Author: Fiona Craig

  • One Media iP improves profits as TCAT disposal sharpens focus on music rights

    One Media iP improves profits as TCAT disposal sharpens focus on music rights

    One Media iP Group (LSE:OMIP) reported stronger profitability for the year ended 31 October 2025, despite a slight dip in revenue, as cost-control measures and the sale of its non-core TCAT business supported earnings. EBITDA increased to £2.1 million, operating profit rose to £1.2 million and profit before tax reached £0.9 million. Basic earnings per share from continuing operations surged by 80%, while net debt declined, helped by lower administrative expenses and reduced losses from discontinued operations.

    Strategically, the company has tightened its focus on its core music intellectual property activities following the TCAT divestment. As part of the transaction, One Media retained a 5% shareholding in TCAT’s buyer, Round Group, and secured an exclusive licence for a major classic rock podcast catalogue to expand its digital content offering. Growth in YouTube views and subscriber numbers, renewed media interest in its Take That-related rights and continued expansion in music streaming are expected to support the group’s strategy centred on catalogue management, disciplined margins and scalable digital distribution. The board has chosen to suspend dividends for now in order to preserve capital and maintain flexibility for potential corporate opportunities.

    The company’s outlook is shaped mainly by its financial performance, which reflects declining revenue and profitability but stronger cash flow management. Technical indicators suggest negative momentum in the share price, while valuation metrics remain weak due to negative earnings. The absence of recent earnings call information or major corporate developments means these factors do not currently influence the overall assessment.

    More about One Media iP

    One Media iP Group Plc is an AIM-listed digital music rights acquirer, publisher and distributor based in London. The company manages a catalogue of more than 400,000 tracks and monetises its intellectual property through global digital platforms such as Apple Music, YouTube, Amazon and Spotify, as well as through film and television synchronisation opportunities.

  • Babcock secures interim MOD deal ahead of long-term submarine support contract

    Babcock secures interim MOD deal ahead of long-term submarine support contract

    Babcock International (LSE:BAB) has agreed a six-month bridging contract with the UK Ministry of Defence under the Future Maritime Support Programme, ensuring continuity of naval base operations and nuclear submarine support services after the previous five-year FMSP contract expired on 31 March 2026. The arrangement is accompanied by a Letter of Intent that reinforces Babcock’s long-term strategic partnership with the MOD and the Royal Navy, reflecting the company’s position as the sole provider of in-service support for the UK’s submarine fleet.

    The interim agreement is expected to transition into a new long-term contract aligned with the UK’s Strategic Defence Review and Defence Industrial Strategy. The upcoming framework is set to support expanded activity at the Clyde and Devonport naval bases while enabling the transition from the current Vanguard-class nuclear deterrent submarines to the next-generation Dreadnought class. Both Babcock and MOD officials said the deal helps maintain operational resilience across the submarine fleet while supporting continued investment in skills, infrastructure and local communities, reinforcing the UK’s sovereign defence industrial capabilities.

    Babcock’s outlook is supported by strengthening financial performance and a recent earnings update that reaffirmed margin targets alongside solid cash generation. While technical indicators point to a well-established upward share price trend, they also suggest the stock may be overbought in the near term. Valuation metrics remain a potential constraint, with a relatively elevated P/E ratio and a modest dividend yield.

    More about Babcock International

    Babcock International Group PLC is a UK-based defence services company providing critical support to the Royal Navy, including naval base management and in-service support for the UK’s nuclear submarine fleet. The group operates major facilities at His Majesty’s Naval Bases Clyde and Devonport, as well as the Devonport Royal Dockyard, making it a key provider of sovereign maritime defence capabilities for the United Kingdom.

  • Derwent London updates total voting rights and issued share capital

    Derwent London updates total voting rights and issued share capital

    Derwent London plc (LSE:DLN) has confirmed that its issued share capital consists of 112,297,122 ordinary shares with a nominal value of 5 pence each. All of these shares carry voting rights, and none are currently held in treasury. Accordingly, the company’s total voting rights also amount to 112,297,122, which serves as the official reference figure shareholders should use when determining whether they must disclose changes in their holdings under the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s transparency and disclosure requirements.

