Stvg Share News (STVG)

Textiles group Fiberweb has refinanced its $400m loan facility with a new loan facility of £210m that matures in July 2013. As a result, cash interest costs will increase by £3m in 2010 over previous expectations. In addition, there will be non-cash amortisation charges of £3m in each of 2010 and 2011 for exiting existing swap arrangements. The share price of oil services company Offshore Hydrocarobon Mapping (OHM) shot up on Thursday morning after the European Patent Office renounced a genera method patent held by one of the company's rivals, EMGS of Norway.The patent, EP 1256019, is an early general method patent describing controlled source electromagnetic for hydrocarbon detection. The corresponding UK patent was revoked by the UK high court in 2009.Although EMGS is appealing against the UK high court's decision and may well appeal against the European decision, OHM's view remains that such general method patents are invalid and unenforceable.Pneumatic conveying and air filtration equipment Clyde Process Solutions says that trading is in line with expectations. The order book has fallen from £24.5m to £19.5m over the 12 months to January 2010 but management says that there are sales prospects that could come through in the coming months. Management does admit that there is still uncertainty about the timing of capital expenditure. TV soap operas producer Dori Media reported a 3% dip in revenues to $48.7m in 2009. The tough broadcasting sector meant that broadcasting rights income was lower and this was only partly offset by higher TV subscriptions. Underlying profit fell from $7m to $3.6m most of which was down to a higher depreciation charge for programming rights. House broker Daniel Stewart says that net debt was $14.8m at the end of 2009. The broker has reduced its profit forecast for 2010 but still expects an improvement to $5.6m. Irish gold explorer Conroy Diamonds & Gold reported a reduced first half loss of €183,000 in the six months to November 2009, down from €202,000 in the first six months of the previous year. Capitalised exploration spending rose from €407,000 to €430,000. Wardrop Engineering has started a scoping study at Clontibret. This will determine whether a JORC-compliant resource of just over 1m ounces of gold is enough to support a profitable mining project.Heart monitoring equipment supplier LiDCO has achieved "significant" sales growth during the year and expects revenues for the year ended 31 January 2010 to have risen 18%.The installed base of monitors rose in the period by 565 to 2,075 and the company said it remains on track to deliver its maiden profit in the current financial year."Hospital finances are under increasing stress, reducing complications in high risk surgery patients is becoming an important driver for the adoption of new technology," said CEO Terry O'Brien ahead of results on 26 April.Scottish broadcaster STV saw pre-tax profit before exceptional items more than halve in 2009 to £6m from £13m a year ago.The economic downturn and a lower level of commissions in content caused a 24% slump in turnover to £110m, although this was 17% adjusting for the sale of Virgin Radio.Bosses report a strong performance in national television airtime revenues and an improving position in the regional television airtime market during the first quarter.Public sector-focused document management software provider IDOX says revenue and profitability in the first quarter are ahead of the same period last year.Chairman Martin Brooks told shareholders at today's AGM that the company is delivering on new business and has started to unwind its large contracted order book. He said the firm's new business pipeline remains strong, although chiefs think it prudent to remain cautious about the outlook given the impending General Election and uncertain economic background.