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AQUIS STOCK EXCHANGE

Hargreaves Lansdown has added stocks in the Access segment of the Aquis Stock Exchange to its electronic trading platform.

Wine maker Chapel Down Group (CDGP) says interim revenues are in line with the same time last year due to the disappointing 2021 harvest. This year’s harvest should be better and full year revenues are expected to be higher. Price increases should help to improve margins. Net cash was £3.76m at the end of June 2022. Net assets are 19.5p a share. Five directors bought shares at between 19.6p and 19.9p a share.

Samarkand (SMK) says trading is in line with expectations in the year to March 2022. Revenues are estimated at £16.5m and the loss at £8.3m. There was £4m in the bank at the end of March 2022. Samarkand provides e-commerce technology and services to clients that wish to access the Chinese market. Trading has been hampered by Covid lockdowns. Management says that trading conditions are improving, although 2022-23 revenues are likely to be flat. Margins should improve.

Clean Invest Africa (CIA) says that clan coal business CoalTech has commenced commercial coal production in South Africa, and it will initially build up production to 3,500 tonnes/month. Production is expected to double in 2023. That could be enough to eventually generate annual net profit of $1.2m.

Ecotricity has increased its stake in Good Energy (GOOD) from 26.1% to 27.2%.

CBD products supplier Love Hemp Group (LIFE) is in discussions with a replacement corporate adviser so that the trading suspension of the shares can be ended. Executive chairman Andrew Male has moved to a non-exec role. Garry Cook has stepped down from the board and replaced by Anthony Dyer.

Invinity Energy Systems (IES) says that the world’s largest hybrid energy storage system, incorporating a 5 MWh Invinity Vanadium Flow battery, was launched at the Energy Superhub Oxford. Jonathan Marren has been appointed as chief development officer, having previously been a non-exec director.

Valereum (VLRM) reported an increased loss of £1.84m for 2021. There is still £1.43m in cash anies, v,ld net assets were £2.51m at the end of 2021.

Forbes Ventures (FOR) has decided that the litigation funding securitisation will not go ahead. Peter Moss, the director handling the deal, has resigned and Forbes Ventures is seeking to recover costs. A potential acquisition is being negotiated.

IamFire (FIRE) has an option to subscribe for up to £3.75m in convertible loan notes in WeShop Holdings Ltd. It paid £250,000 for this option. The conversion price is 100p a share. WeShop has launched its social network shopping platform, which offers shares with every purchase – initially 20% of the purchase price.

AQRU (AQRU) has appointed First Sentinel as corporate adviser and Tennyson Securities as broker. They replace Novum Securities. The decentralised finance-focused incubator has launched AQRU Trend, a high-return strategy optimised for cryptocurrencies designed for small investors to access competitive returns in the crypto market. It is available through the AQRU.io platform.

All Star Minerals has changed its name to Marula Mining (LON: MARU) and consolidated 100 shares into one new share.

Macaulay Capital expects to join Aquis on 22 July. It intends to originate and manage corporate transactions and invest its own funds, in shares and loan stock, along with other investors. Macaulay will earn an arrangement fee, an annual director fee for supplying a director to the investee company and an annual management fee of 2% a year for five years once third-party investors have been repaid their initial investment – payable by the investors. There is also a potential performance fee if returns are better than the threshold set.

Shore Capital has been appointed broker to Arbuthnot Banking (ARBB).

BWA Group (BWAP) has issued 3.35 million shares at 0.5p each in order to satisfy directors fees.

AIM

Immediate Acquisition acquired new bank Fiinu (BANK) for £37.5m in shares at 20p each, which is the same price as in the placing price that raised £8.01m. Pro forma net assets are £11.7m, including £11.2m in cash. Fiinu intends to invest £2.3m of the cash raised in further technology development and £6.6m will provide regulatory capital. Fiinu has developed the Plugin Overdraft, which provides customers with an overdraft facility without the requirement to switch banks. When someone applies for the overdraft via the Fiinu app they give permission for Fiinu to access their account details at their bank. Fiinu can then assess whether they meet the requirements for access to the Plugin Overdraft. Fiinu will take deposits on fixed-terms, and these will fund shorter term lending via the Plugin Overdraft.