    The announcement establishes the denominator used for regulatory reporting, enabling investors and other stakeholders to calculate their ownership positions against the company’s full voting share base. By confirming that no shares are held in treasury, Derwent London highlights that every issued share currently contributes to shareholder voting rights, an important consideration for institutions monitoring disclosure thresholds and governance obligations.

    Derwent London’s outlook is supported by signs of improving financial performance and a broadly positive management outlook centred on shareholder returns. This includes upgraded estimated rental value guidance, continued leasing activity and capital recycling initiatives. These factors are balanced by weaker technical indicators, including negative momentum and a bearish price trend, alongside near-term earnings pressure stemming from higher financing costs and significant development capital expenditure.

    More about Derwent London plc REIT

    Derwent London plc is a UK real estate investment trust focused on the ownership, management and development of commercial property, primarily in central London. Its portfolio is largely made up of office and mixed-use buildings, positioning the company as a specialist landlord serving institutional and corporate tenants in key London sub-markets.

  • Shearwater announces board change as trading remains in line with expectations

    Shearwater announces board change as trading remains in line with expectations

    Shearwater Group plc (LSE:SWG), a provider of cybersecurity advisory and managed security services, has confirmed that Non-Executive Director Giles Willits has stepped down from the board effective 1 April 2026 after serving the company for more than ten years. The change follows the earlier appointment of Robin Southwell as chair, a transition the board says has been smooth and has strengthened leadership continuity at the company.

    The group has now started an advanced search process to appoint a new Non-Executive Director, reflecting its ongoing emphasis on maintaining strong governance and board oversight. At the same time, management said business performance continues to track market expectations, with new contract opportunities advancing through the pipeline. The company noted that it is entering the second half of FY26 with growing confidence in its strategy and its ability to meet its stated goals, providing reassurance for investors and stakeholders.

    Shearwater’s outlook is currently weighed down by weaker financial quality, including ongoing operating losses and declining free cash flow despite strong revenue growth. These factors are partially balanced by favourable short-term technical signals, with the share price trading above the 20-day and 50-day moving averages and a positive MACD indicator. Valuation metrics remain limited by a negative P/E ratio due to losses and the absence of a reported dividend yield.

    More about Shearwater

    Shearwater Group plc is a UK-based provider of cybersecurity, managed security, and professional advisory services operating globally. Its portfolio includes identity and access management, data protection, cybersecurity technologies, managed security services, and governance, risk and compliance solutions. The company is pursuing a buy-and-build strategy to expand its capabilities, and its shares trade on AIM under the ticker SWG.

  • Billington wins £50m of new work as order book supports 2026 visibility

    Billington wins £50m of new work as order book supports 2026 visibility

    Billington Holdings (LSE:BILN) has been awarded approximately £50 million in new contracts spanning sectors such as carbon capture, education, transport, cultural venues, semiconductor manufacturing and data centres. Most of the projects are expected to be delivered during 2026, with some extending into 2027. The latest awards include Tubecon’s largest bridge contract to date, alongside new customer relationships in the carbon capture and semiconductor industries, reflecting rising demand linked to low-carbon energy and data infrastructure.

    Management noted that the expanded order pipeline provides confidence that the group can deliver performance in line with market expectations for 2026, despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and continued pressure on margins. After closing its Yate manufacturing facility, Billington has streamlined operations and expanded capacity at its Barnsley sites to support future project demand. The company plans to provide further updates when it releases its 2025 results and hosts an online investor presentation in April.

    Billington’s outlook is primarily supported by strong financial performance and an attractive valuation profile. Healthy profitability and low levels of debt contribute to solid financial stability. At the same time, technical indicators point to potentially overbought share conditions, while recent corporate developments illustrate both the challenges facing the sector and the company’s positioning for continued growth.

    More about Billington Holdings

    Billington Holdings is a UK-based engineering group focused on structural steel solutions and construction safety systems, serving customers across the UK and Europe. The company specialises in complex structural projects and aims to develop long-term client partnerships in sectors that require high levels of technical expertise and professional standards.

