Small cap round-up: ClearStream, Optare, Brainspark

7th Mar 2011 12:36

Medical devices manufacturer ClearStream Technologies has signed a number of new distribution agreements in Scandinavia, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region. The new markets served include Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia and The Philippines."We continue to target and develop global markets where diabetes is a widely diagnosed disease state and where the opportunities to grow sales across our product portfolios are significant," said chief executive officer Andy Jones.Shares in coach builder Optare soared after it won a £3.6m contract with transport management group Rotala to supply 20 buses, 15 of which are Versa Hybrid buses supported by the government's Green Bus Fund.Investment company Brainspark is to take a 30% stake in Mobnotes, an Italian mobile location based application developer. Brainspark will pay €600,000 for the stake, half of which will be paid in cash over a 12-month period. The non-cash element of the consideration will be satisfied through the issue of Brainspark shares, calculated at the average share price over the 30 day period to the end of March 2011.Mobnotes expects revenues of €590,000 in 2011, which is expected to rise to over €2.5m by 2012, and is forecast to become profitable in 2012, with an expected earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of €650,000, demonstrating its excellent growth prospects.Chariot Oil & Gas has raised about £90m from the sale of just less than 36m shares at 250p a time. The money will be used for exploration and development work offshore Namibia.Revenues soared at gold miner Goldplat in the six months to 31 December as it upped production of the yellow metal.Pre-tax profits rose to £1.36m from £1.15m over the same period the previous year on revenues that were up to £9.65m from £5.44m.However, it is exploration prospects that are getting Goldplat most excited. "Exploration remains central to our growth strategy as we look to become a mid-tier gold producer," said chief executive Demetri Manolis.Management Consulting Group, the owner of business consultancies Alexander Proudfoot and Kurt Salmon, had another tough year in 2010.Revenue was down to £270.4m from £276.5m the previous year, though pre-tax profits jumped to £14.3m from £6.3m."After the challenging economic conditions experienced in 2009, the global economic environment in 2010 again provided a difficult backdrop for our clients and our businesses," the company said.Reorganisation at the NHS hit revenues at Ultrasis in the six months to 31 January.Pre-tax profits fell to £191,000 from £237,000 over the same period the previous year as revenues fell to £1.44m from £1.67m.