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  • Wickes H1 Revenue Rises 2.1% as Design & Installation Sales Increase 5.7%

    Wickes H1 Revenue Rises 2.1% as Design & Installation Sales Increase 5.7%

    Wickes Group (LSE:WIX) reported a 2.1% increase in revenue to £865.3 million for the 26 weeks ended 27 June 2026, while adjusted profit before tax rose 1.1% to £27.6 million.

    The home improvement retailer reported the increases despite product price deflation and higher costs during the period.

    Retail revenue increased 0.8%, supported by higher volumes, while Design & Installation revenue rose 5.7% as project activity increased.

    Wickes ended the period with net cash of £151.6 million. The company increased its interim dividend by 2.8%.

    TradePro Sales Rise 5%

    Wickes said its retail market share increased during the first half, while Design & Installation recorded its fifth consecutive quarter of revenue growth.

    The number of active TradePro members reached 671,000, with sales through the programme increasing 5% during the period.

    The company also continued its store refit programme and plans for additional locations as it works towards its longer-term target of 300 stores. Wickes currently operates 229 stores.

    Investment in the group’s digital operations also continued during the period. The company has additionally undertaken a campaign focused on tool theft affecting trade customers.

    Wickes Reports Faster Retail Growth in Early Q3

    Wickes said its trading trend improved during the early part of the third quarter, with retail like-for-like revenue growth increasing to the mid-single-digit percentage range.

    The company also plans to implement a productivity programme during the second half and expects to benefit from lower business rates.

    Management expects its customer proposition across the DIY and trade markets to support its aim of outperforming the wider market, although the company noted continued uncertainty in the consumer environment.

    Wickes Group Operations

    Wickes is a UK home improvement retailer serving DIY customers and independent tradespeople through its store network and digital channels.

    Its operations include retail products for building and decorating, the TradePro programme for tradespeople and Design & Installation services covering areas including kitchens, bathrooms and home energy efficiency.

  • Afentra H1 Revenue Reaches $91 Million as Net Cash Stands at $28.4 Million

    Afentra H1 Revenue Reaches $91 Million as Net Cash Stands at $28.4 Million

    Afentra (LSE:AET) reported revenue of $91 million for the first half of 2026 after crude oil liftings of approximately one million barrels, while net average production was 5,777 barrels of oil per day.

    Following the end of the reporting period, the company completed a further lifting in July valued at approximately $38 million.

    Afentra ended June with cash of $97.4 million and net cash of $28.4 million. The company has hedged approximately half of its remaining forecast oil sales for 2026 as well as a portion of expected 2027 volumes.

    Afentra Secures $125 Million Prepayment Facility

    During the period, Afentra secured a $125 million prepayment facility with Gunvor, of which $70 million has been drawn. The company said the facility reduced its cost of debt.

    Afentra also completed a $40 million equity placing, which was described as heavily oversubscribed, alongside a £2 million retail offer.

    The financing is intended to support the company’s drilling and redevelopment activities across its Angolan portfolio.

    Afentra Advances Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A Programme

    Operational activity continued on Afentra’s multi-year redevelopment programme covering offshore Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A. Work included infrastructure upgrades, increased water injection and well interventions.

    At Pacassa SW, the company reported an oil discovery with substantial net oil pay. Afentra said the well will require a sidetrack completion.

    The Impala-1 well was returned to production, while preparations continued for Impala-2, which is targeting production of approximately 4,000 barrels per day. Hydraulic workovers are also planned for early 2027 as part of efforts to increase recovery.

    Afentra Progresses Etu Acquisition and Kwanza Exploration

    Afentra continued work towards completing its acquisition of Etu, which is expected to increase its equity interests in Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A.

    The company also received the formal award of the KON4 licence in Angola’s onshore Kwanza basin.

    In Kwanza, Afentra completed an eFTG geophysical survey, began seismic work and identified multiple exploration leads, including prospects near the Quenguela Norte field.

    Afentra is an AIM-listed upstream oil and gas company with production and development interests in offshore Angola and exploration interests in the onshore Kwanza basin.

  • Mpac Group H1 Order Intake Rises 42.8% as Operating Profit Declines

    Mpac Group H1 Order Intake Rises 42.8% as Operating Profit Declines

    Mpac Group (LSE:MPAC) reported a 42.8% year-on-year increase in order intake to £77.8 million for the first half of 2026, while revenue from original equipment and services declined slightly to £71.0 million.

    The engineering and packaging automation group ended the period with an order book of £80.5 million.

    Underlying operating profit declined during the first half, which the company attributed to margin pressure from price competition and delays in customer investment decisions.

