UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: GMA Resources Rises On Equity Talks

15th Jun 2010 16:00

Dow Jones smallcap news is now on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps GMA RESOURCES PLC (GMA.LN), a gold miner, Tuesday said it is in talks with a potential provider of new equity capital. The company said it expects to conclude discussions shortly. GMA added it has started exploration drilling at the Amesmessa gold mine in Algeria. At 1357 GMT, shares +0.4 pence or 38% at 1.45 pence. CML MICROSYSTEMS PLC (CML.LN), a maker of semiconductors, Tuesday said it returned to profitability in the second half but won't resume paying dividends any time soon, despite a solid start to the new fiscal year. At 1357 GMT, shares +4 pence or 5.8% at 73.5 pence. NEWRIVER RETAIL LTD. (NRR.LN), a retail property group, said it hopes to declare its maiden dividend in the next 12 months. "I would be disappointed if we don't declare a dividend in the next 12 months," Non-Executive Director David Lockhart told Dow Jones Newswires. The firm earlier Tuesday said it is confident about the 2011 fiscal year due to "highly favorable" conditions in the U.K. real estate market, as it posted a pretax profit for its first trading period. At 1357 GMT, shares flat at 272 pence. IDEAL SHOPPING DIRECT PLC (IDS.LN), a U.K. home shopping channel retailer, said it expects to reintroduce a dividend this year as it anticipates a swing to a "substantial" first-half profit, boosted by continued strong sales growth. The firm didn't pay a 2009 dividend but said its board feels comfortable that they can reintroduce a sustainable dividend policy when the firm's first-half results are announced in September. The company last paid an interim dividend in 2008. At 1356 GMT, shares +11.5 pence or 7.4% at 166.5 pence. SYSTEM C HEALTHCARE PLC (SYS.LN), a software company, said it expects 2010 fiscal-year revenue to jump 75% on the year but revenue in the short-term is at risk from U.K. government spending cuts. The provider of specialist IT products and services to the health and social care sectors said the surge in its fiscal 2010, ended May 31, revenue includes "substantial" organic growth. At 1356 GMT, shares +0.5 pence or 1.3% at 40.5 pence. ALEXON GROUP PLC (AXN.LN), a U.K. women's clothing retailer, said sales at its stores open more than a year fell 5.4% in the 19 weeks to June 12, largely due to stock problems at its Ann Harvey stores following Iceland's volcanic eruption. The firm said the resulting volcanic ash cloud which spread across Europe delayed transportation of a key summer stock package to its Ann Harvey stores, which has "significantly impacted" recent sales. At 1356 GMT, shares -1.75 pence or 8.2% at 19.5 pence. SPICE PLC (SPI.LN), a utility support services group, said the indicative possible offer price of 56 pence a share from European buyout firm Cinven Group Ltd is opportunistic and "significantly undervalues" the company, adding that it isn't in offer talks with Cinven or any other party. Spice has undergone a raft of changes internally recently, with major shareholder and entrepreneur Simon Rigby stepping down from the chief executive role in February to be replaced permanently in May by Martin Towers. At 1358 GMT, shares +4 pence or 8% at 53.75 pence. PLAZA CENTERS NV (PLAZ.LN), an emerging markets property developer, said its U.S. real estate joint venture has raised $27 million from Israeli insurer Menora Mivtachim Holdings Ltd. (MMHD.TV) and some of its affiliates. At 1358 GMT, shares -1.5 pence or 1.5% at 102 pence. ANDOR TECHNOLOGY PLC (AND.LN), a scientific camera maker, said fiscal-year first-half profit rose 68%, buoyed by rising sales in China, Japan and the U.S., and it expects new products and higher sales to equipment manufacturers to drive future growth. The group is pinning its hopes on the launch of its sCMOS camera, which is due to enter production towards the end of 2010. At 1355 GMT, shares +32.5 pence or 17% at 228 pence. HEALTHCARE LOCUMS PLC (HLO.LN), a staffing firm, said it is no longer in offer talks after it mutually ended discussions with the other party. The company, which provides temporary and permanent staff to the healthcare and social care sectors, said April 9 that it had received an approach but said Tuesday both parties have agreed all discussions in relation to the approach have ended. At 1355 GMT, shares -35.5 pence or 16% at 182 pence. PHOTO-ME INTERNATIONAL PLC (PHTM.LN), a photo booth operator, said it expects its fiscal 2010 pre-exceptional, pretax profit to beat current market expectations by at least 20%. At 1354 GMT, shares +4 pence or 13% at 34 pence. INTERNATIONAL BRAND LICENSING PLC (IBL.LN) said it plans to raise around GBP15.06 million through a share issue so it can acquire EKF-diagnostic GmbH and take its first steps toward becoming a diagnostics business. The company, which previously licensed sports brands across the world, last year identified in-vitro diagnostics as a market with significant potential. At 1354 GMT, shares flat at 25 pence. OXFORD INSTRUMENTS PLC (OXIG.LN) said it is hunting for acquisitions to help meet its growth targets. The firm--which makes scientific instruments--said it is interested in acquiring businesses that sell different products to similar customers so it can add to revenue but keep costs down by combining operations. The company posted a swing back to profit for its fiscal year and said new products and the benefits of a restructuring will help drive growth. At 1354 GMT, shares +28 pence or 10% at 298 pence. DATONG PLC (DTE.LN), a designer and manufacturer of intelligence gathering equipment, said a raft of new product launches and possible acquisitions should continue driving growth this year, following its swing to a first-half pretax profit on soaring sales. At 1353 GMT, shares +2 pence or 5.4% at 39 pence. AFRICAN EAGLE RESOURCES PLC (AFE.LN), a miner, reported a major increase in estimated resources at its Dutwa nickel project in Tanzania, tripling tonnage and more than doubling its estimated contained metal. At 1353 GMT, shares +0.5 pence or 12% at 4.63 pence. DJ UK Smaller Cos +0.4% AIM -0.1% -By Hannah Benjamin, Rachael Gormley & Jason Douglas, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 20 7842 9272; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 15, 2010 11:00 ET (15:00 GMT)