Brave Bison Group PLC (LON:BBSN) shares surged 48% as social video company revealed that it was named the world's third-biggest digital media publisher in a report by Tubular Labs, a video measurement and analytics platform.
The ‘most views by media and entertainment properties’ list by Tubular Labs showed that Brave Bison’s channels on Facebook and YouTube had more than 4.6 billion views in April 2018.
Brave Bison said this performance puts it in third place on the list behind Time Warner and The Walt Disney Company. Based on Facebook views alone, Brave Bison came out on top.
"This report shows the growing strength of Brave Bison's publishing network and our knowledge and understanding of the video content that audiences engage with and consume on social platforms," said chief executive Claire Hungate.
Pets at Home Group PLC (LON:PETS) shares are down 7% after posting a drop in its full pre-tax profits and holding its dividend.
The FTSE 250-pet and animal care retailer saw its pre-tax profits dropped 17% to £79.6mln, even as revenue rose to £898.9mln from £834.2mln previously with like-for-like (LFL) revenues growth of 5.5%.
The group saw its gross margin slip to 51.7% from 54.2% last year.
The final dividend for the year was maintained at 5p, with the total dividend unchanged at 7.5p.
REACT Group shares jump as it lands service contract
REACT Group PLC (LON:REAT) shares jumped 22% after the cleaning company said it signed a £225,000 service contract with a major highways construction company.
Under the 12-month contract, REACT will provide decontamination and deep cleaning services for picnic and amenity sites as well as service depots running from Dorset through Devon and Cornwall.
Going the other way, Andalas Energy and Power Plc (LON:ADL) shares fell 18% after Lombard Odier Asset Management reduced its stake in the company to 13.84% from 22.33%.
The news came as the company updated investors on its efforts to strengthen the balance sheet.
Three directors have agreed to waive US$100,000 of unpaid contractual salaries. The company has also agreed a settlement with former director David Whitby, who will receive US$52,500 (versus a contractual entitlement for US$278,017) as a final payment.
Produce Investments blames ‘Beast from the East’ for poor crop yields
Crop grower Produce Investments PLC (LON:PIL) has blamed the ‘Beast from the East’ as it warned the market that full-year profits will be “substantially below” current market expectations.
The AIM-quoted said the cold and wet weather earlier this year affected the planting of its potato crops and the harvesting of its daffodil flowers.
“As a result of these factors, as well as the previously flagged lower margins on 2017 UK potato crops and reduced seed volumes and margins due to an oversupplied UK market, the board now expect the group's profit for the year ending 30th June 2018 to be substantially below current market expectations,” read Tuesday’s statement.
Produce shares fell 10% to 148p in early afternoon trading.
Halfords crashes on weak outlook
Halfords Group plc (LON:HFD) shares plunged after the retailer reported a 5% drop in full-year profits.
For the year ended March 30, the bikes and car parts seller reported an underlying pre-tax profit of £71.6mln, down from £75.4mln a year earlier, as a weaker pound against the dollar pushed up its cost of sales.
The FTSE 250-listed firm's total revenue grew by 3.7% to £1.14bn from £1.10bn and like-for-like sales increased 2%.
Markets.com analyst Neil Wilson said the performance was broadly in line with expectations, but it was the “lack of meaningful guidance for 2019 [that] rattled the market”.
In a note, he said: “Profits 'broadly in line' with 2018 is not particularly positive and the market probably also wants to see some more detail from Graham Stapleton after four months in charge.”
“The reasonable 2018 results belong to Jill McDonald and investors want to see what the new man in charge is about.” Shares are down 11% to 345.5p.
Inmarsat shares lose their way as monopoly on maritime safety communications ended
Inmarsat Plc (LON:ISAT) shares dived on Tuesday after reports emerged overnight that its monopoly on providing an internationally required set of communication systems for ships has been ended.
The FTSE 250 group had been the sole provider of Global Maritime Distress Safety System equipment since 1999, but US-based Iridium Communications has now also been certified by the UN to provide the services.
GMDSS provides emergency communications at sea, relaying messages even if the crew is unable to call for help and must be installed on ships of 300 gross tonnage or more. Iridium expects to begin GMDSS service in 2020.
