(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers among London Main Market small-caps in 2021.
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SMALL-CAP - WINNERS
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Lookers PLC, last traded at 64.40 pence; stock resumed trading in January 2021 after share suspension, having last closed at 21p back in July 2020. Supply chain disruptions and semiconductor shortages proved a boon to car dealers in 2021, bolstering margins. Lookers in October said it now expects full-year underlying pretax profit to be "materially ahead" of its previous forecasts given a strong third-quarter showing. While like-for-like used vehicle sales were down 17% in the quarter against strong year-ago comparatives, this was more than offset by "unprecedented margin retention".
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Carclo PLC, last traded at 38.70p; doubled from 16.325p at the end of 2020. In the six months to September 30, the West Yorkshire-based provider of engineering for medical, optical and aerospace industries recorded a pretax profit of GBP4.4 million, swinging from GBP865,000 loss a year before, and raised its full-year outlook for underlying trading.
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SMALL-CAP - LOSERS
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Avon Protection PLC, last traded at 1,137.44p; down 64% since the start of 2021. The firm, which makes respiratory protection equipment for use by military, police, industrial and fire service personnel, was bumped out of the FTSE 250 index in September after in August dropping 27% in one day alone. Avon had warned of delayed deliveries and extended lead times. The stock took a further beating in November from Avon's decision to review its body and flat armour business, after a failed product test threaten delays to approvals for US Department of Defence body armour contracts. In December, it said it would wind down the business.
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McColl's Retail Group PLC, last traded at 11.67p; down 53% since the start of 2021. The convenience store and newsagent operator in November warned on its annual results amid worsening supply chain issues, an industry-wide problem. McColl's explained that continued supply chain disruption hit fourth-quarter revenue, flagging the nationwide shortage of delivery drivers and insufficient supply of some key products.
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By Lucy Heming; lucyheming@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Carclo (CAR)
Avon Protection (AVON)
Mccoll's (MCLS)