Morning Eyecatchers: Chloride agrees 325p-a-share bid from ABB

Aggreko full-year to be better than expected, WH Smith Q3 sales hit by ash cloud disruption and Rockhopper confirms placing to raise £48.5 million.

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by Phil Cozens on Jun 08, 2010 at 07:52

* Chloride board agrees to recommend all-cash offer of approximately £860 million, or 325p-a-share from ABB of Switzerland

* Aggreko group revenue in constant currency sand excluding pass-through fuel will grow by around 10%; first-half trading profit will grow by about 20%; expect to secure top orders for a record 900 mw of new work in the first half; in the local business, encouraging pick-up in both power and temperature control volumes; local business revenues in the first half will increase by about 16%; performance for the year as a whole will be significantly better than anticipated; fleet capital expenditure will be around £265 million in the year

* Rockhopper placing 17,320,000 new ord shares at 280p to raise £48.5 million to progress current drilling programme in the North Falkland Basin

* Compass Group acquires Southeast Service Corporation in North America for a cash consideration of £45 million

* WH Smith total group sales in the first 14 weeks of the second half were down 3%; like-for-like sales down 4% compared to same period last year; high street like-for-like sales were down 4%; travel like-for-like sales were down 4%; financial position is in line with market expectations and balance sheet remains strong; continue to be cautious about consumer spending; remain confident in the outcome for full year; appoints Walker Boyd non-executive chairman

* Umeco year profit down 13%

* Charles Stanley full-year profit up 10% at £13.7 million; revenue for year £115 million vs £101.8 million, up 13%; funds under management and administration £12.8 billion vs £9 billion; total dividend increased by 8% to 9.45p; more confident about outlook

* Walker Crips full-year pre-tax profit up 39%; markets improved

* William Morrison appoints Richard Hodgson commercial director

* Amino Technologies set-top box contract with Romtelecom

* Brooks Macdonald makes 2.25p-a-share cash bid, £4 million, for Braemar Group; Braemar reduces full-year loss

* Synchronica revenues increased to £3.83 million vs £3.71 million; gross profits up 80% to £3.67 million; administrative costs down to £6,91 million from £8.5 million; loss before tax halved at £3.22 million; loss per share 0.6p vs loss 2.9p; cash position of £2.63 million vs £3.49 million, before £2.79 million (gross) placing post period end