Company News
Draper Esprit invests £10m in French software startup Aircall
Digital technology focused venture capital firm Draper Esprit on Wednesday announced a £10m investment in French cloud-based call centre software business Aircall.
Beowulf Mining to enhance operations with £1.5m from placing
Beowulf Mining announced on Wednesday that it will seek to raise £1. 5m for its graphite exploration efforts through the placement of 30m new shares at five pence per share.
Thursday preview: Packed diary includes British Land, National Grid, Thomas Cook
Thursday is expected to be the second busiest day on the European corporate calendar this month, with results and updates from the likes of 3i Group, British Land, Countryside, Experian, Grainger, Investec, Just Group, National Grid, Mothercare, Royal Mail, Sophos and Thomas Cook.
Eland Oil & Gas 'very encouraged' as well expected to top guidance
Natural resource production and development firm Eland Oil & Gas announced on Wednesday that its Opuama-9 well, at the OML 40 asset in Nigeria, is expected to perform at the high-end of prior guidance.
Poisoned chalice: Why the East Coast franchise keeps failing
Wednesday’s news that the East Coast rail franchise would once again fall into government hands marks the third time since privatisation that the high-speed route between London and Scotland has failed.
Malvern International to buy Communicate English School for £2.3m
Learning and skills development partner Malvern International has announced plans to buy Manchester-based Communicate English School for £2. 34m, in a deal that will broaden its UK footprint.
Smurfit slumps as International Paper says it won't make hostile bid
Shares in Smurfit Kappa slumped on Wednesday as US rival International Paper said it would not be making a hostile bid for the paper and packaging company.
Stagecoach-Virgin East Coast franchise to be renationalised
One of the two high-speed rail routes between London and Scotland will be renationalised for the second time in less than a decade, after franchise holder Virgin Trains East Coast said it could no longer make payments on its £3. 3bn contract with the government.
Asiamet's BKZ delivers maiden resource estimate
Copper and gold exploration and development firm Asiamet Resources has reacted positively to an initial resource estimate for the BKZ polymetallic deposit in at the KSK project in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
CH Bailey's year-end profits shored up by property revaluation
High end property developer CH Bailey plc announced on Wednesday that its 30 St Barbara Bastion property in Malta has been successfully let and revalued.
Burberry profits and cashflow outstrip forecasts
Burberry presented a smart first set of full year results under new chief executive Marco Gobbetti, pinning on a £150m buyback buttonhole as well as outstripping City forecasts despite a slight wrinkle in revenues.
Carillion directors, auditors lambasted in parliament report
Directors and auditors of failed UK government outsourcer Carillion were lambasted in a scathing parliamentary report on Wednesday with all sides accused of complicity in the company's demise last January.
Goldman Sachs and Citi downgrade Evraz
Following the recent strong share price performance from Evraz, analysts at Goldman Sachs and Citi both saw fit to downgrade their ratings for the Russian steelmaker on Wednesday.
Zoetis to buy veterinary diagnostics group Abaxis for $2bn
US animal health company Zoetis Inc has agreed to buy veterinary diagnostics group Abaxis for $83 per share in cash, or around $2bn.
Thalassa buys back another 40,000 shares
Thalassa announced on Wednesday that, on 15 May, it purchased 40,000 of its shares at a price of 84p per share.
FastForward authorised as a closed-ended investment scheme in Guernsey
FastForward Innovations has been authorised as a closed-ended investment scheme by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission, it announced on Wednesday.
Augean makes moves to shutter Colt division
Specialist waste management company Augean updated the marker on its ongoing programme to optimise business units and turn around those that were underperforming on Wednesday.
Best of the Best ends year in line as it expands luxury prize catalogue
Luxury prize competition organiser Best of the Best updated the market on its trading on Wednesday, saying the 12 months ended 30 April had been “encouraging”, with profit before tax “comfortably” in line with management's expectations.
Mortgage Advice Bureau adds advisers and grows business, investors told
Investors in Mortgage Advice Bureau were told how adviser numbers had continued to grow on Wednesday, increasing to 1,116 advisers as at 11 May, as they gathered for the company’s annual general meeting.
Volex to buy cable harness manufacturer Silotec in EUR 18m deal
Cable assemblies supplier Volex announced the proposed acquisition of the business and assets of Silcotec Europe, a manufacturer and seller of cable harnesses, for a total consideration of up to €18. 1m on Wednesday.