Small caps round-up: Trafficmaster, UK Coal, Xtract Energy

27th Aug 2009 11:43

Satnav group Trafficmaster is still heading higher after growing pre-tax profit by 43% in the first six months of 2009 to £3.4m on revenue up 6% to £28.9m.'We expect to continue to encounter tough market conditions, but we believe we are well placed to meet expectations for the year,' chief executive Tony Eales said.Coal miner UK Coal saw losses increase to £81.5m in the six months ended 27 June from £9.9m a year ago as the value of its property portfolio slumped to 382.2m from £422.3m at the end of 2008.Difficult conditions at Kellingley and Thoresby in Yorkshire took sales down 7.6% to £159.8m, with total sales volumes slipping to 3.6m tonnes from 3.7m in 2008.Shares in energy and mineral investor Xtract Energy jumped after it upgraded its estimate of oil in place at its Sarikiz project in Turkey to 371m barrels.Shipping firm Clarkson posted a fall in operating profit and revenues in the six months to June 30 as global freight rates and asset values fell sharply.Revenue totalled £88.9m, down from £118.1m over the same period the previous year. Operating profit declined to £11.6m from £17.7m.Dry bulk revenues fell to £70.7m from £91.8m, though Clarkson said a revival in Chinese demand for iron ore was helping rates recover. Door and window maker Heywood Williams swung to a first-half loss and said it continues to face very difficult market conditions, at least for the remainder of 2009.The adjusted loss before tax, notional interest, amortisation and exceptional items was £6.5m in the six month ended 30 June compared with a profit of £1.9m last time. Revenues fell to £88.5m from £116.3m in the same period last year.Luxury department store Liberty said revenue grew by 18% to £25.3m for the six months, resulting in positive operating EBITDA of £30,000 against negative £2.7m for the same period last year. Greater efficiencies achieved within business - 10% reduction in overheads.Virtual queuing systems firm Lo-Q saw flat interim profits of £0.18m despite revenues surging 44% to £5.89m due to higher costs and admin expenses. Support services firm Macfarlane saw half-year profit before tax and exceptional items fall 50% to 0.5m on sales of £59.1m (2008: £64.4m).Shares in human tissue and drug discovery services supplier Asterand dropped despite swinging to a first-half profit.The group reported a pre-tax profit of £26,000 in the six months ended 30 June compared with a £53,000 loss last time. Revenues were up 28% to £6.6m.