“This is another blow for the company, hot on the heels of 41% shareholders rejecting the board’s remuneration proposal, something that may prove rather prescient in light of the potential impact of a monopoly loss on its business model,” said Accendo Markets’ head of research Mike van Dulken.
Inmarsat share fell 9.1% to 353p in early trading in London.
Location Sciences has already hit H1 sales target
Going the other way was Location Sciences Group PLC (LON:LSAI), which zipped higher this morning after telling investors it has already hit its first-half revenue targets with six weeks to spare.
AIM-listed Location, which uses mobile phone data to help companies learn more about their customers, said there had been an “influx” of wins and orders so far this year, in particular for its online to offline and Out Of Home media advertising products.
“Based on orders already signed, the company believes that management's H1 2018's revenue expectations have been met,” read a statement.
The firm’s new location verification product, which it expects to become an “increasingly large part” of the business in the future, is also ahead of schedule and being tested by clients at the moment.
Shares were up 20% to 0.03p.
Avacta surges on ‘very exciting’ data
Avacta Group Plc (LON:AVCT) also surged, up 18.6% to 35p, after promising data suggested its Affimer technology may hold the key to delivering DNA-based treatments that more effectively and efficiently tackle diseases such as cancer.
Early encouraging signs have emerged from the company's collaboration with Finland's FIT Biotech.
The data showed sustained production of Affimer molecules by the muscle tissue of mice. This was achieved from a single dosing of the Affimer DNA using the FIT technology.
Why is this interesting? Well, therapeutic proteins such as monoclonal antibodies are routinely administered to patients by injection at regular time intervals.
One way of avoiding the often painful process is to trigger the patient's own body to make the protein by injecting the recipe in the form of DNA.
Other Proactive news headlines:
Scottish billionaire Mrs Ann Gloag has bought a 3% stake in Arc Minerals Ltd (LON:ARCM). The investment came as part of the recent placing that allowed Arc to boost its stake in the Zamsort copper-cobalt project in Zambia. Mrs Gloag is a co-founder of Stagecoach.
Publishing group Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (LON:BMY) said performance for the current financial year will be well ahead of its previous expectations.
SDX Energy Inc (LON:SDX, CVE:SDX) told investors that the Kelvin-1X exploration well at South Disouq, in Egypt, has been unsuccessful. It follows two successful discoveries in the South Disouq block.
OptiBiotix Health plc (LON:OPTI) confirmed it has inked a deal with Seed Health, which will produce, promote, market, and commercialise products containing the former's cholesterol lowering additive, LP-LDL.
Accesso Technology Group PLC (LON:ACSO) has seen a strong start to 2018 with several new agreements and a move into US markets, according to a statement to be made at its annual general meeting later today.
Tekcapital PLC (LON:TEK) has unveiled three new appointments across its portfolio companies in moves to boost marketing and commercialisation.
Background screening specialist ClearStar Inc (LON:CLSU) has continued to enjoy double-digit revenue growth in the second quarter of its fiscal year as its offering starts to attract the attention of some big-name companies.
Bluejay Mining PLC (LON:JAY) will shortly be commencing fieldwork at the Dundas mineral sands project in Greenland. The aim is to boost the existing resource significantly, and also to continue with environmental and social assessment work. A pre-feasibility study is due shortly.
ECR Minerals PLC (LON:ECR) has completed drilling at its Monte Christo gold project in Australia. It will now move on to drill at Blue Moon, where a geochemical survey has already identified potential targets.
Canadian copper miner Rambler Metals and Mining PLC (LON:RMM CVE:RAB) has raised £2.2mln through a private placing with fund manager Lombard Odier. Shares were priced at 5p and will be issued in two tranches to ensure Lombard’s stake does not rise above 9.9% until approval is granted by the Toronto Venture Exchange.
Ferrum Crescent Limited (LON:FCR) said that, following shareholder approval at yesterday’s AGM, it has now completed the placing and subscription to raise, in aggregate, approximately £1mln (before expenses), through the issue of, in aggregate, 1,739,130,435 new ordinary shares at a price of 0.0575p each.