Everyman Media Group PLC (AIM:EMAN) said full-year underlying earnings (EBITDA) for 2020 will be ahead of expectations after a strong performance in December.
The cinema company said since re-opening on 17 May 2021 the group has been EBITDA positive and operating cash generative each month.
The outlook for the business is positive, reinforced by healthy admissions since re-opening and the group's roll-out programme is set to recommence in earnest with a committed pipeline of five new venues for the current financial year: Edinburgh, Plymouth, Durham, Marlow and Egham.
1.45pm: Deliveroo still in the doghouse
Deliveroo PLC (LSE:ROO), which found the market hard to please yesterday with its fourth-quarter trading update, is faring poorly again today.
The fast food delivery specialist is getting caught up in the general tech sell-off, with the shares down 6.7% at 160.7p.
“Now that the government has announced the end of Plan B restrictions the market may be justified in wondering whether growth can continue at this level. In addition, the growing squeeze on the cost of living might mean UK consumers aren’t quite so keen on making too many orders through the app,” said IG’s Chris Beauchamp, in his analysis of Deliveroo’s results yesterday.
12.35pm: Hochschild Mining slides as production update fails to sparkle
Hochschild Mining PLC (LSE:HOC, OTCQX:HCHDF), the silver and gold miner, saw it shares slide 6.6% to 118.9p after its fourth-quarter production report failed to sparkle.
Silver production rose to 3.89mln ounces from 3.72mln ounces a year earlier while gold output rose to 68,220 ounces from 65,670 ounces.
Overall, attributable production of 94,222 gold equivalent ounces or 8.1 million silver equivalent ounces was virtually the same as the third quarter result.
11.30am: Playtech no longer in play
Playtech PLC (LSE:PTEC) slumped 22% to 570.34p as a possible bid for the gaming company fell through.
Eddie Jordan's JKO Play has withdrawn its US$3bn bid for Playtech, it was confirmed today. Jordan is best known as the head of the eponymous Formula One team.
JKO Play told Playtech it does not intend to make an offer for the company after being given more time earlier this month to come up with a counter-bid to a 680p-a-share offer made for Playtech by Australia's Aristocrat Leisure.
10.20am: Pennant International flags Boeing contract for British army helicopter training
Pennant International Group PLC (AIM:PEN) shares jumped 22% to 39.5p after the training technology company said it has been named as a key supplier to Boeing’s UK defence business.
It said it will supply services related to a long-term services contract awarded for the UK's new Apache helicopter fleet.
Pennant will deliver new and upgraded simulations called part task trainers which are compatible with the new chopper fleet.
Pennant and Boeing are currently working on a final contract, with an award “expected imminently”.
9.15am: TheWorks.co.uk and OnTheMarket among Friday's early risers
TheWorks.co.uk PLC (LSE:WRKS) shares were among the early risers on Friday, up 12% to 63.14p after a solid set of interim results, where the retailer said it wants to recommend a final dividend.
Revenue for the 26 weeks ended 31 October were up 30.6% on the previous year and like-for-like sales were up 14.5% on two years ago, ahead of the board's expectations, with reported loss before tax of £1.0mln much improved on £4.3mln interim loss a year ago.
Overall, the company said its good trading performance is "expected to more than offset significantly increased container freight costs", with adjusted EBITDA for the full year forecast to be approximately £15mln, assuming no further impact on trading from COVID-19, which again is ahead of the board's previous expectations.
Provided results in July are in line with these new forecasts, the board has proposed bringing forward a review on the dividend policy, "with a view to recommending a final dividend for FY22".
Elsewhere, OnTheMarket PLC (AIM:OTMP) shares climbed over 3% to 123p after the estate agent-owned website said its operational performance continued to be strong recently and revenues will be ahead of previous expectations.
A profit was forecast for both the half and the full year of the current fiscal period, helped by a switch to capitalising development spending rather than expensing it.
Jason Tebb, chief executive, added: "We are pleased to be reporting a strong performance and further operational progress in keeping with our objective of building a tech-enabled property business."