    Services revenue increased 7.1% during the period, with the company reporting that margins in the segment remained at higher levels than those experienced elsewhere in the business.

    Lambert Sale Generates £16 Million

    Following the end of the reporting period, Mpac completed the sale of its Lambert business for gross proceeds of £16 million.

    Net debt stood at £54.0 million at the half-year end and had declined to £43.5 million by August, following the disposal proceeds and subsequent cash movements.

    The company has also terminated the lease on a US facility as part of measures intended to reduce costs.

    Mpac said its project pipeline was larger and developing at a faster rate than at the same stage last year. The group subsequently reported an order book of £82.5 million, which management said provides revenue coverage for the second half.

    Mpac Maintains Full-Year Outlook

    Mpac said trading since it lowered its expectations in June has been in line with the board’s forecasts, and its full-year outlook remains unchanged.

    The company said customer decision-making globally remained slow, while competitive pricing continued to affect margins. Mpac also identified uncertainty surrounding the effect of new US tariffs on Canadian goods as a factor affecting visibility over the timing of a wider market recovery.

    The group remained within its debt covenants and said it continues to focus on working capital management.

    Mpac Group Operations

    Mpac designs, manufactures and supports automation and packaging machinery for customers in the food and beverage and healthcare sectors.

    The group operates through brands including BCA, Langen, Switchback and CSi and provides original equipment and aftermarket services covering areas such as assembly, case packing and palletising. Its operations serve customers across approximately 80 countries.

  • Kistos H1 Pro-Forma EBITDA Reaches $205 Million as Production Rises to 20,800 Boepd

    Kistos H1 Pro-Forma EBITDA Reaches $205 Million as Production Rises to 20,800 Boepd

    Kistos (LSE:KIST) reported first-half 2026 pro-forma EBITDA of approximately $205 million, with production reaching 20,800 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

    The energy company attributed its financial performance in part to commodity prices and higher production. Kistos operated on a fully unhedged basis during the period.

    Cash and near-cash resources increased to $259 million, while adjusted net debt declined to $23 million ahead of the completion of the group’s acquisitions in Oman.

    Kistos Maintains Full-Year Production Guidance

    Kistos reported stable production across its portfolio during the period and maintained its full-year pro-forma production guidance of between 19,000 and 21,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

    In Norway, the group sanctioned the Balder Next New Wells project. Kistos also reported a reserves replacement ratio of 120% following development activity across its portfolio.

    The company completed its acquisition of Oman Blocks 3&4 and expects to complete its Block 9 transaction. It has also undertaken refinancing of bonds at the holding-company level.

    The Oman transactions form part of Kistos’ plans to expand its upstream portfolio.

    Kistos Operations

    Kistos is a London-listed independent energy company with upstream oil and gas interests in Norway, the UK, the Netherlands and Oman.

    The group also operates a gas storage business and has activities spanning upstream production and midstream infrastructure.

  • Eagle Eye Solutions ARR Rises 31% as Net Cash Reaches £16.1 Million

    Eagle Eye Solutions ARR Rises 31% as Net Cash Reaches £16.1 Million

    Eagle Eye Solutions (LSE:EYE) reported a 31% increase in annual recurring revenue excluding the NRS contract to £44.5 million for the year ended 30 June 2026, according to its audited full-year results.

    SaaS revenue excluding NRS also increased 31%, with recurring SaaS revenue accounting for 85% of group revenue. The company had previously lost the NRS contract.

    Year-end net cash increased 31% to £16.1 million.

    Eagle Eye Secures 13 Major Customer Wins

    Eagle Eye reported 13 major customer wins across three continents during the financial year, including new airline and global brand customers.

    New annual recurring revenue generated in the US increased six-fold to £2.7 million. The company’s global OEM partnership also moved into commercial deployment during the period.

    Revenue from EagleAI, the group’s AI-based offering, increased 35% to £7.8 million.

    Eagle Eye said margins improved during the second half of the financial year. Management expects the company to return to double-digit revenue and EBITDA growth in FY27.

    The group is also targeting medium-term revenue of £100 million and an EBITDA margin of 30%. These figures remain management targets rather than forecasts of achieved performance.

    Eagle Eye Solutions Operations

    Eagle Eye provides cloud-based loyalty and promotions technology for customers across sectors including retail, grocery, hospitality and travel.

    Its API-based platform is used to deliver personalised offers and manage loyalty programmes. According to the company, its technology currently executes more than 1.8 billion offers each week and manages over 810 million loyalty wallets.

    The group’s products include loyalty and promotions capabilities alongside EagleAI, which applies artificial intelligence to customer personalisation.

