Servision PLC Share News (SEV)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are amongst the biggest risers and fallers within the main London indices midday Tuesday.
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FTSE 100 WINNERS
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Wm Morrison Supermarkets, up 5.4%. The supermarket chain said that Chief Executive Dalton Philips will step down in March after five years at the helm, as the company continues to try and return to growth after once again underperforming its major rivals in the sector over the key Christmas trading period. Morrisons revealed a 3.1% fall in like-for-like sales excluding fuel over the six weeks to January 4, a performance that was better than recent quarters. However, it still meant that it was the weakest of the UK's big-four grocers.

ITV, up 3.3%. Bernstein has raised the broadcaster to Outperform from Market-Perform, with a price target increase to 250.00 pence from 220.00p. The stock currently trades at 219.60p.

Tesco, up 3.1%, and J Sainsbury, up 2.7%. The supermarkets are trading higher, lifted by the Morrisons results, as the UK supermarket sector as a whole beat expectations over the Christmas period.
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FTSE 100 LOSERS
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Tullow Oil, down 4.0%, Weir Group, down 3.1%, Royal Dutch Shell 'B', down 0.7%, and BP, down 0.6%. The oil-related companies are trading lower as oil prices remain under pressure. Brent oil touched it lowest price since mid-March 2009 at USD45.20 a barrel Tuesday morning, while US benchmark West Texas Intermediate touched a low of USD44.19, its lowest level since early March of the same year.

Rolls-Royce Holdings, down 0.9%. Societe Generale has cut the aerospace company to Sell from Hold with a price target cut to 770.00p from 800.00p. The stock currently trades at 860.95p.
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FTSE 250 WINNERS
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Greggs, up 7.2%. The bakery chain said it expects its full-year results to be ahead of expectations following a rise in sales over the year and a boost from a strong Christmas period. Greggs said total sales for the 53 weeks to January 3 are expected to be up 5.5%, with own-shop like-for-like sales expected to increase 4.5%. The rise in sales includes an extra trading week against the year before.

Michael Page International, up 5.6%. The recruitment group reported profit growth across all its operating regions in the fourth quarter, with gross profit for the full year expected to increase in spite of a drag from currency. For the fourth quarter to December 31, the company said gross profit increased to GBP136.2 million, up 8.9% against the GBP125.1 million reported last year.

Drax Group, up 5.5%. Bernstein has raised the company to Outperform from Underperform, with a price target cut to 420.00 pence from 550.00p. The stock currently trades at 375.50p.

Pace, up 5.4%. The technology company said it expects its 2014 profits to be above its previous guidance, after revenue growth was particularly strong in the second half of the year thanks partly to new product launches and its acquisition of networks infrastructure company Aurora Networks. It said it expects earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, excluding exceptional costs and amortisation of intangibles, to be at least USD240 million, up 24% from USD193.6 million in 2013. It expects its underlying operating margin to be not less than 9.2%, up from 7.8% in 2013.
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FTSE 250 LOSERS
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Debenhams, down 7.9%. The department store reported good sales growth for the key Christmas trading period, and crucially said it had been less reliant on discounting to pull shoppers into its stores, although it warned that margin growth had been capped as sales of low-margin products were particularly strong. However, like peers, the company also warned that its autumn sales had been hit by unseasonably warm weather which stopped consumers heading to stores for winter clothing ranges.

Kaz Minerals, down 4.3%. Credit Suisse has cut the company to Underperform from Neutral.

Cobham, down 3.6%. Liberum has cut the company to Hold from Buy, noting the shares have just moved past its 330 pence price target which the broker says reflects the company's manifold strengths, but the key risk now is margin pressure. The stock currently trades at 319.19p.

Ashmore Group, down 1.8%. The emerging markets asset manager reported a drop in assets under management during the last three months of 2014, hit by a negative investment performance stemming from the markets sell-off in early December, as well as net outflows.
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AIM ALL-SHARE WINNERS
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SerVision, up 12%. The digital video security company said it has signed a deal with Crosstone Trading Ltd and A&A Traffic Technologies Ltd in Kazakhstan. Under the deals, SerVision will supply its video gateway products for buses operated in Astana in Kazakhstan. Crosstone and A&A have committed to an initial purchase order with an aggregate value of USD415,000, with USD207,500 paid to SerVision already and the balance to be paid within four weeks of the order delivery date.
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AIM ALL-SHARE LOSERS
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Alexander Mining, off 27%. The company said it has raised GBP360,000 gross by issuing 72.0 million new shares at 0.5 pence each to institutions and other investors, money it will use for general working capital purposes.

Charlemagne Capital, down 17%. The specialist emerging markets asset manager said it intends to cut its dividend as it reported a double-digit drop in assets under management, hurt by the substantial net outflows from the sector over the course of its last financial year. The company said assets under management amounted to USD2.25 billion at the end of 2014, down 13.2% over the course of the final quarter and 17.7% over the full year.
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By Neil Thakrar; neilthakrar@alliancenews.com

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