The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Thursday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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PageGroup PLC - Surrey-based recruitment firm - For 2021, pretax profit rises to £166.6 million from £15.5 million, also 16% above pre-virus levels of £144.2 million in 2019. Revenue grows 26% year-on-year to £1.64 billion from £1.30 billion, remaining just below 2019’s £1.65 billion. Total group headcounts rises 1,144, or 17% year-on-year to 7,838. Declares final ordinary dividend of 10.30 pence per share, bringing total payout to 41.71p, including a special dividend of 26.71p. ‘As we enter 2022, we are alert to the macro-economic uncertainties that exist. However, we have a flexible and highly diversified business model which allows us to adapt quickly to changing market conditions. We continue to grow our platform, invest carefully in headcount, and prioritise the roll out of new technologies,’ says CEO Michael Ingham.
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Tritax Big Box REIT PLC - London-based investor in distribution centres - For 2021, pretax profit more than doubles to £971.1 million from £449.5 million the year before, due to an increased gain in the fair value of investment properties to £840.9 million from £351.1 million. Net rental income increases 14% to £184.6 million from £161.5 million. As at December 31, net asset value per share grows 28% year-on-year to 218.26 pence from 169.92p, as the portfolio value rises 24% to £5.48 billion. Dividend per share rises to 6.70p from 6.40p.
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Vesuvius PLC - London-based molten metal flow engineering firm - For 2021, pretax profit rises 98% to £127.6 million from £64.5 million the year before, on revenue which grows 13% year-on-year to £1.64 billion from £1.46 billion, drive by positive trends in the company’s key end markets of steel and foundry. On an underlying basis, revenue increased 18%. Declares final dividend of 15.0 pence per share, bringing total payout to 21.2p, up 22% from 17.4p the prior year. Looking ahead, end markets remain positively oriented at the start of 2022, and despite geopolitical tensions, Vesuvius expects a sharp improvement in financial performance.
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Coats Group PLC - Uxbridge, England-based industrial thread maker - For 2021, pretax profit more than doubles to $163.0 million from $79.6 million the year before, on revenue which grows 29% year-on-year to $1.50 billion from $1.16 billion, and also up 6% from 2019’s figure of $1.39 billion. This is driven by a recovery in demand for Apparel & Footwear, and positive end market sentient in the US, Europe and Asia. Declares final dividend of 1.50 cents per share, bringing the total payout to 2.11 cents per share. Looking ahead, following strong start, expects 2022 performance in be modestly ahead of management expectations.
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Tyman PLC - London-based supplier of door and window components to construction industry - For 2021, pretax profit rises 34% to £64.0 million from £47.6 million the year before, on revenue which grows 11% to £635.7 million from £572.8 million, as strong demand more than offset global supply chain issues and US labour challenges. Declares final dividend of 8.9 pence per share, bringing the total payout to 12.9p, up from 4.0p the prior year. ‘We expect underlying demand in 2022 to remain strong, driven by favourable housing market fundamentals, albeit set against rising macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures. We continue to take actions as necessary to mitigate ongoing industry-wide supply chain challenges and cost inflation,’ said CEO Jo Hallas.
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Chemring Group PLC - Romsey, Hampshire-based defence technology firm - In the first four months of its current financial year, has performed in line with management expectations, and now expects the year ending October 31 to be slightly ahead of current consensus, which has adjusted operating profit coming between £61.0 million to £63.3 million. Currently has order book worth £476 million as at February 25.
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HICL Infrastructure PLC - a long-term investor in infrastructure assets managed by InfraRed Capital Partners - Expects to deliver dividend of 8.25 pence per share for year ending March 31, as public-private partnerships and regulated portfolios perform in line with expectations with recovery in HICL’s demand-based segment.
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Unbound Group PLC - owner of Hotter Shoes, formerly known as Electra Private Equity - For the 16 months ended January 31, posts net pretax return at £43.0 million, swinging from loss of £59.8 million, due to strong investments gains following a robust performance from Hotter Shoes.
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Jupiter Emerging & Frontier Income Trust PLC - investment trust focused on companies in emerging and frontier markets worldwide - Direct and indirect exposure to Russian-linked securities represents 0.4% of the company’s net asset value as at March, and has no exposure to Ukrainian securities.
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Fidelity Emerging Markets Ltd - long-term capital growth from exposure to emerging market companies - Investment manager FIL Investment Services UK Ltd decides to cease all investment in Russian and Belarus, and has also implemented a group-wide prohibition on any new or added purchases of Russian and Belarusian securities, which applies to Fidelity Emerging Markets.
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Zytronic PLC - Newcastle-upon-Tyne-based touch sensors manufacturer - Revenue for first five months of financial year ending September 30 is 25% ahead year-on-year, while the order book is 45% larger, due to certain advance orders.
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Morses Club PLC - Nottingham, England-based home collected credit provider and online lender - For the year ended February 26, the Digital lending division’s total credit more than doubles to £41.2 million from £19.3 million, while the gross loan book rises 98% to £23.9 million from £12.1 million. The Home Collected Credit division issues £108.0 million in credit, 9% above management’s budgeted plan but down from £109.7 million. Due to recent increased in claims, company expects adjusted pretax profit to be 20% to 30% below consensus expectations of £7.5 million.
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