WINNERS & LOSERS SUMMARY: Vodafone Up On Results, Tower Spin-Off Plan

(Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices on Friday.----------FTSE 100 - WINNERS----------Vodafone, up 7.7%. The telecommunications firm said will separate its European tower infrastructure business into a new entity, as it posted a drop in first quarter revenue. The telecoms company said its European tower infrastructure will be legally separated into a new company. Vodafone then either plans an initial public offering for the new company or else disposal of a minority stake - with potential to disposal of "minority or minority stakes at an individual country level". Vodafone also posted revenue figures for the first quarter ended June 30, showing a EUR200 million drop in group revenue for the three months to June 30 to EUR10.7 billion due to foreign exchange movements. Organic service revenue dropped 0.2%, though this was an improvement on the fourth quarter of its prior financial year which saw a 0.7% decline.----------Pearson, up 5.9%. The educational publisher reported a jump in adjusted operating profit due to sales growth and restructuring savings and raised its earnings per share target for the year. Pearson said its adjusted operating profit climbed 30% in the six months to June 30 on an underlying basis to GBP144 million from GBP107 million, with headline growth 35% and constant currency growth 26%. This was, Pearson said, reflective of savings, which resulted from its 2017-2019 restructuring programme. This was, however, slightly offset by cost inflation, as well as "other operational factors". Underlying revenue grew 2% and growth was seen in all segments as momentum in its structural growth opportunities, coupled with stabilisation in other business segments, managed to offset US Higher Education Courseware and US Student Assessment declines. It has upgraded its earnings per share guidance to between 57.5 pence and 63.0p. Adjusted EPS in the first half totalled 13.2p, up from 8.2p year-on-year.----------FTSE 100 - LOSERS----------Rightmove, down 2.1%. The property portal reported a rise in first half pretax profit and said it will buy a tenant referencing services company for up to GBP20 million. Rightmove will pay an initial GBP16 million for Van Mildert Landlord and Tenant Protection Ltd, a tenant referencing services and rent guarantee insurance firm. The acquisition also includes future deferred consideration, payable in 2022 and based on revenue performance, capped at GBP4 million. Rightmove's pretax profit rose to GBP108.1 million in the six months to June 30 from GBP98.1 million the year before, with revenue up 10% at GBP143.9 million from GBP131.1 million. This was attributed to stronger growth in average revenue per advertiser to GBP1,077 per month from GBP987, a rise of GBP90.----------FTSE 250 - WINNERS----------Entertainment One, up 1.3%. The film and television company said it has signed a multi-year producing deal with Mark Gordon, who will now cease to head the company's Film & Television unit. Entertainment One acquired Mark Gordon Co in 2018, having taken a majority position in 2015. In June, Entertainment One announced that the veteran film and TV producer would not be leaving the firm. This came after Variety reported that Gordon was in talks to quit over conflict with senior management. Gordon will now be leaving his role as president & chief content officer for Film & Television in order to "focus his time on developing and producing content" for the company.----------FTSE 250 - LOSERS----------easyJet, down 3.0%. Societe Generale downgraded the low-cost airline to Sell from Hold.----------Sports Direct International, down 0.9%. The sportswear retailer has experienced a further delay its annual results, the Financial Times reported. The business newspaper explained the results for the year ended April had been expected to be released at 0715 BST. Yet, by 0840 BST Sports Direct informed analysts and investors in a brief statement that the FTSE 250-listed firm was "still finalising our preliminary results". "We anticipate that our annual results will be still be released today, with a presentation to follow, and will update again at midday," Sports Direct added in the statement.----------OTHER MAIN MARKET AND AIM - WINNERS----------Mulberry, up 4.6%. The luxury retailer said it now has full control over its South Korean business, Mulberry Korea, after buying a 40% stake from local partner SHK Holdings for GBP1.3 million. "We would like to thank our longstanding partner, SHK, for its invaluable contribution in developing Mulberry in South Korea, our second biggest retail market globally. Taking full ownership of our business marks an exciting development in advancing our international omni-channel and digital strategy," said Chief Executive Theirry Andretta. Including the GBP3.1 million investment Mulberry made in the subsidiary, Mulberry has now invested GBP4.4 million in the unit. ----------