Member Info for mulledwine

Progress againststrategic priorities · Investment up 23% to £1.8bn; mostly in regulated UK and US operations · Settlement processes for new rates filed in New York and Rhode Island progressing · New power supply agreement concluded with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) · UK regulation: RIIO process in final stages

National Grid plc Half year report for the six months ended 30 September 2012 (unaudited) Steve Holliday, Chief Executive, said: "I am pleased with the progress we made in the first half of the year: operating our networks safely and reliably and delivering a record level of investment. More recently, our teams in the US responded in a timely, safe and effective way to restore service to our customers and limit disruption caused by 'Superstorm' Sandy. " Good performance in first 6 months of 2012/13 · Operating profit1 up 7% at constant currency2 excluding impact of timing and major storms3 · Profit before tax1 up 21%, up 15% excluding impact of timing and major storms · Earnings per share1 up4 20% at 23.0p, up 14% excluding impact of timing and major storms · Interim dividend increased by 4%, in line with policy

http://www.investegate.co.uk/national-grid-plc-(ng.)/rns/half-year-results-201213/201211150700101706R/

Speaking today, Alon Davidov, Chief Executive, said: "Shaft Sinkers is taking action to restore operational productivity and the Company is continuing to deliver on its strategy to diversify into new end markets alongside geographic expansion. Although recent performance has been disappointing, the board believes that we have addressed this year's shortcomings and we have the right strategy in place to deliver growth in 2013."

Outlook The profitability of the Company's South African operations in the second half has been impacted by the labour unrest. This has been partly offset by the gradual return to normal productivity levels at Impala 16 and 17 shafts and by the start-up of the Hindustan Zinc and Kibali projects. The weakening Rand compared to Sterling has also dampened results. The signing of new US Dollar-based contracts should help to offset the effect of the weakening Rand in the future. As a consequence, management expect results for the current financial year to be lower than previous market expectations. The tender pipeline for new work remains strong at approximately £1.1 billion.

Cash In the shaft sinking industry it is not uncommon for variation orders to arise and this may on occasion put pressure on cash balances where the nature of the variation orders require extended debate with the client before agreement is reached on the payment thereof. The Company is currently carrying an unusually high amount of approximately £21 million of variation orders in accounts receivable. Management is aiming to collect the majority of these amounts prior to the end of the current financial year. Gross cash balances are currently in the region of £8 million and debt is around £14 million. On 5 October 2012, the Company paid an interim dividend of 2.4 pence per share amounting to £1.2 million.

Interim Management Statement Shaft Sinkers Holdings plc (LSE:SHFT), the international shaft sinking and underground construction group, is pleased to issue the following Interim Management Statement covering the period from 1 July 2012 to today. Overall summary The recent illegal strikes in the mining industry in South Africa have been well documented both in the press and by companies with operations in the country. The Company experienced disruption to its operations at two projects, however, all of the illegal strikes have now ended and the situation in South Africa has in the main part returned to normal. The Company previously warned that the illegal strikes could have a negative impact on margins earned on its South African operations, and this, coupled with the depreciation of the Rand, the later start of international projects and operational issues highlighted at the half year, has impacted profitability in the second half of the current financial year. Despite the difficult working conditions, the Company has focused on resolving the operational issues that affected it in the first half, and was successful in securing another major international project during the period. The outlook for the rest of the current financial year remains positive notwithstanding the lower than expected results for this financial year.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/shaft-sinker-hdg-plc-(shft)/rns/interim-management-statement/201211150700111709R/

Tempus writes that there were two views on Amec’s trading statement yesterday. One was relief that it did not contain bad news. Amec has been the subject of recent profits downgrades amid fears that the global economic slowdown may hit the projects it is working on. In the event, the update was reassuring.

Tempus in The Times writes that anyone who supported Great Portland Estates’ last fundraising, an eight-for-eleven rights issue to raise £166m in May 2009, will not be complaining. The issue was at 133p; the shares closed last night at 458p. The company spent £644m, at a time when its Chief Executive Toby Courtauld was convinced that the London property market represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; this has since generated an annual rate of return of approaching 18 per cent. Great Portland’s approach is to buy less valuable, second-tier property, which may be let on low rents, be in need of refurbishment or be subject to a complicated ownership structure and so is unattractive to those trophy buyers. There is little bank lending available for such investments, so that market is less competitive. The company, therefore, went back to the market to place new shares equivalent to about 10% of the issued capital, to raise almost £141m to invest in such properties. The placing went through the market like a dream, at a price of 450p a share. Great Portland also issued its halfway trading statement, which showed a 4% rise in the value of the portfolio and a good performance against the rest of the London market. The shares are on an 8% premium to net assets, but it would be a brave investor to bet against Courtauld and his team.

