Small caps: API, Ceramic Fuel, MTI Wireless...

5th Aug 2010 14:24

Ceramic Fuel Cells has made its first BlueGen product sale in the United States to one of the United States' largest energy companies. CFC will install a BlueGen gas-to-electricity generator at the energy utility's engineering centre in California. The BlueGen unit is scheduled to be installed in September 2010. Lombard Medical has received US Food and Drug Administration approval for the third of six modules under its Pre-market Approval filing plan for the Aorfix AAA stent graft.Asset Management IT's Net Asset Value rose to 73.50p (ex-income) at 30 June 2010 compared 72p at end March. "The board believes that the companies in which AMIC is invested are well positioned to weather the challenging times we are facing," it said.Antenna specialist MTI Wireless's first half revenues fell to $6.15m, from $6.87m, with losses rising to $552,000 from $119,000. Second quarter revenues rose 19% to $3.3m. "Our key market of fixed broadband showed improvement in the second quarter of the year compared to the first quarter, and the product launch for our 60-90GHZ antennas for short range backhaul communications remain on schedule for the second half of 2010," it said. Healthcare group Nestor upped its interim dividend to 1.25p (2009: 0.5p) as half year profits rose from £3m to £5.5m. "Our Social Care business goes from strength to strength and the board looks forward to augmenting the business with a small number of carefully selected bolt-on acquisitions. Overall, our Primary Care business has made significant progress in the last eighteen months and the tender pipeline remains encouraging," Nestor added.Packaging and holograms supplier API Group says it has grown its first half revenues by 15%. That is in line with expectations but it is a mixed picture. The laminated board operations have won new contracts but the foil business has been hit by higher raw materials costs. APO is still deciding what to do with its loss-making 51%-owned Chinese subsidiary. Aurum Mining intends to return £7.5m, or 15p a share, to shareholders. At the end of July 2010, Aurum had cash of £8.55m. Aurum became a shell after it sold its Andash gold project in Kyrgyzstan at the end of 2009. It retains a 10% stake in Andash but is keen to sell it - there is an option over the stake valuing it at $1.8m. Aurum has until the end of 2010 to make an acquisition. Tunisia-focused explorer Maghreb Minerals has commenced drilling at the Zriba Fluorspar exploration permit and is talking to partners for its lead and zinc assets. There was £461,000 in the bank at the end of June 2010. Maghreb is talking to its major shareholders Firebird Global Master Fund Ltd and Firebird Global Master Fund II Ltd about options for funding exploration. AIM-quoted LED lighting technology company Enfis Group is supplying the LED arrays and drivers for NBA Stadium under construction in Guangzhou, China for this November's Asian games. This revenue will be included in the second half of 2010. Empyrean Energy said its Rancho Grande-1 H well had achieved an average daily equivalent gas production rate of 14.9m standard cubic feet equivalent per day after 60 days of production. "The Rancho Grande production figures continue to be amongst the best reported across the trend," the company said.US oil company Endeavour moved into the black in the second quarter with income before tax of $5.7m, versus a loss of $35.4m in the second quarter of last year. Revenue improved to $12.5m from $18.1m a year earlier.Shopping trolley maker Supercart saw revenues virtually triple in the first half of the year, though the company remains stuck in the red.Turnover in the first half of 2010 rose to £2.83m from £0.95m the year before, primarily due to a strong performance in North America. Gross margins improved to 23.4% from 17.8% a year earlier.Loss before tax narrowed to £0.61m from $1.08m at the interim stage in 2009. The board has received confirmation of support in principle from certain of the company's main shareholders for a possible fund raising and while there can be no certainty that such funding will be ultimately successful, the board expects to be in a position to announce further details shortly.