UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: Sirius Exploration's FY10 Loss Widens

23rd Jul 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 SIRIUS EXPLORATION PLC (SXX.LN), a mining and exploration holding company focused on potash and salt deposits in North America and Australia, Friday posted a wider full-year pretax loss as it paid out more on things like acquisitions, exploration costs and administrative costs. Its fiscal 2010, ended March 31, pretax loss widened to GBP3.8 million from GBP539,000 a year earlier. At 1430 GMT, shares -0.28 pence, or 11%, at 2.22 pence. HMV GROUP PLC (HMV.LN), a U.K. entertainment retailer, said Friday it has completed the refinancing of its GBP240 million revolving credit facility with its existing group of eight banks a year ahead of schedule. HMV's existing facility was due to expire in October 2011. At 1430 GMT, shares +1 pence or 2% at 61 pence. BEAZLEY PLC (BEZ.LN), a Lloyd's of London insurer, is keeping a cautious outlook on recession-related claims on professional indemnity cover, Chief Executive Andrew Horton said, despite recent falls in claims levels on some lines of business. "The view of some insurers seems to be that recession-related claims won't come through," Horton said, adding that this was leading to high levels of competition in some lines and lower insurance rates. "Our view is that it takes a bit longer to see if the professional indemnity claims are going to come," he added. At 1430 GMT, shares +1 pence or 0.5% at 123 pence. FULLER, SMITH & TURNER PLC (FSTA.LN), a pub and brewery group, announced a solid start to the 2011 fiscal year, as people flocked to its beer gardens to enjoy a drink and food outside in the sunshine. The firm said sales at its managed pubs and hotels open more than a year rose 4.1% in the 16 weeks to July 17, with comparable profits at its tenanted pubs climbing 1%. Sales of its own-brewed beer fell 2%. At 1430 GMT, shares +9 pence or 1.5% at 559 pence. CLOSE BROTHERS GROUP PLC (CBG.LN), a financial services firm, said it was confident of solid performance for its fiscal 2010, reflecting better-than-expected loan growth and an improvement in its bad debt ratio. The firm warned bad debts are still sensitive to the economic environment, adding that its loan book totaled GBP2.9 billion at June 30, up from GBP2.6 billion at the end of January, with good organic growth from its asset finance unit as well as its motor and premium finance divisions. At 1430 GMT, shares -25 pence or 3.6% at 685 pence. METALS EXPLORATION PLC (MTL.LN), a gold and molybdenum miner, received a takeover offer from property tycoon Christian Candy pitched at GBP35.8 million. Candy's investment vehicle Solomon Capital offered 13 pence a share to acquire Metals Exploration, a 27% premium to the company's closing price Thursday. Metals Exploration said it is considering the offer and will respond shortly. At 1430 GMT, shares +3 pence or 27% at 13 pence. W.H. IRELAND GROUP PLC (WHI.LN), a stockbroker, swung to a first-half pretax loss as revenue was hit by the loss of a major client, but said it is better positioned for difficult markets following its restructuring, and named Paul Compton as its new chief executive. At 1430 GMT, shares +4 pence or 10% at 41 pence. EBIQUITY PLC (EBQ.LN), a media consultancy, reported a sharp fall in fiscal-year profit due to acquisition costs, and said it is poised to benefit from companies' increasing scrutiny of their own marketing efforts. At 1430 GMT, shares +2 pence or 2.5% at 61 pence. DJ UK Smaller Cos +0.65% AIM +0.5% -By Hannah Benjamin, Rachael Gormley, Jason Douglas & Tapan Panchal, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0) 20 7842 9298; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 23, 2010 11:00 ET (15:00 GMT)