  • Prospex Energy gains Polish gas exploration licence in strategic European expansion

    Prospex Energy gains Polish gas exploration licence in strategic European expansion

    Prospex Energy (LSE:PXEN) has been awarded the San onshore gas exploration licence in southern Poland through its wholly owned subsidiary PXEN Tatra, marking the company’s expansion into a third European country. The licensing process for the nearby Dunajec area is still underway, and Prospex intends to deploy modern imaging and development technologies in this established gas-producing region to help accelerate exploration success and potential production.

    The company will initially control a 100% working interest in the San licence and, if granted, the Dunajec licence as well. Both lie within the Carpathian foredeep, a region known for its significant gas resources and well-developed infrastructure. Prospex plans to attract joint venture partners as part of its investment-led operating model, with the Polish assets expected to become important growth opportunities as European demand for gas continues to increase.

    Prospex’s investment profile is currently weighed down by weak financial fundamentals, including ongoing operating losses and several years of negative operating and free cash flow, although the company maintains a relatively low level of debt. Technical indicators also remain negative, with the share price trading below key moving averages and showing a bearish MACD signal. Valuation metrics appear stretched as well, reflected in a very high P/E ratio and the absence of a dividend yield.

    More about Prospex Energy

    Prospex Energy is an AIM-listed investment company focused on oil, gas, and power projects across Europe. The group targets undervalued onshore and shallow offshore opportunities with relatively short timelines to production, applying cost-efficient re-evaluation techniques to reduce exploration risk and quickly scale gas output to support future development.

  • Smiths Group finalises £1.3bn Interconnect divestment and unveils large share buyback

    Smiths Group finalises £1.3bn Interconnect divestment and unveils large share buyback

    Smiths Group (LSE:SMIN) has finalised the divestment of its Smiths Interconnect unit to Molex Electronic Technologies Holdings, part of Koch, completing a deal that was initially announced in October 2025. The transaction aligns with Smiths’ strategy to concentrate on its core high-performance industrial engineering businesses while transferring the Interconnect operations to an owner with deeper roots in electronic technologies.

    The sale delivers roughly £1.3 billion in cash proceeds. Of this amount, £1 billion will be distributed to shareholders through a share buyback programme currently underway. The remaining capital will be directed toward growth initiatives expected to create value and toward reinforcing the company’s balance sheet. Management views the move as a way to release capital from non-core activities and redeploy it into higher-return opportunities to support long-term shareholder value.

    Smiths’ investment outlook continues to be supported by strong profitability, solid cash generation, and a stable balance sheet, alongside expectations for earnings growth and continued shareholder distributions. However, these positives are balanced by weaker technical indicators, including a downward price trend and bearish MACD signals, as well as a relatively elevated P/E ratio despite a moderate dividend yield.

    More about Smiths Group plc

    Smiths Group is a London-listed industrial engineering company with a history spanning 175 years and operations across more than 50 countries. The group develops engineering solutions serving the energy, industrial, construction, and aerospace sectors, with technologies designed to address global challenges such as decarbonisation and increasing demand for efficient industrial and energy systems.

  • Tate & Lyle CEO Nick Hampton expected to step down after eight years

    Tate & Lyle CEO Nick Hampton expected to step down after eight years

    Nick Hampton, chief executive of Tate & Lyle (LSE:TATE), is preparing to leave his role after eight years leading the company, according to a report by Sky News on Tuesday citing industry sources.

    The report said the food ingredients group has been working with executive search firms for several months to identify a successor, with Hampton potentially stepping down as early as this year.

    Hampton joined Tate & Lyle in 2014 as chief financial officer before being promoted to chief executive in April 2018.

    Since he took over as CEO, Tate & Lyle shares have declined by roughly 34%, including a 42.3% drop in 2025 alone.

    Earlier this year, in February, the company warned that both revenue and core profit are expected to fall by a low single-digit percentage for the financial year ending March 31.

    Tate & Lyle supplies ingredients for Splenda, the widely used non-sugar sweetener found in products such as Diet Coke and other sugar-free beverages.

  • Wall Street Set for Higher Open as Reports Suggest Trump May End Iran Conflict: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Futures

    Wall Street Set for Higher Open as Reports Suggest Trump May End Iran Conflict: Dow Jones, S&P, Nasdaq, Futures

    U.S. stock futures are pointing to a strong opening on Tuesday, indicating that equities could rebound early in the session after reversing course during the previous day’s trading.

