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Serco selected as preferred bidder to deliver community health services for NHS Suffolk 22 March 2012 Serco Group plc (Serco), the international service company, announces today that it has been selected as preferred bidder for a new contract to provide community health services for NHS Suffolk. The contract, which is expected to be signed in the coming months and is due to start in Autumn 2012, has a total estimated value of £140m to Serco over three years. Under the contract, Serco and its partners will provide a wide range of community health services which include community nursing, specialist nursing, management and operation of community hospitals, speech and language therapy, specialist children's services and community equipment services. Around 1,000 staff are expected to transfer to the new service with their terms and conditions protected under TUPE regulations. To deliver the services Serco will work with a range of NHS and third sector partners including: South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT), a leading provider of community and mental health services, and Bedford Community Dentistry, a community interest company specialising in the provision of dental services to vulnerable groups. The partnership approach developed by Serco will create a unique model of integrated service delivery for Suffolk. This will address local health and geographical needs by simplifying services and processes, and utilising new technologies to improve accessibility and address the rural needs of Suffolk patients. The model focuses resources to the frontline, increasing the time clinicians spend with patients and improving the overall patient experience. The approach builds on Serco's experience of working in partnership with the NHS and third sector providers, including its management of Braintree Community Hospital, and the pathology joint venture with two NHS Foundations Trusts in London. Serco also provides out of hours GP care in Cornwall and is a leading provider of occupational health services, supporting the health and wellbeing of over 450,000 employees in the UK.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=20120322114657P746E

UBS has cut its recommendation for electrical components manufacturer Laird from buy to neutral following a recent strong run in the stock. Including today's 2.49% fall (from 209.1p to 203.9p), shares in Laird still stand 41.5% above where they were a year ago and some 21.37% higher over the last month alone. Having recently exceeded UBS's previous target price of 190p, the broker has been forced to downgrade its rating.

Do-it-yourself retail leviathan Kingfisher has revealed details of the next phase of its 'creating the leader' strategic initiative after announcing results a smidgen above market expectations. Sales in the year to January 31st rose 3.6%, or 3.3% on a constant currency basis, to £10,831m from £10,450m the year before. Like-for-like (LFL) sales were up 1.3%. The market had been expecting turnover of £10.8bn. Adjusted pre-tax profit jumped 20.4% to £807m from £670m the year before, slightly ahead of the £801.9m the market had been expecting.

Commenting on the Company's results, John Kearon, Founder and Chief Juicer of BrainJuicer, said: "We are pleased to report another period of strong organic growth. Our innovative new products continue to be well received by our blue chip client base and for the second year running, BrainJuicer was voted Most Innovative Agency in the respected GreenBook Research Industry Trends report, by over a thousand of our peers. We're on a long-term and exciting mission to improve the understanding and prediction of consumer behaviour. This takes innovation, dedication and determination and the degree to which we succeed will be directly reflected in our profitability and continued growth. We have grown consistently every year since floating in 2006, our financial position is strong and the potential for future growth remains significant. Our revenue visibility is, as ever, limited but we are confident that the Company will make further progress in 2012."

Results for the 12 Months ended 31 December 2011 and Dividend Declaration Innovative, online market researcher, BrainJuicer Group PLC (AIM: BJU) today announces its Final Results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2011. Financial Highlights é 27% revenue growth to £20,713,000 (2010: £16,360,000) é 27% gross profit growth to £16,063,000 (2010: £12,622,000) é 24% growth in operating profit to £2,758,000 (2010: £2,216,000) é 24% increase in profit before tax to £2,760,000 (2010: £2,217,000) é 25% growth in profit after tax to £1,850,000 (2010: £1,480,000) é 25% growth in fully diluted earnings per share to 14.1p (2010: 11.3p) é 25% growth in interim and proposed final dividend to 3.0p (2010: 2.4p) é 33% growth in cash to £3,683,000 (31 December 2010: £2,770,000) and no debt é Residual Unilever Ventures stake placed with institutional investors Operational Highlights é Strong growth in the United States, Germany and Switzerland é Fourth US office opened in Atlanta, Georgia é Average headcount up, to 124 (2010: 91) é Voted Most Innovative Agency, GreenBook Research Industry Trends report é Market Research Agency of the Year, Marketing magazine é Management team further strengthened

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=201203220700158222Z

CONT United Utilities expects to recognise a further deferred tax credit of approximately £50 million in the second half of 2011/12. Excluding these credits, the total effective tax rate for 2011/12 is expected to be broadly in line with the mainstream rate of corporation tax of 26%. Group net debt at the year end is expected to be slightly higher than the position at 30 September 2011. This principally reflects expenditure on the regulatory capital investment programme, payment of the 2011/12 interim dividend and payments in relation to interest, partly offset by operational cash flows. Gearing remains stable, reflecting growth in the regulatory capital value, supporting a solid A3 credit rating for United Utilities Water PLC. United Utilities' robust financial position, with financing headroom into 2014, has enabled it to make an early repayment of a £150 million loan from the European Investment Bank, which was due for redemption in June 2012. This transaction provides a small net interest saving and the group has now substantially repaid all of its term debt due in the current 2010-15 regulatory period. The company is encouraged by its recent progress and will continue with its strong operational and customer focus, with the aim of delivering further service improvements for customers combined with greater efficiency. The capital investment programme is progressing well and the company's regulatory asset base continues to grow, providing a firm foundation for the future. United Utilities will announce its full year results on 24 May 2012.

