - Receives temporary waiver from senior and senior mezzanine loan facilities. Says own loan book performing well and stable. Notes demand at some industrial clients to fall due to Covid-19. Cuts costs, including redundancies and furloughs. Remains committed to bank license application.
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XPS Pensions Group PLC - pensions advisory - Says full-year results to be in line with expectations, with revenue up 9%. Expects demand for discretionary services to continue as pension trustees look for advice amid virus crisis. Has not furloughed any staff.
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Universe Group PLC - retailer payment and loyalty programmes systems - Expects 2019 revenue to rise 13% to GBP22.4 million. Notes its customers are retailers providing essential services. Says hard to forecast impact of Covid-19 with certainty.
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Panoply Holdings PLC - IT service management - Expects revenue and adjusted EBITDA in line with expectations for year ended March 31. Working with a number of clients providing Covid-19 emergency response. Implements hiring freeze but yet to furlough any staff. Will not pay a dividend for financial 2020.
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Smartspace Software PLC - office space management software and hospitality and ticketing platform - Notes SwipedOn New Zealand subsidiary adds function to allow users to manage Covid-19 and enforce social distancing. New Zealand has begun reopening businesses providing they can track visitors and employees, boosting demand for SwipedOn.
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RTC Group PLC - recruiter - Says UK general recruitment and smart-meter installation activities hit by lockdowns but international activities largely unhurt. Reducing cost base, deferring non-essential spend and making use of UK furlough scheme. No dividend to be proposed for 2020 and board and senior management take 20% salary cut.
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Fusion Antibodies PLC - antibody discovery - To raise GBP3.0 million in placing with funds used to go towards existing oncology targets and Covid-19 work. Says results for year to March 31 in line with market expectations, with revenue of GBP3.8 million.
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EKF Diagnostics Holdings PLC - healthcare products - In final stages of establishing UK production line for PrimeStore MTM sampling collection kit. New production line could produce 12,500 sample collection tubes per day. Notes demand for rimeStore MTM boosted by Covid-19.
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Angle PLC - liquid biopsy - Says non-essential screenings and surgical procedures in cancer treatment postponed due to lockdowns globally, highlighting need for Angle's CTC liquid biopsy product. Used lockdown period to progress written documentation aspect of US Food & Drug Administration application.
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Grand Vision Media Holdings PLC - digital media - Says first quarter revenue reduced by Covid-19 and restrictions of movement. Says 2019 revenue fell by a third amid sales hit from Hong Kong civil unrest last year.
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By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com
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