  • IP Group H1 NAV Rises 3.2% as Pfizer Obesity Royalty Asset Reaches £152 Million

    IP Group H1 NAV Rises 3.2% as Pfizer Obesity Royalty Asset Reaches £152 Million

    IP Group (LSE:IPO) reported a 3.2% increase in net asset value per share to 113.9 pence for the first half of 2026, with total NAV reaching £1 billion.

    The investment group ended the period with £239 million in cash and generated £68.7 million from exits, exceeding the amount realised during the whole of 2025. It invested £30 million during the first half.

    IP Group also appointed former 3i chief executive Michael Queen as chair during the period.

    Pfizer Obesity Royalty Asset Valued at £152 Million

    Changes in the valuation of IP Group’s royalty interest linked to Pfizer’s berobenatide obesity programme contributed to the increase in NAV.

    The company valued the royalty asset at £152 million following clinical developments in the programme. These included reported positive clinical data and the progression of a berobenatide and amylin combination into Phase 2b development.

    Pfizer is also undertaking a ten-study Phase 3 programme and is targeting a potential launch in 2028, according to the information provided by IP Group.

    Across IP Group’s wider portfolio, companies raised £543 million from third-party investors during the period. Portfolio companies also reported developments across areas including quantum computing, autonomous mobility, cystic fibrosis and other therapeutic programmes.

    IP Group maintained its target of achieving £250 million in exit realisations by 2027.

    IP Group Expands Third-Party Capital Activities

    The group continued developing its third-party capital operations during the first half, including progress on a managed-account relationship with Aberdeen.

    It also launched an A$50 million Climate Catalyst Fund backed by Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation and reported additional capital raised through Parkwalk.

    Following the end of the reporting period, IP Group said NAV per share had increased to approximately 117 pence. The fair value of its Oxford Nanopore holding increased by £26.4 million, while year-to-date cash proceeds reached £85.8 million.

    IP Group Portfolio

    IP Group is a UK-listed investment company focused on science and technology businesses across HealthTech, DeepTech and CleanTech.

    The group invests directly from its balance sheet and manages third-party capital through partnerships and investment vehicles, including Parkwalk and climate-focused funds. Its portfolio includes equity and royalty interests in companies and technologies at different stages of development.

  • Tertiary Minerals Reports 121 Metres at 78 g/t Silver Equivalent at Mushima North

    Tertiary Minerals Reports 121 Metres at 78 g/t Silver Equivalent at Mushima North

    Tertiary Minerals (LSE:TYM) reported a 121-metre intersection grading 78 grams per tonne silver equivalent from a depth of four metres at the Discovery Zone of its Mushima North Project in Zambia.

    The company described the result as its best silver-copper intersection to date at the Discovery Zone. The drill hole ended in mineralisation.

    Results were reported for 13 additional reverse circulation drill holes, all of which intersected near-surface silver-copper-zinc mineralisation. Several of the holes ended within mineralised zones, indicating that the mineralisation remains open at depth at those locations.

    The latest drilling also returned the highest individual silver assay reported at the project to date, at 471 grams per tonne, alongside multiple copper intervals grading more than 1% over several metres.

    Results to Support Mineral Resource Work

    Tertiary Minerals said the latest results provide additional data relating to its existing near-surface Exploration Target of between 15 million and 30 million tonnes grading 40 to 60 grams per tonne silver equivalent at Target A1.

    An Exploration Target is not a Mineral Resource Estimate, and the company is continuing drilling and evaluation work aimed at determining whether a formal resource can be established.

    Management said the results support its evaluation of the Discovery Zone as a potential bulk-tonnage, open-pit silver project. The mineralisation also contains bismuth, antimony and cobalt, which the company is assessing as potential by-products.

    Additional laboratory assay results remain outstanding and are expected to contribute to the company’s planned Mineral Resource estimation work.

    Tertiary Minerals’ Mushima North Project

    Tertiary Minerals is a mineral exploration company focused on silver, copper and zinc projects.

    Its Mushima North Project in Zambia targets polymetallic mineralisation and is located in the country’s Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold belt, near the historic Kalengwa copper-silver mine.

    Reverse circulation drilling at the Discovery Zone is being used to further evaluate the scale and grade of mineralisation and provide data for planned Mineral Resource estimation work.

  • BRCK Group Maintains Full-Year Outlook as Design & Install Trading Offsets Distribution Pressure

    BRCK Group Maintains Full-Year Outlook as Design & Install Trading Offsets Distribution Pressure

    BRCK Group PLC (LSE:BRCK) said trading during the first five months of its current financial year remained in line with the guidance issued in July, with the board maintaining its expectations for the full year.