Oliver Winter, General Manager, Lohas Products GmbH, said: "We are especially happy that in PuriCore we have found a strategic partner with such an extensive understanding and expertise for the needs and potential added values for our client-base. We are convinced that together we can offer innovative solutions for a whole variety of demands in the industries in which we have decade-long relationships to a wide variety of potential customers of PuriCore´s broad portfolio."

Michael Ashton, Executive Chairman of PuriCore, said: "Our water-based disinfectant technology has a multitude of potential applications to help control the spread of infectious pathogens on farms, in restaurants, and in factories. Today's agreement will provide access to the proven distribution network of Lohas to bring new products successfully to market in new international territories."

PuriCore Partners with Lohas Products GmbH for Water Treatment Marketing Market development will target food production, foodservice, and agriculture markets PuriCore (LSE: PURI), the water-based clean technology company, today announces a marketing and distribution agreement with Lohas Products GmbH, a German-based innovative provider of special individualized solutions for food safety and water treatment products. PuriCore will provide technical and scientific knowledge as new applications are commercialised, and Lohas will have an exclusive license to market and distribute the applications in certain markets and territories (exclusive of the US and UK). These new potential applications include but are not limited to the use of PuriCore's technology for seafood production, water treatment in restaurants, and livestock husbandry. Collaboration on marketing plans and application development will be ongoing in 2013 with revenue generation no later than 2014. Under the terms of the agreement, PuriCore and Lohas will equally share profits of the products as they are commercialised. PuriCore will update the market on further details as the businesses are developed.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/puricore-plc-(puri)/rns/lohas-partnering-agreement/201211150700171726R/

A fairly consistent decline here - wheres the future and what odds for the 2 extremes - bust or takeover

Profitable Sale of a Container Vessel Goldenport Holdings Inc. ("Goldenport" or "the Company"), (LSE: GPRT) the international shipping company that owns and operates a fleet of container and dry bulk vessels announces that it has concluded the sale of the 1988-built container 'Pos Yantian', to an unaffiliated third party "Nadella Corporation" of Charlestown, Nevis, for a cash consideration of US$ 7.9 million. The vessel was delivered to the new owners on 14 November 2012. Goldenport expects to realize a profit of US$ 0.9 million on this sale, after accounting for brokerage commission, book value and the unamortized balance of dry-docking expenditure. The vessel was acquired in 2011 for a total consideration of US$8.1 million and has traded successfully for the Company over the last two years. This sale is consistent with the strategic decision of the Company to take advantage of current strong scrap prices and sell some of its older vessels in order to reduce the average age of its fleet, increase liquidity and enhance operating and cash flow generating efficiency in the current challenging market conditions.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/goldenport-holdings-(gprt)/rns/profitable-sale-of-a-container-vessel/201211150700051589R/

Financial Position and Performance The most recent estimated net asset value ("NAV") per share of the Company as at the close of business on 31 October 2012 was 101.04p per Ordinary Share. This represents an increase in the NAV per share of 3.7% (including the final dividend payment) for the 4 month period from 1 July 2012 to 31 October 2012 and 7.6% calendar year-to-date. At 31 October 2012 the Company had net cash of £6.6 million, excluding unrealised FX gains of £1.5 million and outstanding uncalled capital commitments of £0.5 million Dividend An interim dividend of 1.73p per share was paid on 28 September 2012. This represents an annualised dividend yield of 4.2% based on the closing share price of 83.25p as at 13 November 2012.

Interim Management Statement 15 November 2012 AcenciA Debt Strategies ("AcenciA" or the "Company"), an investment company listed on the LSE investing in distressed debt, announces its interim management statement for the period from 1 July 2012 to 14 November 2012. It has been produced for the sole purpose of providing information to the Company's Shareholders in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2004/109/EC (the Transparency Directive). It should not be relied upon for any other purpose. Material Events and Transactions during the Period There have been no material events or transactions since 1 July 2012 except for those already announced to the market. There has been no material change in the business of the Company's operations. The Company's investment objectives, as set out in the prospectus dated 31 January 2007, and the nature of investments which were acquired by the Company in order to achieve the investment objectives have not changed materially.

http://www.investegate.co.uk/acencia-debt-strat-(acd)/rns/interim-management-statement/201211150700051575R/