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Asian Citrus squeezes the funds to buy shares A non-Executive Director of Asian Citrus, an AIM-100 Chinese orange grower, has bought 256,000 shares for himself and his wife. Peregrine Moncreiffe and his wife, Miranda Moncreiffe, purchased the shares at an average price of 37.95p each for a total of £97,152. Winterthur Pension Management, in which Moncreiffe has an interest, also purchased 268,560 at 37.55p for a total of £100,844.

Future prospects We are planning on the basis that the outlook for 2012 will be just as tough as the conditions experienced last year and we have framed our plans accordingly. Over the past four years, our business has experienced some difficult trading conditions and during that period sales, profits and cash flow all increased. TRG is well placed to cope with challenging conditions and, very importantly, to benefit significantly from the upturn in consumer confidence that will, in due course, prevail. TRG's businesses command strong market positions in each of our chosen segments and our brands are well recognised for the quality, breadth and value of their offerings. We have a well proven business model, a strong balance sheet and are well positioned to continue our expansion. Just as we did in 2011, during 2012 we will continue to: · Stick to our areas of expertise; · Focus on our customers by providing excellent value, choice and service; · Maintain high standards of operational efficiency and execution; · Carefully control our costs and seek to mitigate and minimise the impact of inflationary input costs. Where we are able to secure fixed or capped price contracts for key purchases, on acceptable terms, we will seek to do so; · Add high quality new restaurants to our portfolio; and · Focus on cash flow, returns and growing shareholder value. Our aim is to continue to strengthen our market positions and deliver long-term and sustainable profitable growth. 2011 was a tough year for our sector and it presented TRG with some big challenges. As always, our team rose to those challenges and produced a superb performance. All of our people will be working towards replicating this again in 2012. The first two months of 2012 have started solidly with total sales 3% ahead of last year (like-for-like sales of -2%), and we will be looking to build further on this as we move through the year.

Andrew Page, Chief Executive, said: "This was another year of good progress for The Restaurant Group, with increases in revenues, margins and profits as we continued to strengthen our market position and to grow our business. The performance of our recent years' openings has been outstanding and this bodes well for the future. Last year, we opened 25 new restaurants, creating more than 500 new jobs and this year we will open between 25 and 30 new restaurants. Our team was magnificent, showing great dedication and endeavour, and all of our people are determined to make 2012 another successful year."

TRG's trading metrics performed well for the 52 week period to 1 January 2012: · Total sales increased by 7.25% · Like-for-like sales increased by 3.25% · We sold 39 million meals · Adjusted EBITDA increased by 8% to £89.7m · Adjusted operating profit increased by 8% to £61.2m · Adjusted operating profit margin increased by 10 basis points to 12.6% · Adjusted pre-tax profit increased by 12% to £60.3m · Adjusted earnings per share increased by 14% to 21.86p · Net debt, at 0.48x Group adjusted EBITDA, fell by £5.3m to £41.6m

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=201202290700203207Y

Sean Nutley, Chief Executive, commented: "Our strategy is to target blue chip customers in high growth markets, and to seek out contracts which provide a high level of earnings visibility. The quality of our order book, which is now significantly weighted towards framework contracts over project work, reflects this. At the same time, we are broadening our services beyond our core asbestos removal business into high value regulated sectors which remain buoyant despite economic pressure. "We remain very confident in Silverdell's prospects for growth, both this year and beyond."

Trading Update Silverdell PLC (AIM: SID), the Environmental Support Services group, is pleased to announce the following trading update in advance of its AGM on Wednesday 29th February 2012. Since 31 October 2011, the forward order book has increased by 10% to £117m, driven by the Company's growing reputation as a market leader in its field, a broader service offering and a continued focus on long-term, framework contracts with large customers. Silverdell has secured a number of new contracts including a £700,000 contract in the oil and gas sector. The Group has been chosen as sole provider for the removal of asbestos for a major UK airport and two railway infrastructure providers, in total amounting to c. £1m per year for five years, with one of the rail contracts increasing to £2m per year for six years. The Group has also been selected as one of five service providers to a group of housing associations in the South and South West valued at over £4.5m together with a further £1.1m of general asbestos removal contracts for a number of key clients where Silverdell has long term relationships. The Group remains confident of meeting year end expectations.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=201202290700203201Y

