UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: Pantheon Resources' Well Drilling Delayed

30th Jul 2010 09:36

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 PANTHEON RESOURCES PLC (PANR.LN), an oil and gas explorer, Friday said drilling of the Kara Farms well in Tyler County, Texas, has been delayed because operator Vision Resources LLC couldn't get a suitable rig. At 0815 GMT, shares -3 pence, or 12%, at 22 pence. LEISURE & GAMING PLC (LNG.LN), a European betting and gambling group, Friday said it has agreed to sell its main trading subsidiary after it failed to get a significant injection of funds into its business following a poor run of trading. The firm said it has solicited and considered a number of approaches and has now signed heads of terms to sell Betshop Group (Europe) Ltd., its main trading subsidiary. The firm limited its exposure to betting losses during the recent soccer World Cup, which it said reduced its net win for the second quarter from sports betting to EUR4.4 million from EUR5.2 million a year earlier. At 0815 GMT, shares suspended at 5 pence. HOMESERVE PLC (HSV.LN), a U.K. repair and maintenance group, Friday said it has increased its membership businesses in the first four months of fiscal 2011, with rising policy numbers and high retention rates across all of its territories. At 0836 GMT, shares -42 pence, or 1.8%, at 2,259p. NEW HILL GROUP LTD., a fund manager, Friday said it plans to raise GBP1.5 million in an initial public offering on London's junior Alternative Investment Market. New Hill is a holding company that will acquire New Hill Management LLC, a Delaware-incoporated fund manager. MANGANESE BRONZE HOLDINGS PLC (MNGS.LN), the London taxi maker, Friday reported a wider six-month loss due to fewer cab sales and the cost of laying off workers in Coventry, England, and said it doesn't expect to make a profit in 2010. At 0815 GMT, shares +1 pence, or 3.6%, at 36 pence. DIGNITY PLC (DTY.LN), a U.K. funeral services group, Friday posted a 6.6% rise in first-half pretax profit, boosted by a strong performance from its pre-arranged funeral plans unit, and said its expectations for the full year continue to be positive. The firm told Dow Jones it expects to secure net proceeds of around GBP80 million from a potential bond issue, the majority of which would be returned to shareholders. At 0815 GMT, shares +4 pence, or 0.6%, at 686 pence. JARDINE LLOYD THOMPSON GROUP PLC (JLT.LN), an insurance broker and employee benefit company, Friday posted a 14% rise in first-half pretax profit and said it was confident for further growth in the year, partly due to acquisitions and hirings it has already carried out. At 0815 GMT, shares -0.5 pence, or 0.09%, at 585 pence. MELROSE RESOURCES PLC (MRS.LN), an oil and gas explorer, Friday said it made its third consecutive discovery offshore Bulgaria. Melrose said the gas discovery was at the Kavarna East No. 1 well in the Galata block. It estimates the discovery, which is near two other recent discoveries, contains about 12 billion cubic feet of gas. At 0815 GMT, shares -5 pence, or 1.7%, at 313 pence. PETROLATINA ENERGY PLC (PELE.LN), a Latin America-focused oil and gas company, Friday said it agreed to raise $11.5 million in a share sale to spend on exploration in Colombia. At 0815 GMT, shares +3 pence, or 5.8%, at 55 pence. CHARTER INTERNATIONAL PLC (CHTR.LN), an engineer, Friday reported a 76% rise in pretax profit for the first six months of 2010 due to a strong recovery at its welding unit ESAB, the benefits of a restructuring and growing sales in emerging markets. At 0815 GMT, shares -36 pence, or 4.8%, at 722 pence. DIGITAL BARRIERS PLC (DGB.LN), a homeland security services firm, has agreed to buy high-tech video surveillance firm COE Group PLC (COE.LN) in an all-cash deal worth about GBP3.3 million, which it said will broaden its business. At 0815 GMT, shares +4 pence, or 2.5%, at 144 pence. METRODOME GROUP PLC (MRM.LN), an independent all-rights distributor, said its shares will be restored to Alternative Investment Market trading Friday, after its attempted acquisition of Target Entertainment Group fell through. Trading of the firm's shares on AIM was suspended June 28 following press speculation that weekend about a possible acquisition by the company of all or part of Target. At 0815 GMT, shares flat at 1.88 pence. FILTRONIC PLC (FTC.LN), an electronic component maker, Friday said it has agreed to buy wireless telecommunications products company Isotek (Holdings) Ltd. in a cash and share deal worth GBP10.7 million, so it can re-enter the market for base stations. Filtronic will pay GBP4.35 million in cash for Isotek and offer 18,550,000 new Filtronic shares which, based on Thursday's closing price of 34.35 pence a share. At 0815 GMT, shares -1 pence, or 2%, at 34 pence. ELEKTRON PLC (EKT.LN), an electronic equipment distributor, has agreed terms to buy medical instruments maker Hartest Holdings PLC (HTH.LN) in a cash deal that values the company at GBP8.2 million. Elektron acquired more than 2.5 million shares in Hartest at 90 pence each from Peter Gyllenhammar, which represent just under 30% of the existing issued share capital of Hartest. Before this, Elektron owned about 23% of Hartest's existing issued share capital. At 0815 GMT Elektron shares -3 pence, or 9.7%, at 28 pence. Hartest shares +4 pence, or 4%, at 89 pence. DJ UK Smaller Cos -0.26% AIM -0.26% -By Hannah Benjamin, Jason Douglas & Rachael Gormley, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 20 7842 9298; [email protected] Order free Annual Report for Metrodome Group plc Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0002937141 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 Order free Annual Report for Filtronic plc Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0003362992 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 Order free Annual Report for Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0005203376 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 Order free Annual Report for Manganese Bronze Holdings PLC Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0005617013 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 Order free Annual Report for Melrose Resources plc Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0009354589 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 Order free Annual Report for Homeserve plc Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0034321165 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 Order free Annual Report for Charter International PLC Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=JE00B3CX4509 or call +44 (0)208 391 6028 (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 30, 2010 04:36 ET (08:36 GMT)