In the year to March 2022, Mercia Asset Management (MERC) increased its NAV from 40p a share to 45.6p a share, thanks to valuation increases in some of its direct investments. The investment manager had Assets under management of £959.2m at the end of March 2022 and this has subsequently risen above £1bn following VCT fundraisings. The dividend has been raised from 0.3p a share to 0.5p a share. There is cash and short-term investments of £61.3m.

CML Microsystems (CML) improved full year revenues from £12.5m to £17m, underlying pre-tax profit doubled from £1.1m to £2.2m. The investment in technology development is starting to pay off with design wins for internet of things, 5G and satellite products. These design wins will be making significant contributions in two years. Net cash is £24.6m and the dividend was raised from 9p a share to 10.8p a share. A 2022-23 pre-tax profit of £2.5m is forecast with cost rises offset by increasing volumes.

Fashion retailer Quiz (QUIZ) reported a strong recovery in revenues from £39.7m to £78.4m and it moved back into profit last year. Revenues are still much lower than pre-pandemic levels, but the £800,000 pre-tax profit is similar to the level prior to Covid-19. There were £1m of government grants included in income in the year to March 2022. There was an operating cash inflow of £5.3m and net cash was £4.4m. There was a strong recovery in UK stores revenues, but online also grew. Price rises will help to maintain gross margin. First quarter sales are 62% ahead at £27.3m and there could be further improvement in profit this year as long as overheads are controlled.

Iodine producer Iofina (IOF) has secured debt funding for expanding capacity. There were 234 metric tonnes of iodine produced in the first half of 2022. Second half production should be between 255-275 MT. Iodine prices are higher than $70/kg.

Shares in parcel and freight delivery company DX (DX.) remain suspended, but it believes that its 2020-21 accounts and the corporate governance investigation could be finalised before the end of September. Trading remained strong in 2021-22 and net cash is £27m. That could provide scope for dividends or some other way of returning cash to shareholders.

D4T4 Solutions (D4T4) is paying a 12.5p a share special dividend following better than expected figures for the year to March 2022. The underlying pre-tax profit declined from £4.4m to £3.3m as a move towards a subscription model delayed revenue recognition. Annual recurring revenues were £14m by the end of the period.

Stripping out flotation related costs, 4Global (4GBL) made an operating profit before government grants. The sports data and analysis company increased revenues from £2.68m to £3.64m, which is around pre-Covid levels.

Cambium Global Timber (TREE) is holding a general meeting on 3 August to gain shareholder approval to cancel the AIM quotation and wind up the company. There is £5.47m in the bank and a further £1.5m of deferred consideration is due. Cost reductions will be made and there will be an initial distribution of 6.5p a share. There could be a second distribution of 1.5p a share.

MAIN MARKET

Kitchenware retailer ProCook Group (PROC) made a pre-tax profit of £9.5m on revenues of £69.1m last year. That was in line with downgraded expectations. The dividend is 0.9p a share. Like-for-like revenues have fallen by 16% so far this year, but there are short-term indications that the market could be improving. ProCook continues to win market share, but pre-tax profit is likely to be lower this year.

Spiritus Mundi (SPMU) is a cash shell seeking acquisitions in the clinical diagnostics sector and it has directors with experience in this area. A subscription raised £280,000 at 5p a share and along with previous share issues, this means that there is around £1m of cash available. Pro forma assetd are just over 2p a share.

Data integrity and control software provider Gresham Technologies (GHT) says interim revenues were 56% higher at £23.1m, including a full six-month contribution from Electra Information Systems, which was acquired in June 2021. Organic revenue growth was 19%. Clareti software annual recurring revenues are £25.9m. Net cash is £6.4m. The interims will be announced on 26 July.

Andrew Hore