The Morning News Update with Morrisons, RBS, Ocado and Prezzo

FTSE 100

Next (NXT) – pre-tax profits up by 18.6% at £257.7 million in the six months to July, dividend up by 14p at 50p per share.

Morrisons (MRW) – Underlying profit before tax down by 51% to £181 million in the half year to 3rd August. Dividend increased by 5% to 4.03p per share.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) – has undertaken contingency planning for the possible business implications of a ‘Yes’ vote in the Scottish referendum. RBS believes that it would be necessary to re-domicile the Bank’s holding company and its primary rated operating entity to England in the event of a “Yes” vote.

FTSE 250

Home Retail Group (HOME) – Total sales at Argos grew by 1.4% to £901 million in the 13 weeks to 30th August, total sales at Homebase declined by 2.8% to £390 million.

Ocado (OCDO) – gross sales up by 22.5% at £231.9 million in the 12 weeks to 10th August.

Galliford Try (GFRD) – has been appointed to three new contracts worth over £100 million.

Small caps

Plant Impact (PIM) – net loss in the twelve months to July reduced to approximately £0.7 million compared to £1.2 million in 2013.

Prezzo (PRZ) – adjusted pre-tax profit 16% higher at £9.8 million in the 26 weeks to 29th June.

Gable Holdings (GAH) – underlying pre-tax profits up by 11.4% at £4.9 million in the six months to June. Also announces a new agreement to become a key trading partner with iprism Underwriting Agency to write commercial business in the UK market. Gable anticipates that this business collaboration will deliver gross written premiums of £100 million over the next 3 years.

SeaEnergy (SEA) – loss from continuing operations after tax reduced to £0.2 million for the first six months of 2014, down from a loss of £0.6 million.

Aureus Mining (AUE) – construction is on track for New Liberty to deliver first gold in Q1 2015 and be fully commissioned and operating at a steady-state nameplate capacity by 30 June 2015.