WINNERS & LOSERS SUMMARY: Energean Up After Buying From EDF In Italy

(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Thursday.----------FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------Burberry Group, up 2.2%. Mainfirst raised the luxury goods retailer to Outperform from Neutral. ----------Associated British Foods, up 0.5%. The Primark clothing chain owner reported an increase in revenue in its financial year-to-date, helped by strong performances in its Retail and Ingredients units. The company, which also produces sugar and ingredients, said revenue at constant currency for the 40 weeks to June 22 was 3% higher than the same period last year. At actual exchange rates, revenue grew by 2% year-on-year. For the full year, the FTSE 100-listed company said it expects to report substantial profit growth for retailer Primark and, on an underlying basis, in its Grocery division. Overall, the full year outlook for the group is unchanged, with adjusted earnings per share expected to be in line with last year's 134.9 pence. In the Retail division, sales at Primark in the year-to-date were 4% ahead of last year, driven by increased selling space.----------FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------International Consolidated Airlines, down 8.0% and Coca-Cola HBC, down 7.3%, Next, down 3.1%. The stocks went ex-dividend Thursday, meaning new buyers no longer qualify for the latest payout. ----------Spirax-Sarco Engineering, down 3.2%. Goldman Sachs cut the steam management systems and peristaltic pumps maker to Sell from Neutral. ----------Persimmon, down 2.1%. The housebuilder said its decision to focus on increasing quality and customer service resulted in lower revenue growth and legal completions for the the first half of 2019. The company said revenue for the six months to June 30 will total GBP1.75 billion, down from GBP1.83 billion recorded in the year ago period, with legal completions down to 7,584 from 8,072. Average selling prices in the period were GBP216,950, up slightly from GBP215,813. Persimmon recently launched an independent review of its quality and customer care operations following criticism over its poor build quality. The company is scheduled to release the results and recommendations of the review in the final quarter of 2019. The value of total forward sales as at June 30 was GBP1.62 billion, down from GBP1.68 billion a year ago. Peers Barratt Developments, Taylor Wimpey and Berkeley were down 0.4%, 0.9% and 1.0%, respectively. ----------FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------Energean Oil & Gas, up 13%. The oil and gas company said it has bought the oil exploration and production unit of Italian electricity and natural gas company Edison for a total consideration of USD850 million. Edison itself is owned by French utility firm Electricite de France. The Mediterranean-focused company has bought Edison Exploration & Production for USD750 million, with an additional contingent consideration of USD100 million payable following first gas from the Cassiopea development, offshore Italy. Energean Oil will fund the initial USD750 million consideration through a USD600 million committed bridge loan facility and up to USD265 million of equity financing through a new share placing. The share placing - to raise GBP211 million or around USD265 million - will be conducted through an accelerated bookbuild. Certain Energean directors have indicated their intention to participate in the placing up to GBP3 million.----------FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------Babcock International, down 3.7%. The stock went ex-dividend. ----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS----------C&C Group, up 4.8%. The Irish beer and cider maker reported a solid start to new financial year and said it will seek inclusion in the FTSE UK Index Series, following last year's acquisition of Matthew Clark and Bibendum. Since this acquisition from alcohol distributor Conviviality in 2018 for a nominal sum, a majority of the company's revenue now comes from the UK. In order to become eligible for FTSE index inclusion, the Magners cider maker will cancel its Euronext Dublin listing. However, it said it will remain domiciled and tax resident in Ireland, with its head office staying in Dublin. With a EUR1.27 billion market capitalisation in London, C&C would easily obtain a spot in the FTSE 250 index. C&C, which also makes Bulmers cider and Tennent's beer, said it has made a "solid start" to its current financial year ending in February 2020, with trading in line with market expectations.----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - LOSERS----------Keywords Studios, down 9.3%, Peel Hunt downgraded the video games outsourcing services firm to Sell from Hold. ----------