UNITED UTILITIES TRADING UPDATE United Utilities remains on track to deliver a good underlying financial performance for the year ending 31 March 2012. The company's operational and efficiency initiatives continue to progress well and it remains on course to meet its regulatory outperformance targets. United Utilities is continuing to implement a wide range of business improvement initiatives, which are delivering benefits for customers. This is being recognised through an improvement in Ofwat's service incentive mechanism (SIM) assessment and this positive trend is continuing through the second half of 2011/12. United Utilities expects to meet its 2011/12 regulatory leakage target, reflecting strong year round operational focus, and the company's reservoir stocks remain in excess of 90%. Revenue for the full year is expected to increase by between 3% and 4%. This increase is slightly below the allowed regulated price rise, principally reflecting the ongoing impact of customers switching to meters and lower commercial volumes in the second half of the year. Total regulatory capital expenditure for the year is expected to be up to £700 million, consistent with the company's planned investment profile for the 2010-15 period, an increase compared with £608 million invested in the prior year. Reflecting good progress on the capital investment programme, providing benefits for customers and the environment, and the anticipated impact of the transfer of private sewers, infrastructure renewals expenditure and depreciation are expected to be higher in the second half of 2011/12, compared with the first half. As indicated previously, underlying operating profit is therefore anticipated to be lower in the second half of 2011/12, compared with the first six months of the financial year. The underlying net finance expense for 2011/12 is expected to be similar to the prior year. This reflects lower RPI inflation in respect of the group's index-linked debt with a three month lag, primarily offset by additional finance expense relating to the £400 million index-linked loan facilities provided by the European Investment Bank, which were drawn down in various tranches over the last 12 months. In the second half of 2011/12, United Utilities received a one-off cash tax inflow of £35 million following agreement with the UK tax authorities of prior years' tax matters. As outlined previously, a £50 million deferred tax credit was recognised in the first half of the year as a result of the staged reduction in the rate of corporation tax. In the UK Government's budget on 21 March 2012 it was announced that, with effect from April 2012, the rate of corporation tax will reduce by a further 1% to 24%. Subject to this change being substantively enacted before the financial year end, United Utilities expects to recognise a further deferred tax credit of approximately £

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=20120322070000PA8E5

OUTLOOK CONT Outlook for Sales Our plan for the year ahead is similar to the approach taken last year. We anticipate that underlying retail sales will remain negative but that we can continue to move the top line forward (albeit modestly) through the addition of profitable new space and the continued development of the NEXT Directory. It is too early to give a full year forecast but our budget for the first half is for Brand sales to be up between 1% and 4%, with Retail sales between 0% and -3% and Directory between +9% and +12%. It is worth noting that the growth in the first quarter's sales is likely to be lower than the second, as last year's first quarter was boosted by an exceptionally warm Easter and the Royal Wedding. Last year growth in the first quarter was 5.2% but in the second only 1.3%. Outlook Margins and Costs We anticipate that bought-in gross margin for the full year (the difference between the cost of the stock and its retail selling price before markdown) will be level with last year, with manufacturing costs and selling prices both remaining in line with last year. Stocks are being managed tightly and if sales are within our budgeted range we do not anticipate any significant change to markdown and obsolescence costs. We estimate that annual inflation in our existing cost base (i.e. excluding the costs of new space) will be around £36m, driven mainly by wage inflation of 2.5% and underlying increases in rent and rates. However we believe that we can offset at least £28m of this increase with cost saving initiatives. Outlook for Cash and Buybacks We anticipate that the Company will generate £200m of surplus cash after allowing for capital investment, tax and dividends. We intend to use up to this amount to buy back shares and at a price of £28.00 that sum would buy around 4% of the shares in issue.

OUTLOOK The outlook for the year ahead is very uncertain, and in this environment we think it is sensible to again be cautious in our budgeting. Outlook for the consumer There is some important good news for the consumer. As expected, inflation has begun to fall and looks set to ease further. So by the third quarter consumers should see their incomes rising broadly in line with prices - a welcome end to deflation in real earnings. Inflation in our own prices has also evaporated and selling prices going forward will be in line with those last year. However, in 2012 there remain two important constraints to growth in consumer spending: • Employment took a turn for the worse in the middle of last year and currently the creation of jobs in the private sector is only barely keeping pace with the reductions in public sector employment. So it looks as though there is little chance of increased employment improving the consumer economy. • Credit availability remains very tight for business and consumers alike. The recent increases in mortgage rates, announced by several UK lenders, is indicative of a world where credit conditions are unlikely to ease. In addition any worsening in the Eurozone sovereign debt crisiswould further undermine UK employment and put additional pressure on banks' balance sheets. So this possibility remains a significant downside risk to the UK consumer. On balance we believe that these on-going constraints outweigh much of the upside potential for 2012 and accordingly we are budgeting conservatively.

