UK TRADING UPDATE SUMMARY: Virus Hits Mears But Tristel Gets Boost

Wed, 22nd Jul 2020 17:57

(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

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Mears Group PLC - services provider to the UK's housing sector - Expects revenue from continuing activities in the first half to June 30 to fall 7.7% annually to GBP405 million from GBP439 million. Expects a pretax loss on continuing activities and before the amortisation of acquisition intangibles to be around GBP6.0 million, swinging from a GBP16.7 million profit. Expects a recovery in activity in second half, assuming Covid-19 infection levels remain low.

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Tristel PLC - Cambridgeshire-based manufacturer of infection prevention products - Results for year ended June 30 will be ahead of market expectations, with revenue coming in at GBP31.6 million, a 21% increase, and adjusted pretax profit rising at the same rate to GBP6.8 million. During the final four months of the year when Covid-19 impact was it its greatest, sales rose 30% annually.

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Barkby Group PLC - owner of businesses in real estate, consumer & hospitality and life sciences sectors - Withdraws forecast of Ebitda of GBP3.5 million for year ended June 30, due to Covid-19. Also secures GBP1 million loan under UK's coronavirus business interruption scheme. Notes Commercial Property Development completed construction of Hastings development in June. Hospitality arm made "positive" start to 2020 before Covid-19 interruption.

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Itaconix PLC - polymers maker - Expects revenue growth of 80% to USD1.1 million in six months to June 30. Notes several customers have boosted size of recurring orders due to increased demand amid Covid-19.

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Boku Inc - US-based mobile payments solution provider - Revenue for six months to June 30 expected to be at least USD24.7 million, a rise of 5.1% from USD23.5 million reported a year ago. Annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation are expected in line with expectations and 65% higher from 2019.

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MobilityOne Ltd - e-commerce infrastructure payment solutions and platform provider - Says 50%-owned remittance firm OneTransfer Remittance Sdn Bhd signs money transfer agreement with MoneyGram Payment Systems Inc. Agreement means OTR customers can send money on MoneyGram platform.

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Blancco Technology Group PLC - data erasure firm with a sales office in Hertfordshire - Despite Covid-19 lengthening sales cycles, performance in year to June 30 was in line with market expectations with revenue inching 9.5% higher to GBP33.4 million from GBP30.5 million. Adjusted operating profit tipped to rise 14% to GBP4.0 million.

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Cloudcall Group PLC - cloud-based software firm with offices in Leicester, Sydney and Boston, US - Says revenue in six months to June 30 up 11% annually to GBP5.8 million. Recurring subscriptions up 20% to GBP5.1 million and users up 19% to 43,815.

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Quixant PLC - Cambridge-based technology outsourcer for gaming industry - Says key gaming unit sees "minimal" order over past three months as most clients closed due to Covid-19. The Densitron business unit however, has "experienced healthy demand from a range of industrial sectors".

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Empresaria Group PLC - West Sussex-based staffing firm - Profitable in both quarters during the six months ended June 30, despite Covid-19. Second quarter net fee income plunged 39% annually, contributing to a 22% fall in the whole of the first half to GBP28.2 million from GBP36.3 million. Made cost savings however, second quarter expenses were 30% lower year-on-year, after the first quarter when they fell 23%.

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Anexo Group PLC - Liverpool-based legal services provider - Trading continuing in line with expectations and plans to reinstate financial guidance for 2020 in its August interim report. Note some staff in its Bond Turner legal services division are returning to office working as Covid-19 lockdowns ease.

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Avacta Group PLC - Wetherby-based biotherapeutics firm - To begin clinical validation of Covid-19 laboratory test being developed by US-based Adeptrix as part of a UK government scheme.

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Resolute Mining Ltd - gold miner with assets in Senegal and Mali - Gold poured in quarter ended June down 3.2% to 107,183 ounces from 110,763 ounces in March. On track for 430,000 ounces poured in 2020.

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Alba Mineral Resources PLC - mineral exploration and development company with gold asset in Wales - Notes work activity as resumed at Clogau gold project, Wales following Covid-19 lockdown. Says priority for summer 2020 is completing underground bulk sampling programme, upon receipt of regulatory consent.

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Pure Gold Mining Inc Canada-based gold mine developer - Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation & Parks approves and issues amended environmental compliance approval for air and noise emissions at Red Lake mine.

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Danakali Ltd - potash miner - Reports that notice of commencement of mine development at Colluli asset accepted by Eritrean Ministry of Energy & Mines.

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Predator Oil & Gas Holdings PLC - Jersey-based oil and gas company - Has made an offer to acquire Columbus Energy Resources PLC's stake in Inniss-Trinity CO2 project in Trinidad. Predator has option acquire interest for USD4.2 million but Predator's offer totalled USD1.8 million, so Columbus rejected.

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Jangada Mines PLC - natural resources company with vanadium asset in Brazil - reports "overwhelming success" from drilling campaign at its Pitombeiras vanadium project, Brazil. Received final five assay results received from the Goela target at project.

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Bluejay Mining PLC - explorer with assets in Greenland and Finland - Says agreement with "multinational commodity trading firm" at Dundas ilmenite project has increased. Offtake pact up 50% to between 250,000 and 300,000 tonnes per year, extending agreement by three months to October 31.

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Great Western Mining Corp PLC - mineral explorer with gold project in Nevada - Notes initial work has begun at the Trafalgar Hill, West Ridge and Rhyolite Dome targets at the Olympic Gold project in Nevada.

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Gunsynd PLC - London-based investment firm - Invests AUD200,000, about GBP110,000, in Eagle Mountain Mining Ltd, a copper and gold explorer. Forms part of Eagle Mountain's AUD3.0 million wider fundraising. The funds will finance a surface diamond drilling programme at its Oracle Ridge copper mine project.

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Dekel Agri-Vision PLC - West African focused agriculture company - Reports milling equipment for a cashew processing plant it is developing in Cote d'Ivoire has arrived at port of Abidjan from Italy as planned.

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Altus Strategies PLC - mining royalty firm - Reports preliminary economic assessment at Diba gold project, Mali. Reports a pretax net present value of USD115 million and a post-tax net present value of USD81 million.

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By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com