BT director boosts stake

Jasmine Whitbread, a non-executive at BT, the FTSE 100 telecoms giant, has phoned up for a stack of shares just days after the firm unveiled a surprise 48% leap in third quarter profits, and announced that it would hit its 2013 earnings target a year early. Whitbread, who has been on the board at BT for just over a year, added 2,300 shares for 2.14878p each, bringing her total number of shares to 2,940. BT's pre-tax profits (PTP) rose from £441m last year to £652m in the three months to December 31st. Over the first three quarters, PTP totalled £4,455m, up 18% on the previous year. However, revenue totalled £4,774m in the quarter, down 5% from £5,038m the year before and 3% lower on an underlying basis (which excludes transit). Nine-month revenues are 4% last year at £14,432m, down 1.8% on an underlying basis. Top Director BuysLow & Bonar (LWB) Director name: Mr Folkert BlaisseAmount purchased: 65,000 @ 59.50p Value: £38,675Top Director SellsARM Holdings (ARM) Director name: Mr Warren EastAmount sold: 41,782 @ 580.70p Value: £242,628ARM Holdings (ARM) Director name: Mr Tim ScoreAmount sold: 33,425 @ 580.70p Value: £194,099ARM Holdings (ARM) Director name: Mr Tudor BrownAmount sold: 30,752 @ 580.70p Value: £178,577ARM Holdings (ARM) Director name: Mr Mike MullerAmount sold: 28,078 @ 580.70p Value: £163,049ARM Holdings (ARM) Director name: Mr Mike InglisAmount sold: 26,741 @ 580.70p Value: £155,285ARM Holdings (ARM) Director name: Mr Simon SegarsAmount sold: 24,067 @ 580.70p Value: £139,757 BT