Small caps round-up: Caza Oil & Gas, Alexon, Falkland Island

Shares in Caza Oil & Gas jumped after it said it encountered 'multiple gas bearing sands' after drilling at the Wharton West Wilcox Field in Texas.Shares in vehicle tracking systems specialist Minorplanet slumped after it said it is selling its UK arm, which accounts for about 40% of overall revenues, to meet outstanding tax payments of about £2m. Fashion retailer Alexon scrapped its final dividend after losses in 2009 soared to £14.3m. Underlying profit, stripping onerous lease costs, fell to £0.9m from £10.8m. Turnover fell 13.6% to £153m. Group like-for-like sales for the eleven weeks ended 17 April 2010 were minus 4%, in line with management's expectations. Actions taken provide a strong platform for the group to improve its financial performance going forward, it added.Falkland Islands expects profits for the year to March to be above market expectations with underlying pre-tax profits (before amortisation and non trading items) a little ahead of the re-stated prior year figure of £2.3m. The Falkland Islands Company benefitted from stronger results than anticipated from the group's business in the Falkland Islands, with freight and local service businesses boosted by oil exploration activity and mine clearance operations. The group's pre-tax profits will also be boosted materially by the £3.1m profit on the sale of FOGL shares in November 2009 together with £0.2m of cash compensation received for the early surrender of a property lease at Momart.AEA Technology, the energy consultancy group, said US performance has exceeded expectations in orders, revenue, profit and cash. Overall orders in the US are up in excess of 140% at around $80m, while in Europe orders improved around 7%.Assura, which owns and invests in primary care property across the UK, said there will be an overall loss for the year from discontinued operations, the loss on sale of the Medical Services division and restructuring costs. Aside from that, it expects to report sales and operating profit in all its divisions have been ahead of budget. Office software firm eg solutions has signed a contract valued at £525,000 with a new customer in South Africa to supply its software and services.Powered platform specialist Lavendon said despite the challenging start, based on recent increases in activity levels it believes it will recover any performance shortfall and meet its expectations for the full year. Tom Chandos is to step down as chairman of property asset manager Capital & Regional at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 28 June. Chandos has been chairman since 2000.Non-executive director Alan Coppin has also decided to call it a day and will leave the Capital & Regional board in September. An announcement on Tom Chandos's successor and on the appointment of new non-executive directors will be made before the end of June.Clean energy company Acta has declared itself pleased with the results of an independent testing programme of its "onboard" hydrogen fuel enrichment system for diesel-fuelled vehicles.Under strict bench test conditions using a new 7.2-litre diesel engine Volvo truck, the system achieved a significant reduction in fuel consumption, equivalent to an average 17% net fuel saving, by use of Acta's fuel enrichment system.Online betting group Leisure & Gaming took in more bets in the first quarter but more oft hem proved to be shrewd wagers as the group's net win margin slumped to 15.7% from 27.3% in the first quarter of 2009.Amounts wagered rose to €37m from €31.9m a year earlier, but the net win total slipped to €5.8m from €8.7m. Net profit before interest slumped to €0.2m from €1.8m the year before.