UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: Intandem Films Eyes Distribution Market

Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps INTANDEM FILMS PLC (IFM.LN), a film production company, Thursday said it is eyeing a move in to the distribution market and could make its first inroads in to distribution as soon as this year. "Distribution is an area we're looking to go in to and will be our next strategic move," Chief Executive Gary Smith told Dow Jones Newswires. At 1430 GMT, shares flat at 3 pence. SPORTS DIRECT INTERNATIONAL PLC (SPD.LN) Thursday posted a surge in full-year pretax profit as sales were boosted by this summer's soccer World Cup, and said it is targeting underlying earnings of around GBP195 million this fiscal. The firm had its strongest trading day ever when England played the USA in the World Cup. At 1430 GMT, shares -2 pence, or 1.7%, at 115 pence. INTERNATIONAL PERSONAL FINANCE PLC (IPF.LN), a door-to-door lender, hopes to raise between EUR200 million and EUR300 million on the public bond market in the second half, Finance Director David Broadbent said Thursday, after wider market conditions halted the company's plans in the first half. IPF previously obtained a long-term credit rating of BB+ from Fitch in order to access the public debt markets but Broadbent said market conditions, particularly due to the Greek sovereign debt crisis, prevented this. At 1430 GMT, shares +3 pence, or 1.6%, at 207 pence. UNIQ PLC (UNIQ.LN), a maker of chilled convenience food and sandwiches, reported an improvement in trading performance during its first half, although the results were clouded by lingering uncertainty about its pension scheme. The firm said it could tap shareholders for cash as a near-term fix to tackle its hefty pension deficit so it can make a final payment to its pension fund. While the company's market capitalization is about GBP10 million, it is saddled with a GBP436 million pension deficit. At 1430 GMT, shares +1 pence, or 7.5%, at 11 pence. FAROE PETROLEUM PLC (FPM.LN), an oil and gas explorer, said it struck oil at an exploration well in the Norwegian North Sea. Faroe said an initial analysis of the Maria prospect indicates between 75 million and 155 million barrels of oil equivalent could be recovered. Chief Operating Officer Helge Hammer told Dow Jones that, prior to drilling, the firm expected to encounter an oil column of about 50 meters, compared with the 64 meter column it found, with about 50 million barrels of recoverable oil. At 1430 GMT, shares +33 pence, or 25%, at 162 pence. DEVELOPMENT SECURITIES PLC (DSC.LN), a real estate investor, announced a fully underwritten share issue to raise around GBP100.2 million through a placing and rights issue, as it looks to take advantage of several potential development schemes in central London and beyond. At 1430 GMT, shares -14 pence, or 5%, at 260 pence. GOLDPLAT PLC (GDP.LN), a gold producer, said authorities in Kenya approved its submission to begin mining operations at Kilimapesa Hill. The company said it is now only waiting for the formality of receiving a mining right number from officials. At 1430 GMT, shares +1 pence, or 12%, at 9.38 pence. KARELIAN DIAMOND RESOURCES PLC (KDR.LN), an Irish diamond explorer, said Rio Tinto PLC (RIO.LN) has agreed to supply it with secret exploration data about Finland in exchange for an option to take a 51% stake in any discovery Karelian makes there. At 1430 GMT, shares +2 pence, or more than doubled, at 3 pence. RESACA EXPLOITATION INC. (RSOX), a U.S.-based oil and gas company, said a planned merger with peer Cano Petroleum Inc. (CFW) has been called off. Alternative Investment Market-listed Resaca said Cano said it didn't want to go ahead with the deal after more than a year of talks. Resaca Chairman J.P. Bryan said the proposed transaction failed due to long delays with registration statements for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, difficult equity markets and a failed share sale. At 1430 GMT, London-listed shares -7 pence, or 4.1%, at 175 pence. LONDON MINING PLC (LOND.OS), a developer of iron ore and coal mines for the steel industry, said it agreed to cut its stake in the Wadi Sawawin iron ore project in Saudi Arabia in exchange for being released from funding it. At 1430 GMT, London-listed shares +2 pence, or 0.6%, at 254 pence. JAPAN LEISURE HOTELS LTD. (JPLH.LN), an investor in short-stay "love hotels" in Japan, said 2010 revenue and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization will be below current market expectations due to aggressive price competition in the market and the closure of one of its hotels for refurbishment for most of the first half. At 1430 GMT, shares -3 pence, or 7%, at 39 pence. DJ UK Smaller Cos +0.% AIM +0.49% -By Hannah Benjamin, Rachael Gormley & Jason Douglas, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 20 7842 9298; uksmallcaps@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 22, 2010 11:00 ET (15:00 GMT)