ULS.L Share News (ULS)

Improved full year guidance ensured Astrazeneca shares proved popular with board members this week, with chairman Leif Johansson adding a further 6,000 shares to his stake in the drugs maker. The shares were acquired at SEK 502.95 per share, equal to 4,347p each. Purchases were also made by non-executive directors Geneviève Berger, Shriti Vadera and senior non-executive director John Varley. Vadera and Varley each added 3,500 shares, paying 4,328p and 4,370p, respectively. Berger purchased 300 shares at 4,324p. The purchases came after the company upped its guidance for the year after delivering a 4% increase in second quarter revenue to $6.4bn, ahead of expectations. Half year turnover at the drugs giant climbed 3%, driven by gains across all five of its growth areas, particularly Diabetes, which jumped 128% following the successful integration of the BMS assets and the launch of Farxiga in the US.For the full year, revenue is expected to be in line with the prior year at constant exchange rates (CER), compared to previous guidance of a low-to-mid single digit percentage decline.Top Director BuysAstraZeneca (AZN) Director name: Mr Leif Johansson Amount purchased: 6,000 @ 4,355.23p Value: £261,314AstraZeneca (AZN) Director name: Mr John VarleyAmount purchased: 3,500 @ 4,370.00p Value: £152,950AstraZeneca (AZN) Director name: Baroness Shriti VaderaAmount purchased: 3,500 @ 4,328.00p Value: £151,480Maven Income and Growth VCT 5 (MIG5) Director name: Mr Allister G LanglandsAmount purchased: 100,000 @ 30.00p Value: £30,000Barclays (BARC) Director name: Sir David A WalkerAmount purchased: 11,522 @ 225.79p Value: £26,016Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust Ltd. (SLI) Director name: Mr Robert PetoAmount purchased: 27,435 @ 72.90p Value: £20,000ULS Technology (ULS) Director name: Mr John WilliamsAmount purchased: 48,291 @ 41.00p Value: £19,799Standard Life Investments Property Income Trust Ltd. (SLI) Director name: Mr Richard BarfieldAmount purchased: 20,000 @ 72.90p Value: £14,580AstraZeneca (AZN) Director name: Professor Genevieve BergerAmount purchased: 300 @ 4,324.00p Value: £12,972Barclays (BARC) Director name: Mr Reuben Jeffery IIIAmount purchased: 5,280 @ 225.79p Value: £11,922Top Director SellsBritish American Tobacco (BATS) Director name: Mr Nicandro DuranteAmount sold: 72,485 @ 3,535.00p Value: £2,562,345Carpetright (CPR) Director name: Mr Martin HarrisAmount sold: 90,000 @ 525.00p Value: £472,500Devro (DVO) Director name: Mr Peter PageAmount sold: 37,565 @ 253.44p Value: £95,205NR