FTSE 250 movers: Galliford leaps on divi raise

22nd Feb 2012 14:27

Housebuilding and construction firm Galliford Try rose to pole position after reporting that it had doubled its interim dividend and delivered strong profit growth. Pre-tax profit rose to £32.2m for the half year ended 31 December 2011 from £17m the same time a year earlier. Group revenue climbed to £746.8m from £575.9m previously. Recruitment firm Hays jumped despite paring its dividend to 0.83p from 1.85p per share the year before. Nevertheless, net fees in the second half of 2011 rose 15%, or 11% in a like-for-like (LFL) basis to £373.8m from £326.1m at the half-way stage in 2010. Meanwhile, titanium miner Kenmare Resources was retreating today after Canaccord Genuity downgraded the stock from buy hold hold and cut its target price from 68p to 66p. Yesterday the firm was leading risers as bid speculation circled the company, with the Financial Times reporting last week that Rio Tinto or a Chinese firm could be eyeing the firm as a takeover target. FTSE 250 - RisersGalliford Try (GFRD) 550.00p +9.78%Ophir Energy (OPHR) 396.90p +8.59%Hays (HAS) 87.90p +8.52%Logica (LOG) 88.20p +8.35%Devro (DVO) 305.20p +6.94%Genus (GNS) 1,198.00p +6.30%Soco International (SIA) 335.20p +5.87%Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,069.00p +5.74%Bumi (BUMI) 782.00p +4.83%Afren (AFR) 137.90p +3.92%FTSE 250 - FallersSupergroup (SGP) 539.50p -3.32%Kenmare Resources (KMR) 59.60p -3.09%Unite Group (UTG) 185.10p -2.94%Regus (RGU) 113.00p -2.92%Domino's Pizza UK & IRL (DOM) 463.70p -2.65%Aquarius Platinum Ltd. (AQP) 143.20p -2.32%Drax Group (DRX) 507.00p -2.22%BBA Aviation (BBA) 204.10p -2.16%CSR (CSR) 255.80p -1.95%Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CW.) 26.50p -1.92%NR