Small caps round-up: GB Group, Mission Marketing, Griffin Mining...

2nd Jun 2009 08:54

Identity management specialists GB Group said it made excellent progress in the year to March as it swung into profits of £1.4m from the loss of £400,000 in the previous year. Group revenue in the year increased by 23% to £23.8m driven by growth across all areas of the business. “We believe that identity management is a fundamental enabler of online business and, accordingly, represents an exceptional opportunity for the group,” said the group. Final dividend raised 15% to 1.15p per share.Marketing communications company Mission Marketing said current trading is in line with expectations and it remains well positioned in the markets in which it operates. “We continue to monitor closely the economic environment and are taking a cautious approach to managing our central and agency cost base,” it said.Griffin Mining said production at the Caijiaying zinc-gold mine in China, which was temporarily shut down for maintenance and upgrades, has recommenced.Mel Jones, sales director of agricultural products supplier Wynnstay, is retiring from the board after more than 45 years in the company. He joined the board in 2001.Marketing communications firm Media Square surged after it turned into profits of £456,000 following the loss of £17.1m last year. Turnover fell to £121m from £137m previously.“During the last year we have continued to implement the strategy announced at the end of 2007 and the Group is now much simpler with lower overheads and consists of a smaller number of more robust individual agencies,” it said.Antonov rose after it signed a cooperation agreement with Chong Qing Landai Industries and Lifan Industry, while Cagney was also higher after it said it continues to trade profitably. Digital marketing agency dotDigital Group has landed contracts with Dunlop Aircraft Tyres and EDF Energy for its e-mail marketing and online marketing services."Although we have won many new clients this year, today's announcement is significant in that as major blue chip companies, both Dunlop and EDF imposed a rigorous selection and due diligence process, leading to our appointment," said Peter Simmonds, the company’s chief executive.Cybit Holdings has won a contract to provide Kwik Fit Mobile's tyre-fitting vehicles with web-based fleet tracking.ECO Animal Health has been given the go-ahead by the European Commission to start marketing its Aivlosin granules.The pan-European approval is in addition to the current European authorisations for the Aivlosin product portfolio for use in pigs and poultry. The decision "will significantly extend the sales and marketing reach of Aivlosin," said the company’s chairman, Peter Lawrence.Food biotechnology giant Monstanto has topped up its 2 April order for Plant Health Care’s harpin seed treatment.The UK-based natural plant supplement supplier said the orders from Monsanto have far exceeded the company’s expectations in the first year of the agreement between the two companies. Write-offs relating to its PMR/Tetra division, which went into administration in December, pushed digital wireless technology company Software Radio Technology deep into the red. The company made a pre-tax loss of £12.2m after taking an £11m exceptional charge, in the year to 31 March 2009. In the preceding year the company had made a pre-tax loss of £0.2m.Revenue from continuing operations rose to £2.5m from £2.2m.