FTSE 100
easyJet (EZY) – has decided to increase the payout ratio for the ordinary dividend from one third of profit after tax to 40% of profit after tax from the financial year ending 30 September 2014.
SABMiller (SAB) – SABMiller’s first Namibian brewery has produced its inaugural brew, with bottles of Carling Black Label rolling off the packaging line.
FTSE 250
UBM (UBM) – notes recent market speculation concerning a potential acquisition of Advanstar by UBM. UBM confirms that it is involved in discussions which may, or may not, lead to a transaction.
Booker (BOK) – Total sales in the 12 weeks to 12 September 2014, including Makro, rose by 0.1% on the same period last year. Anticipates meeting expectations for the year ending 27th March 2015.
Merlin Entertainment (MERL) – posts like-for-like growth up by 6.7% in the 36 weeks to 6th September, total growth a actual forex prices up by 3.8%.
Small Caps
Nationwide Accident Repair Services (NARS) – has completed the acquisition of Derek Gladwin for £9.5 million, including freehold properties of £4 million. Gladwins is a provider of crash repair services in the East of England and the eleventh largest independent bodyshop chain in the UK.
Driver Group (DRV) – awarded a Project Control Services Contract by SABIC UK Petrochemicals Limited.
Iofina (IOF) – During the month of August produced 23.6MT of crystallized iodine compared with 24.5MT in July.
Pressure Technologies (PRES) – has agreed terms to acquire the business and certain assets of New Zealand based Greenlane Biogas Holdings, a developer and global supplier of patented technology for upgrading raw biogas to high purity biomethane.
Sinclair IS Pharma (SPH) – posts an operating loss of £1.8 million for the year to June.