Risers and fallers – 11/12/13

Risers: 

BT Group +1.03%

BT Group has signed a contract with Carillion Telent for broadband delivery throughout the UK in a deal that is worth up to £500m over 3.5 years. Carillion Telent has been BT’s preferred infrastructure services supplier since 2010. BT Group’s “hold” stock rating has also been reaffirmed today by Deutsche Bank. 

Oxford Instruments +6.16%

Oxford Instruments, a research tools maker, has said last night they have agreed buy Andor Technology in a cash deal worth £176m. Andor Technology is a Belfast based AIM-listed company that specialises in making high-tech cameras for industrial and scientific applications and has last night accepted the 525p a share offer made by Oxford Instruments. This has been the fourth time an offer has been made with their first offer of 420p, second offer of 470p and third offer of 500p all being rejected by Andor. 

Snoozebox Holdings + 13.98%

Snoozebox Holdings, a portable hotel accommodation provider, has today revealed it expects to achieve an 80% revenue growth in 2013 to £6.5m. The company is looking into accelerating growth through new acquisitions and joint ventures. 

1PM PLC +15.79%

Finance facilities provider, 1PM, has said today that it expects a significant H1 profit and revenue increase which has sent shares up 15.79% this morning. 

FirstGroup +2.93%

Bus and rail operator, FirstGroup, has said today Sandell Asset Management’s asset disposal proposal was ‘flawed and uncompelling’ and contains a number of structural flaws and inaccuracies. Sandell Asset Management holds a stake of approx. 3% in FirstGroup. 

Fallers: 

Royal Bank of Scotland -2.09%

Royal Bank of Scotland took a major blow last night after they revealed their finance director, Nathan Bostock, has resigned after just 10 weeks to join Santander. This move is the latest in an ever growing list of problems for the 81% government owned bank and has come at a bad time during a review of their strategy and operations which is due to be released in February. 

Imagination Technologies -16.69%

Multimedia, communications and processor technology firm, Imagination Technologies, has today reported a drop in H1 pretax profit to £2.2m. The news has hit the share price which is currently down 16.69%, trading at 213p this morning. 

SOCO International -2.97%

SOCO International has today had its stock rating downgraded to a “sell” rating by research analysts at Goldman Sachs, placing a 420p price target of the stock. Other news released today reveals that SOCO has appointed Rob Gray as their Non-Executive Director. 

Karelian Diamond Resources -29.67%

Finland focused diamond exploration company, Karelian Diamond Resources, has today said it has raised £700,000 via a placing of 46.67 million ordinary shares at 1.5p each. The capital raised will be used for working capital and also to accelerate its ongoing programmes in Finland. 

Aurum Mining -14.45%

Gold and Tungsten explorer, Aurum Mining has today reported a wider H1 pretax loss of £259m. The company has said that they are identifying ways of driving forward their projects even with limited cash resources and a negative market sentiment.