Fashion retail chain Next said the year to the end of January finished well after 2011 had presented the retail sector with 'the perfect economic storm'. Revenue rose to £3,506m from £3,454m the year before, ahead of market expectations of sales of £3.4bn. This was despite the core Retail chain - the High Street shops - seeing revenue ease 1.4% to £2,191m from £2,222m. The online and postal business, Next Directory, more than picked up the slack, growing sales by 16.4% to £1,089m from £936m the year before. The International division also had a good year, growing the top line by 13.4% to £76.3m from £67.3m the previous year.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=201203220700198343Z

Garden Hill South Operational Update Further to the release dated 1 March 2012, Enegi wishes to provide an update on its operations at Garden Hill South. The Company is pleased with initial results from the workover, the program is continuing as planned and the PaP#1-ST#3 well ("the Well") has been flowed using various choke sizes and the associated pressure response from the wellbore is being continually monitored. The majority of the injected chemicals and spent acid have been removed with the lower water content seen recently indicating that this phase of the workover is nearing completion. Once all the injected chemicals and spent acid have been removed, the Well will be shut-in to allow the bottom hole pressure to recover prior to embarking on a long term flow test to determine the long term sustainable production rate. Further updates will follow as the programme is executed.

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John Campion, chief executive of APR Energy, insists that there are no horrors lurking in the delayed results for last year from this provider of temporary power units, and that an apparent slowing of progress at the start of this year was a one-off that will be reversed with some hefty contract wins. Mr Campion plainly knows that the consequences, if there are horrors in the accounts or growth really is slowing, would be dire, and I therefore believe that neither is true. On any reasonable estimate, the shares are on about 16 times earnings for 2012, which would be cheap historically for anyone brave enough to take a long-term punt. But the market will want more reassurance, according to Tempus.

Thursday tips round-up: G4S, APR Energy Late in 2010 Nick Buckles, chief executive of G4S, told Martin Waller, who writes The Times´ Tempus column, that he had no idea how anyone made money working for the UK Border Agency dealing with asylum seekers. He had just lost a small contract to an underbidder which had offered an apparently suicidal price. Yesterday terms were revealed for the five-year contracts won by G4S and others with the Border Agency, dealing with asylum seekers. Clearly a lot has happened in almost 18 months. The new contracts are larger and so more attractive. The shares sell on a respectable 11 times earnings, which is not much to set the pulses racing though prospects for growth long-term are still there. It will be a dull slog from here, adding bolt-ons across the globe. But sometimes boring is good — though I doubt Mr Buckles would agree, Tempus says.

Peter Miles, Chairman, commented, "Progress in 2011 was excellent and Delcam's results are above market expectations. Despite our ongoing concerns over the financial background in Europe and the potential impact on our business of any further loss in confidence, the current indications are that 2012 should see continued investments in capital equipment and associated software in our key automotive and aerospace markets. At this early stage in 2012, we are continuing to see increases in our sales. With this encouraging start to the year, we anticipate that our trading results for the coming year should show further improvement over those for the last twelve months."

For the 12 months to 31 December 2011 Delcam is the UK's leading developer and supplier of advanced software solutions for metrology, product development and manufacture. Based in Birmingham, the Group's software is used by more than 35,000 organisations, ranging across a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, footwear, medical and dental, toys and sports equipment. Key Points · Sales and pre-tax profit at record high - and ahead of market expectations · Sales up 14% to £41.9m (2010: £36.7m*) - reflecting growth in all key markets in Europe, North America and Asia - new sales high recorded in each of the last four half-year periods - recurring income (from software maintenance and support contracts) rose by 12% to £13.1m (2010: £11.7m*), accounting for 31% of total sales · Investment in software R&D of £10.7m - will support ongoing expansion (2010: £9.6m) · Pre-tax tax profit up 55% to £3.73m (2010: £2.41m*) · Basic earnings per share up 28% to 40.7p (2010: 31.7p*) · Unrestricted net cash up 7% to £9.4m at 31 December 2011 (2010: £8.8m) · Final dividend of 5.25p proposed, (2010: 4.15p), taking total to 7.0p (2010: 5.5p), up 27% · Delcam is well-positioned to deliver improved trading results in 2012 if current trend continues * 2010 comparatives have been restated to accurately reflect the Group maintenance income accounting policy (as detailed in note 4).