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(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers among London Main Market small-caps on Tuesday.
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SMALL-CAP - WINNERS
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Wickes Group PLC, up 9.3% at 215.50 pence, 12-month range 130.60p-216.00p. The home improvement retailer had its best week ever for sales of compost and top soil in the week of the early May bank holiday in the UK, as warm weather boosts retail sales of garden supplies. Revenue rises 6.9% on-year to GBP533.1 million during the 17 weeks that ended April 26, driven by 9.6% growth in its Retail unit to GBP396.7 million. This is a 9.2% like-for-like increase. Revenue for its Design & Installation division declines 0.4% on-year to GBP136.4 million, which is 4.2% lower on a like-for-like basis. The group says it remans comfortable with current market expectations for adjusted pretax profit in 2025, citing a company-compiled consensus for GBP47.7 million. This would be up 9.4% from GBP43.6 million the year before. "While we continue to be mindful of consumer sentiment and a challenging external environment, we have a strong platform in place and we are well set to continue delivering against our strategy," says Chief Executive Officer David Wood. Wickes will release its interim results in late July.
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Marston's PLC, up 6.0% at 43.73p, 12-month range 29.75p-47.75p. Swings to pretax profit of GBP19.5 million for the 26 weeks that ended March 29, from a loss of GBP26.9 million the year before. This is is despite revenue falling 0.2% to GBP427.4 million from GBP428.1 million, as the pub operator records a positive GBP2.5 million interest rate swap movement against a negative GBP25.8 million movement a year prior. This brings net finance costs 47% lower at GBP41.8 million from GBP78.7 million. Net asset value per share is up 13% on-year to 107 pence from 95p. Marston's says like-for-like sales in the five weeks since March 29 are 11% higher, with the firm expecting full-year capital expenditure to total around GBP60 million. The company anticipates financial 2025 performance in line with current market expectations, citing a company-compiled consensus for GBP66.8 million in underlying pretax profit. This would be up 59% from GBP42.1 million in financial 2024.
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SMALL-CAP - LOSERS
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On the Beach Group PLC, down 2.8% at 262.50p, 12-month range 127.75p-284.00p. Pretax profit at the holiday travel operator rises 18% in the six months that ended March 31 to GBP3.3 million from GBP2.8 million a year prior, as revenue grows 7.2% to GBP64.2 million from GBP59.9 million. Cost of sales is up 50% to GBP3.3 million from GBP2.2 million and administrative expenses rise 3.8% to GBP57.9 million from GBP55.8 million. Expected credit losses increase to GBP1.9 million from GBP1.0 million the year before. The group declares an interim dividend of 1.0 pence per share, up 11% on-year from 0.9p. Booked total transaction value for the six-month period totals GBP640.7 million, up 13% from GBP568.7 million. On the Beach expects "another record year" for its full-year results, as it remains confident in delivering adjusted pretax profit in line with a company-compiled market consensus of GBP38.2 million. This would be a 23% growth from GBP31.0 million in 2024. Over the medium term, the group says it is on track to deliver a targeted GBP2.5 billion in total transaction value, GBP100 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, and GBP85 million in pretax profit.
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By Emily Parsons, Alliance News reporter
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