The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Wednesday and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Skillcast Group PLC - London-based digital compliance content and technology provider - Swings to pretax loss of £556,027 in 2022, from £60,646 profit in 2021. Revenue up to £9.8 million from £8.4 million, while administrative expenses climb to £7.4 million from £5.9 million. Says annual recurring revenue at the end of the first quarter was up to £7.2 million from £5.9 million. Proposes final dividend of 0.279 pence per share, taking the full-year 2022 dividend to 0.447p, unchanged from 2021. Says trading since year-end has continued to improve from a year earlier, alongside a ‘strong’ pipeline of new customers. Says current trading is consistent with achieving market expectations.
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RM Infrastructure Income PLC - invests in loans to infrastructure assets - Net asset value per share at December 31 is 92.49p, down from 94.41p a year earlier. Swings to investment loss of £2.1 million from a profit of £1.3 million. Declares fourth interim dividend of 1.625p, unchanged from a year earlier, taking total 2022 payout to 6.5p, in line with its annual target. Chair Norman Crighton says: ‘Over the course of the financial year, the company has operated in very challenging conditions. The discount levels at which our shares have traded at have been a function of rising yields. We recognised the issues and are seeking to address them by increasing the portfolio yield to higher, more attractive levels. Given our portfolio and the market backdrop in which we operate, this will naturally take some time. We hope that shareholders can take a longer-term view, recognise the increased dividend target, see the value within the portfolio and allow the investment manager to continue to invest in attractive opportunities on your behalf.’
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hVIVO PLC - London-based specialist contract research organisation providing testing for infectious and respiratory vaccine - US Food & Drug Administration grants hVIVO breakthrough therapy and fast track designations for its investigational therapeutic for the treatment of seasonal influenza, SAB-176. Says it follows conducting a phase 2a human challenge trial to assess the efficacy of SAB-176 using its influenza human challenge study model. Says both FDA designations are designed to expedite the development and review of medicines that are intended to treat a serious or life-threatening condition. Senior Director for Clinical Science Alex Mann says: ‘The clinical efficacy data formed an integral part of the package enabling the FDA’s decision to grant fast track and breakthrough therapy designations and underlines the value of rapid efficacy data achievable only through human challenge trials. Validation of a candidate’s clinical potential, as well as the expedited review process can be a key inflection point for the asset and company value, particularly for biotechnology clients such as SAB Biotherapeutics. I look forward to monitoring SAB-176’s progress as it advances through later stage clinical development.’
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Alien Metals Ltd - mineral exploration and development company with assets in Australia, Mexico and Greenland - Appoints Guy Robertson as executive chair with immediate effect, replacing Rod McIlree, who will continue as an executive director for the next three to six months. Also delivers maiden JORC compliant mineral reserve for its flagship Hancock iron ore project in the ‘prolific’ iron ore producing region of the Pilbara, Western Australia. Finds 1.9 million tonnes of ore of 60.2% iron and 4.2 million tonnes of ore of 60.5% iron. Says indicated mineral resources of 1.7 million of ore of 61.0% iron. Says its confidence has increased in the Hancock project after the inaugural reserves declaration. McIllree says: ‘This, combined with the ongoing negotiation of commercial tenders for the material packages associated with the Hancock project lays the strong economic foundations for project and operational execution. In the coming weeks, I look forward to sharing the outcomes of these negotiations with you as we finalise the pathway to operations’. Says it is also drilling at Sirius extension for mineral resource and ore reserve upgrades.
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Caracal Gold PLC - East Africa-focused gold producer - Confirms Simon Grant Rennick formally takes his post as executive chair, after becoming chair designate in late January. Also says its corporate governance review is to be released ‘shortly’. Chief Executive Officer Robbie McCrae says: ‘The company is delighted that Simon Grant Rennick has now been formally appointed as executive chairman. His expansive knowledge of mining and extensive experience leading UK listed companies makes him the ideal person to review the company’s corporate governance procedures. I look forward to implementing the findings of his report shortly.’
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TruFin PLC - London-based financial technology holding company for niche lenders and early payment providers - Subsidiary Oxygen Finance wins early payment contracts with six local authorities, adding around £2.7 billion in procurement spend. The six newly signed local authorities are Cumberland Council, Derbyshire County Council, Leicestershire County Council, London Borough of Camden, Peterborough City Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. Says its list of early payment clients now totals 54 public sector clients. Chief Executive Officer Ben Jackson says: ‘Supply chain disruption leads to reduced working capital for suppliers, which, coupled with rising interest rates, makes early payment programmes more relevant than ever. It’s fantastic to see more local authorities realising the benefits of early payment and delivering on their social value ambitions whilst achieving savings to protect services.’
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