The morning news update with Associated British Foods, De La Rue and GETECH

FTSE 100

Associated British Foods (ABF) – adjusted earnings per share for the full year are expected to be ahead of last year.

FTSE 250

Atkins (ATK) – has completed its acquisition of Nuclear Safety Associates, Inc, a 130 people engineering and technical services firm, for an initial cash consideration of US$15m (approximately £9m), together with a potential US$12m (approximately £7m) subject to the future performance of the business.

Unite Group (UTG) – has received resolution to grant planning approval for the development of a 0.8 acre site in Portsmouth city centre. 

Dechra Pharma (DPH) – pre-tax profits up by 19.1% at £39.9 million in the year to June, dividend increased by 10% to 15.4p per share.

De La Rue (DLAR) – named as the preferred bidder for the 10 year contract to print banknotes for the Bank of England, which is due to commence in April 2015.

Small caps

GETECH (GTC) – announces its largest ever single new contract, worth $5 million, and will be undertaken by the company’s Commissions division, to generate structural and related interpretations for the geological basins of Angola.

Character Group (CCT) – anticipates it will report that the financial year ended 31 August 2014 has performed in line with management forecasts and therefore expects to deliver results in line with market expectations. 

Incadea (INCA) – has won a two year contract with Bertel O. Steen AS (BOS) worth EUR€8 million, with an additional recurring revenue element in excess of EUR€1 million annually.

Cambria Automobiles (CAMB) – has continued to perform well and that the results for the year ended 31 August 2014 are expected to be ahead of current market forecasts.

Avation (AVAP)– has purchased and taken delivery of a new ATR 72 aircraft from the factory.