    The construction products and services group said near-term market conditions remained challenging, with activity in the UK housebuilding sector subdued. Macroeconomic uncertainty is also limiting visibility over the timing of a recovery in new building activity, according to the company.

    These conditions have affected BRCK’s Distribution division, which is exposed to demand from housebuilding as well as the repair, maintenance and improvement market.

    Design & Install Division Starts Year Ahead of Distribution

    BRCK said its Design & Install division has started the financial year with higher activity, supported by faster approvals from the Building Safety Regulator for cladding remediation projects.

    The performance of the division has helped offset the market pressures affecting Distribution, with the group’s diversified operations providing exposure to different areas of construction activity.

    The board has left its full-year expectations unchanged based on trading during the first five months.

    BRCK plans to publish a trading update covering the six months ending 30 September 2026 towards the end of October.

    BRCK Group Operations

    BRCK Group is a UK-based distributor and provider of specialist products and services to the construction industry.

    The group operates through its Distribution and Design & Install divisions. Distribution is exposed to housebuilding and repair, maintenance and improvement demand, while Design & Install undertakes specialist projects including cladding remediation work.

  • Personal Group H1 Revenue Rises 10% as Adjusted EBITDA Increases 22%

    Personal Group H1 Revenue Rises 10% as Adjusted EBITDA Increases 22%

    Personal Group Holdings (LSE:PGH) reported a 10% increase in group revenue to £25.7 million for the first half of 2026, while adjusted EBITDA rose 22% to £6.7 million.

    The workforce benefits and health insurance provider said more than 90% of group revenue was recurring. Profit before tax increased 21% to £4.6 million, while basic earnings per share rose 28% to 12.3 pence.

    Return on tangible equity was 29.6%. Personal Group remained debt-free at the end of the period and reported cash of £29.4 million.

    Insurance Sales Reach £8.1 Million

    New annualised insurance sales reached a record £8.1 million during the period. Insurance revenue increased 11% to £19.4 million, while annualised premium income rose to £42.4 million.

    The company attributed the performance to factors including higher average premiums and increased penetration among existing clients.

    Revenue from Personal Group’s benefits and reward operations increased 9% to £5.7 million. The company also reported additional customers for its Hapi platform and new partnerships, expanding the number of employees potentially covered by its services.

    Personal Group Raises Interim Dividend

    The board increased the interim dividend by 10% to 9.0 pence per share.

    Management said investments in sales processes, partnerships and digital platforms are beginning to generate operating leverage. The company also reported continued recurring revenue growth and customer retention during the period.

    Personal Group provides workforce benefits and health insurance services in the UK. Its operations include hospital, recovery and death benefit insurance plans, the Hapi employee benefits platform and pay and reward consultancy through its Innecto business.

    The group serves around 1.25 million employees. Its Hapi platform is sold directly to employers and also supports Sage’s employee benefits offering for small and medium-sized businesses.

  • Haydale Advances Graphene Thermal Fluid for Data-Centre Cooling

    Haydale Advances Graphene Thermal Fluid for Data-Centre Cooling

    Haydale (LSE:HAYD) has progressed commercialisation of its patented Super-Efficient Thermal Transfer Fluid, a graphene-based additive intended for use with glycol coolants in data-centre cooling systems.

    The company said the additive increases the thermal conductivity of inhibited glycol by approximately 28%, bringing its thermal performance in line with pure water while retaining the freeze and corrosion protection provided by glycol-based coolants.

    Haydale has entered into supply-chain and route-to-market agreements with Liquitherm and Levidian. The company also said it is in advanced discussions with data-centre operators representing approximately 200 MW of capacity.

    Haydale Reports Live-Silicon Testing Results

    According to Haydale, testing involving live silicon demonstrated thermal performance equivalent to water without observed fouling or viscosity issues.

    The company believes the thermal fluid could allow data-centre operators to increase compute density and reduce energy requirements associated with cooling as rack power and thermal loads increase. These potential benefits remain dependent on deployment and performance in commercial applications.

    Haydale said its Ammanford facility currently has capacity to treat approximately two million litres of coolant annually, which the company estimates is equivalent to coolant requirements for around 2 GW of data-centre capacity.

    Haydale Focuses on Graphene-Based Products

    Haydale is an AIM-quoted advanced materials company developing graphene-enabled products. Following a restructuring in late 2024, the group adopted a product-focused strategy that includes its JustHeat underfloor heating platform and Super-Efficient Thermal Transfer Fluid.

    The company works with commercial partners to develop applications based on its graphene functionalisation technology. Its HDPlas process is used to support production of functionalised graphene materials, with data-centre thermal management among the industrial applications being targeted by the group.