Investing.com -- Here is a summary of the most important regulatory news releases from the London Stock Exchange on Thursday, 5th December. Please refresh for updates.
Packaging group DS Smith (LON:) said its profit before tax rose 31% to 213 million pounds in the first half of the year ending in April, driven by the rise of online shopping and market share gains in fast-moving consumer goods.
Spread-better IG Group (LON:) said it expects net revenue in the first half of its fiscal year to have been flat at 250 million pounds ($328 million), which translates into a modest underlying gain given that the comparable period included a period of two months before new European regulations hit its core spread=betting business.
Revenue from core markets fell an estimated 6% due to the same factors.
On a brighter note, IG said it served 4% more clients on average. IT also said revenue from “businesses identified as significant opportunities” rose 43% to 40 million pounds, helped by “promising” uptake for its new turbo24 service in Europe, which has attracted 700 clients in less than two months since launching.
Revenue rose 4% to 3.19 billion pounds and CEO Miles Roberts said he expects volume growth to accelerate in the second half of the year, given that its greenfield box plant in Indiana is now operational.
Return on sales rose 110 basis points to 11%, its highest ever. The group raised its interim dividend 4% to 5.4p, on adjusted earnings per share of 17.4p
DS Smith also said it expects the disposal of its plastics business to complete around the year-end, generating net proceeds of 400 million pounds.
Retailer Dunelm Group (LON:) said it expects full-year profit to top its previous expectations, after completing an overhaul of its website without any major disruptions.
The retailer, which has over 100 stores, said it hopes to use the new site to accelerate online offerings,
The company said operational costs remained in line with expectations, while gross margins had been stronger than expected.
- Pharma giant AstraZeneca (LON:) said its Lynparza drug had received regulatory approval in China.
- The drug, which treats ovarian, fallopian tube and peritoneal cancers, already has approval in 65 countries including the EU and the U.S.
- Phase II trials published in The New England Journal of Medicine have shown Lynparza significantly cut disease progression or death by 70% versus placebo.
Profit before tax at investment platform AJ Bell (LON:) rose 33% to 37.7 million pounds in the year to the end of September, allowing the company to raise its dividend to 4.83 pence from 3.70.
The company said the number of retail customers using its platfom rose 19% and said the fundamentals for strong growth are still in place. Assets under administration rose 16% on the platform to 44.9 billion pounds, while the customer retention rate rose to 95.4% from 95.1%.
Separately, AJ Bell said it will donate up to 10 million pounds to charity through a CSR initiative, contingent on it raising earnings per share by 100% over three years and 150% over five years.
