(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Aferian PLC - Leeds, England-based media technology company - Acquires the remaining 8% minority interest in 24i Unit Media BV and its subsidiaries. The amount due to the founders of 24i is EUR3.3 million, which is the same price paid per share as for the 92% shareholding acquired in July 2019. It is anticipated that the company will pay cash of EUR1.0 million, with the remaining EUR2.3 million to be settled through the issue of shares.
Separately, the company reports double digit growth in both revenue and annual recurring revenue for the six months to May 31, up 19% to USD45.3 million and up 37% to USD13.8 million, respectively. Pretax profit tripled to USD1.5 million from USD500,000 year-on-year. Aferian declares dividend of 1.0 pence a share.
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NWF Group PLC - Cheshire, England-based animal food manufacturing company - Reports 10% slip in pretax profit to GBP10.8 million for the year to the end of May, as revenue declined by 1.7% to GBP675.6 million. The company explains that its Feeds unit's performance was hurt by the increase in feed commodity prices and reduced management information as a result of the cyber incident. In contrast, it reports strong second half recovery in Food, delivering on the anticipated benefits of the new Crewe warehouse, which has been fully utilised. NWF also sees outperformance in the Fuels division, with strong heating oil demand supported by a cold winter and an increase in home working during the pandemic.
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Filtronic PLC - Yeadon, England-based telecommunications firm - Swings to profit of GBP211,000 in the 12 months to May 31 from GBP429,000 loss posted the year before. This is thanks to a non-repeat of GBP569,000 loss on exceptional items. Revenue, meanwhile, falls to GBP15.6 million from GBP17.2 million year-on-year. "Alongside increased order-flow and strengthened customer forecasts there are signs of pent-up demand in our served markets that we are positioning ourselves to capitalise on," notes Chair Reg Gott.
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BMO Managed Portfolio Trust PLC - investment company - Increases annual payout by 1.6% to 6.2p per income share compared to the prior year. Net asset value total return per income share of 29% for the financial year to May 31, outperforming the FTSE All-Share Index total return of 23%. NAV per income share rises to 142.22p as at May 31 versus 115.71p the year prior. NAV total return per growth share, meanwhile, reaches 33% for the financial year, also outperforming the benchmark return. NAV per growth share up to 276.01p at May 31 from 208.35p the year earlier.
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Doric Nimrod Air Two Ltd - Guernsey-based investment company - Says revenue fell 66% to AED30.9 billion, about USD8.4 billion, due to the global pandemic. As a result, it recorded a net loss of AED20.3 billion compared to a profit of AED1.1 billion in the previous financial year. During the financial year, the company declared four interim dividends of 4.50 pence per share.
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LMS Capital PLC - London-based investment company - Reports NAV at June 30 of GBP47.6 million, or 59.0p per share, compared to GBP47.9 million, or 59.4p per share, as at the end of 2020. Realised and unrealised portfolio gains, excluding GBP200,000 of foreign exchange losses, total GBP1.4 million. LMS secures cash proceeds of GBP2.4 million from realisations during the half year. Final dividend payment was 0.6p per share for 2020, and the company targets a dividend in respect of each financial year of 1.5% of that year's closing NAV.
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RiverFort Global Opportunities PLC - High Wycombe, England-based investment company - Reports "very positive" trading and an increase in number of new investment opportunities, particularly as equity markets have softened in recent weeks. Confirms payment of final dividend of 0.04p a share.
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Joules Group PLC - Leicestershire, England-based clothing company - Says revenue in the 52 weeks to May 30 increases by 4.3% to GBP199.0 million, with strong e-commerce sales growth and the contribution from Garden, more than offsetting the impact of enforced store closures, the cancellation of country shows across the UK and the impact of the pandemic on the firm's wholesale customers. Pretax profit before exceptional costs was GBP6.1 million, swinging from loss of GBP3.9 million the year before. "As a result of the strength of the Joules brand and the increasing diversification of the group's digital-led business model, we believe that the Group is very well positioned to continue to deliver its ambitious growth plans," says Chief Executive Nick Jones.
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Mobius Investment Trust PLC - investment company - Reports NAV per share as at May 31 of 130.1p, up from 105.9p as at the end of November 2020. Share price at the end of May stood at 124.0p, representing a 4.7% discount to NAV. Mobius notes that since the end of the reporting period, performance has continued to be strong, and NAV grew further to 139.7p. Looking ahead, the trust said its outlook for emerging markets remains positive.
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Maven Income & Growth VCT 3 PLC - investment company - Says NAV as at May 31 was 60.76p per share. This is an increase since NAV of 58.25p as at February 28. The NAV increase is largely attributable to several profitable realisations, all of which completed at valuations ahead of carrying value, alongside uplifts to the valuations of companies that are delivering growth in recurring revenue. The trust declares an interim dividend of 1.25p per share.
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Quarto Group Inc - London-based illustrated book publisher - Reports revenue of USD56.9 million for the six months to June 30 compared to USD46.9 million posted the year prior. As a result, Quarto swings to profit of USD3.0 million from USD4.0 million loss in the first half of 2020. "The Board remains focused on continuing its efforts to keep costs under control, drive sales, whilst maintaining the debt reduction and defining further growth strategies for 2022 and beyond," says Chief Executive Chuk Lau.
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Aseana Properties Ltd - Jersey-based property development company - Reports revenue of USD1.3 million for 2020 compared to USD9.7 million for the previous year. NAV per share, however, slips to USD0.51 from USD0.55 year-on-year. Aseana records a net pretax loss of USD13.3 million, narrowed compared to a net pretax loss of USD28.7 million for 2019. The loss was largely due to the finance cost in relation to the City International Hospital, the International Healthcare Park, the RuMa Hotel & Residences, the Sandakan hotel asset and the Harbour Mall in Sandakan. No dividend was declared or paid in the financial years 2020 and 2019.
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By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com
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