Small caps round-up: Intellego, Goldplat. Shanta ...

23rd Nov 2010 08:23

Shares in Intellego jumped after the training consultancy group said it had made a good start with its trial programme providing financial services products to a high street bank and other financial services groups.The company said the strong start should achieve its minimum sales target of £500,000 and that sales should continue into 2011 and 2012. Gold producer Goldplat is to increase its mining assets in Ghana through a deal worked out with Canadian mining firm Gulf Coast Resources (GCR).Goldplat has agreed in principle to acquire a wholly owned subsidiary of GCR that owns a 90% interest in the Banka mining concession. The concession is a ten year renewable mining lease for gold and associated minerals covering an area of 29 square kilometres located in the Amansie East and Asante Akim South Districts of the Ashanti Region of the Republic of Ghana. The Ghana government holds the remaining 10% of the concession.Goldplat has paid GCR $50,000 upfront and, subject to due diligence, will pay a total of $1.5m for the purchase. Tanzania-focused gold producer Shanta Gold has placed an order for two new 800 kilowatt ball mills for the New Luika gold mine. The company is paying $2.52m for the mills. "The procurement of these mills ensures that the principle long lead items for the New Luika Gold Mine project are delivered and installed well ahead of the scheduled commissioning. Furthermore the capacity of these mills will also facilitate a milling capacity that exceeds the feasibility study design capacity, opening the company to the opportunity this presents to improve the project financials," said Walton Imrie, executive chairman of Shanta.Shares in Renovo climbed after the biopharmaceutical reported a successful outcome in trials for the use of Juvista scar treatment on children. The trial found that Juvista 'significantly improved the appearance of' scars.Utility and telecoms supplier Telecom Plus has reported a 45% jump in first half pre-tax profit from £5.8m to £8.5m, and an 18% increase in revenue to £147m, from £124.8m previously.The group says the strong financial performance for the six months ended September was due to the combined impact of a higher gross margin, cost control and increasing economies of scales, "achieved against a background of lower retail energy prices during the period". Earnings per share increased to 9.4 from 6.3p in 2009.GW Pharmaceuticals has reported a "landmark year" after a strong rise in revenues and profits, as well as gaining is first major approval of its cannabis derived medicine Sativex in Europe. Pre-tax profit quadrupled from £1.5m to £4.6m and revenues increased by 27% to £30.7m from £24.1m reflecting higher Sativex sales, milestone income and additional research activity.Diagnosis software developer Medicsight more than doubled its third quarter revenue year-on-year from £94,000 to £253,000, £140,000 of which came from its new MedicCO2LON Insufflator product launched at the start of the year.Additionally, operating loss before interest and tax almost halved from £6.6m to £3.6m, and operating costs significantly decreased to £3.8m from £6.7m previously.