    Initial buying interest may stem from reports suggesting President Donald Trump is considering bringing the Middle East conflict to a close.

    The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump told advisers he would be willing to halt the U.S. military campaign against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains mostly closed.

    According to administration officials cited by the WSJ, Trump and his team believe that a military effort to reopen the strait could extend the conflict beyond the president’s preferred four-to-six-week timeframe.

    The officials told the newspaper that the U.S. would instead attempt to pressure Tehran through diplomatic channels to restore shipping through the waterway. If that approach fails, Washington could encourage regional allies to take the lead.

    Trump appeared to echo the report in a Truth Social post Tuesday morning urging allies to “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”

    “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump said. “Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”

    During Monday’s session, stocks initially surged but gradually lost momentum as trading progressed. Major indices pulled back from their intraday highs, with both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 closing in negative territory.

    The Nasdaq dropped 153.72 points, or 0.7%, to end at 20,794.64, while the S&P 500 declined 25.13 points, or 0.4%, finishing at 6,343.72. Both indices recorded their lowest closing levels in nearly eight months.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the trend, edging up 49.50 points, or 0.1%, to 45,216.14 after briefly dipping into negative territory late in the session.

    Part of the early strength on Monday was driven by bargain hunting, as investors sought to buy stocks following recent declines.

    Optimistic remarks from President Trump regarding the Middle East situation also helped spark early buying.

    In a Truth Social post, Trump said the United States had made “great progress” in talks with a “new, and more reasonable, regime” aimed at ending military operations in Iran.

    He also warned that if negotiations fail, the U.S. would “conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)”

    However, investor sentiment weakened later in the session as oil prices continued climbing amid ongoing concerns about the conflict’s impact on global energy supply.

    U.S. crude oil futures jumped more than 3% on the day, closing above $100 per barrel for the first time since July 2022.

    Semiconductor stocks led the declines, pushing the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index down 4.2% to its lowest closing level in nearly three months.

    Computer hardware and networking stocks also suffered notable losses, weighing heavily on the tech-focused Nasdaq.

    Despite the rally in oil prices, oil services companies also declined, with the Philadelphia Oil Service Index falling 3.3%.

    Airline stocks were another area of weakness, while biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies posted solid gains.

  • European stocks advance on hopes of a potential end to U.S. operations in Iran: DAX, CAC, FTSE100

    European stocks advance on hopes of a potential end to U.S. operations in Iran: DAX, CAC, FTSE100

    European equity markets moved higher on Tuesday following reports that the Trump administration may be prepared to conclude U.S. military operations against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely shut.

    The British pound traded little changed after new data confirmed that the U.K. economy recorded only minimal growth in the fourth quarter.

    According to final figures from the Office for National Statistics, gross domestic product expanded by 0.1% quarter-on-quarter, matching the initial estimate. The result followed the same 0.1% growth recorded in the third quarter.

    In Germany, separate data showed that retail sales declined in February, largely due to weaker food purchases, while the country’s unemployment total remained unchanged in March.

    Market indices across the region posted gains. France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.6%, while both the FTSE 100 in the U.K. and Germany’s DAX rose 0.9%.

    Shares of Ashmore Group (LSE:ASHM) rallied after Japan Post Insurance said it plans to acquire up to a 2.9% stake in the British asset manager and commit $1 billion to emerging market funds managed by Ashmore.

    Pharmaceutical company Sanofi (EU:SAN) also surged after receiving conditional marketing authorization from the European Commission for Rezurock.

    Rail manufacturer Alstom (EU:ALO) jumped after securing an $800 million portion of a $2.75 billion multinational systems contract covering the AMECA region.

    In London, Domino’s Pizza Group (LSE:DOM) shares advanced after the company confirmed that interim chief executive Nicola Frampton will take the role permanently.

    Unilever (LSE:ULVR) also traded higher after the consumer goods giant said it was in advanced discussions to combine its food business with spice producer McCormick.

    Meanwhile in Paris, shares of Casino Group (EU:CO) dropped sharply after the retailer outlined key elements of new proposals aimed at restructuring and strengthening its financial position.