Goals Soccer Centres, the five-a-side football pitches operator, saw a rise across the board in its preliminary results for the year ended December 31st. Overall sales were up 9% from £27.8m to £30.4m, while like-for-like (LFL) sales increased by 1%. Operating profit rose 9% to £10.9m from £10.0m and profit before tax was up 21% at £9.2m from £7.6m. This was partly attributed to progress made on establishing a national network of five-a-side soccer centres and increased overall capacity. However, the firm performed less well in the corporate events, birthday parties and bar divisions, with LFL sales dropping by 4%, 8% and 3%, respectively. Trading for the current year has got off to a good start with total sales up 6% and LFL sales maintained at the same level, showing "encouraging year on year growth". Keith Rogers, Managing Director of Goals, said: "2011 has been a year of progress and change for Goals. We have added a further four centres to our estate and pioneered an innovative new modular build strategy that will not only reduce costs going forward, but will also enable us to dramatically cut build time.

Jeezo as my mate would say!

will she finish positive - she bloody well should!

Heading the other way was AZ Electronic Materials. The group, which produces speciality chemical materials to technological manufacturers, saw strong growth in profits in 2011, but warned that it expects "the more challenging trading conditions that we experienced towards the end of 2011 to continue into the first half of 2012."

bluerose - its the negative reaction to the present trading conditions.

ohn Byrne, Executive Chairman of Wasabi Energy, commented: "The commencement of trading of the ADRs on the OTCQX is an important step for the Company, with strong support received from a number of US-based potential investors. "Wasabi Energy is now accessible to investors in three major markets: the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. This supports our global business model whereby our unique technologies, including the Kalina Cycle® for power generation and AquaArmourTM for water conservation, are continuing to achieve international adoption. "This is an exciting time for the business with a number of key projects currently underway this year, including for the Kalina Cycle® an 8.6MW power plant with FLSmidth at the DG Khan cement works, a feasibility study for an initial 6MW power plant with ArcelorMittal, the refurbishment of the 2MW Husavik geothermal power plant as well as increasing sales and enquiries for the AquaArmourTM product. We believe this new ADR facility will help to attract new investors into Wasabi Energy and further support our ongoing expansion strategy."

Outsourcing giant Serco was also out of favour despite saying 2011 was a year of "solid operational performance and contract awards across the portfolio", reflected in a 7.4% increase in revenue to GBP4,646m from GBP4,327m in 2011.

A little coverage Automotive and aerospace engineer GKN dropped despite hiking its total dividend by a fifth after seeing double-digit growth in both sales and profits in 2011. The group did report a subdued performance in GKN Aerospace as it has struggled with governments' defence spending remaining under pressure. However, stronger growth in its Driveline, Powder Metallurgy and Land Systems divisions meant that group sales rose by 13%.

"2011 was a year of good growth. GKN achieved a strong financial performance with all four divisions at or near record profits. Each division has leading technology and market positions and out-performed their respective markets, with a strong pipeline of new business. GKN Driveline and GKN Land Systems were further strengthened with the two highly complementary acquisitions of Getrag Driveline Products and Stromag. As a result of the strong performance and reflecting our confidence in the future, the Board is recommending a final dividend of 4.0 pence per share, making a total of 6.0 pence for 2011, an increase of 20%. Looking forward, GKN expects 2012 to be another year of good progress for the Group."

Group highlights(1) · Group sales up £683 million (13%) to £6.1 billion, an underlying increase of 10% · Excluding net £19 million Gallatin charge: · Trading profit of £487 million, up £76 million, an increase of 18% · Group trading margin of 8.0%, up from 7.6%, and increased targets set for three divisions · Profit before tax of £417 million (2010: £363 million), an increase of 15%. Reported profit before tax, £351 million (2010: £345 million) · Earnings per share up 9% to 22.6 pence per share (2010: 20.7 pence per share) · Return on average invested capital (excluding 2011 acquisitions) of 18.3% (2010: 17.0%), reflecting higher profitability · Final dividend of 4.0 pence per share, giving a total for 2011 of 6.0 pence per share (2010: 5.0 pence per share), a 20% increase · Net debt of £538 million (2010: £151 million), reflecting £444 million for new acquisitions

http://www.investegate.co.uk/Article.aspx?id=201202280700282273Y

Whitbread was a heavy faller after seeing both reported sales and like-for-like (LFL) sales slow down in the 11 weeks to February 16th, as strong growth at its Costa coffee shop chain was met with a more subdued performance at its hotels and restaurants.