UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: ILX Group Eyes Increasing Overseas Sales

23rd Jun 2010 12:30

Dow Jones smallcap news is on Twitter, allowing you to catch up on the news away from your desk. Go to http://twitter.com/DJ_UK_Smallcaps ILX GROUP PLC (ILX.LN) expects the proportion of its revenue coming from international operations to equal or even exceed the U.K. in the next three years, Chief Executive Ken Scott said Wednesday, as the company eyes lucrative growth markets. Currently the online learning software and business training company gets just under 20% of total group revenue from overseas markets but Scott said the company's investment in markets like Australia and the Middle East would see this increase. At 1042 GMT, shares +0.5 pence, or 2.3%, at 22 pence. POLAR CAPITAL HOLDINGS PLC (POLR.LN), an asset manager, said it was more confident for the 2011 fiscal year after assets under management rose in the second half of the 2010 fiscal year, adding it is looking to boost figures further by expanding its range of funds. "At the moment we are in four [of the 18 equity sub-sectors defined by the U.K. Investment Management Association]," Chief Executive Tim Woolley told Dow Jones Newswires. "If we can address eight of these sectors it would be a significant improvement in our addressable market," he added. At 1042 GMT, shares flat at 94.5 pence. INTERNATIONAL PERSONAL FINANCE PLC (IPF.LN), a U.K. lender, said trading in April, May, and for the year to date has been ahead of targets after its second-quarter performance benefited from the reversal of impairment charges taken during the weather-stricken first quarter. At 1042 GMT, shares +8.9 pence, or 4.1%, at 228.1 pence. THOR MINING PLC (THR.LN), a minerals exploration company, said it plans to raise up to GBP2.7 million through a share placing which it will use to fund the exploration and evaluation of its Dundas Project in western Australia. At 1043 GMT, shares -0.3 pence, or 29%, at 0.75 pence. PRIMARY HEALTH PROPERTIES PLC (PHP.LN) said it has agreed to acquire primary care and pharmacy property company Health Investments Ltd. for around GBP11.7 million, in a move which will increase its total portfolio size by more than 10%. At 1043 GMT, shares +5.5 pence, or 1.9%, at 289 pence. GOINDUSTRY-DOVEBID PLC (GOI.LN), an auction services group, said it is optimistic it will be profitable in 2010, with its first-half results "significantly improved" from the adjusted loss of GBP1.6 million in the first half of 2009. At 1043 GMT, shares flat at 0.8 pence. ORIGO PARTNERS PLC (OPP.LN) said it has strengthened its presence in Mongolia by completing investments in two Mongolia-based exploration companies following its successful placing to raise $30 million June 11. At 1043 GMT, shares +1.25 pence, or 4.4%, at 29.5 pence. CARR'S MILLING INDUSTRIES PLC (CRM.LN) said it has acquired animal feed companies Scotmin Nutrition Ltd. and A.C. Burn Ltd. from Buccleuch Country Ltd. for a total of GBP5.62 million in cash. At 1043 GMT, shares -1 pence, or 0.2%, at 483.5 pence. THEO FENNELL PLC (TFL.LN), a high-end U.K. jeweler, said it has bought a 20% stake in independent design consultancy, The Original Design Partnership Ltd., which was set up by its own founder and namesake Theo Fennell. At 1044 GMT, shares flat at 36 pence. AXIS-SHIELD PLC (ASD.LN), a diagnostics company, said it has launched an automated anti-CCP test for the early detection of rheumatoid arthritis on its new Zenit RA analyzer system. At 1044 GMT, shares -6.5 pence, or 2.4%, at 262.5 pence. DJ UK Smaller Cos -0.3% AIM -0.3% -By Rachael Gormley, Jason Douglas & Hannah Benjamin, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 20 7842 9272; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 23, 2010 07:30 ET (11:30 GMT)