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  • Volution Group FY2026 Revenue Rises 15.7% to £484.8 Million as Operating Margin Reaches 23.2%

    Volution Group FY2026 Revenue Rises 15.7% to £484.8 Million as Operating Margin Reaches 23.2%

    Volution Group (LSE:FAN) reported a 15.7% increase in revenue to £484.8 million for the financial year ended 31 July 2026, supported by growth in Continental Europe and Australasia, alongside contributions from acquisitions.

    The ventilation and indoor air quality products manufacturer recorded a 20.2% increase in adjusted operating profit, with its adjusted operating margin reaching 23.2%. Adjusted earnings per share rose 15.4%, while the full-year dividend increased 18.5%.

    The group reported a return on invested capital (ROIC) of 25.4%, alongside a high level of cash conversion during the reporting period.

    Regional trading reflected differing market conditions across Volution’s operations. Continental Europe and Australasia contributed to revenue growth, while the UK business faced reduced activity in the new-build housing market.

    Acquisitions remained part of the group’s expansion strategy during the financial year. Volution completed the acquisition of AC Industries, extending its operations in Australasia, and subsequently acquired getAir in Germany after the year-end.

    The transactions broaden the company’s presence in ventilation and heat recovery products across its international markets, adding to its existing portfolio of businesses.

    Volution also reported receiving initial orders for data-centre ventilation products in Australia, marking an additional application for its ventilation systems within the non-residential market.

    Products classified by the company as low-carbon accounted for more than 72% of group revenue during the period, reflecting the contribution of energy-efficient ventilation and heat recovery systems to its sales mix.

    Alongside its operational developments, Volution made changes to its regional management structure to support the oversight of its international businesses and acquired operations.

    The company continues to pursue organic expansion and acquisitions across its principal markets, although trading conditions in UK new-build residential construction remain challenging.

    Volution Group is a London-listed designer and manufacturer of ventilation, heat recovery and indoor air quality products. The group operates approximately 30 brands across the UK, Continental Europe and Australasia, supplying residential and non-residential customers.

    Its product portfolio includes mechanical ventilation systems and energy-efficient heat recovery technologies designed to support indoor air quality and building energy performance.

  • Blackbird’s elevate.io Joins Google Chromebook Perks Programme With UK Trial Planned for October

    Blackbird’s elevate.io Joins Google Chromebook Perks Programme With UK Trial Planned for October

    Blackbird plc (LSE:BIRD) has announced that its browser-based video editing platform, elevate.io, has been included in Google’s Chromebook perks programme, with an initial UK trial scheduled for October 2026.

    The arrangement will provide eligible Chromebook users with discounted access to elevate.io subscriptions, introducing the company’s video editing software through Google’s existing Chromebook user benefits programme.

    Elevate.io operates directly through a web browser, allowing users to edit video content without downloading dedicated software or relying on high-performance local computing hardware.

    The platform is designed for content creators, marketing teams and businesses requiring browser-based video production and editing capabilities.

    According to Blackbird, the inclusion of elevate.io in the Chromebook perks programme provides access to a potential international audience of tens of millions of Chromebook users. The company intends to use the arrangement as an additional channel for attracting subscribers to its software platform.

    The initial rollout will take place in the UK during October 2026, with Blackbird planning to assess the results before determining whether to extend the offering to other geographical markets.

    Any subsequent international expansion will depend on the performance of the UK trial. The company has not provided specific subscriber acquisition targets or financial forecasts associated with the initiative.

    Blackbird said the arrangement forms part of its strategy to develop elevate.io as a browser-based video editing service and expand distribution through third-party technology platforms.

    The Chromebook programme represents an additional route for introducing elevate.io to prospective customers as Blackbird continues developing its subscription-based software offering.

    Blackbird plc is a London-listed software-as-a-service company specialising in cloud-based video editing and publishing technology. Its established Blackbird platform serves broadcasters, sports organisations, news providers, rights holders and corporate customers.

    The company’s elevate.io product is aimed at content creators and professional teams seeking online video editing tools, complementing its existing cloud video technology and licensing activities.

  • Ithaca Energy Placed on Fitch Rating Watch Positive Following Canadian Acquisition

    Ithaca Energy Placed on Fitch Rating Watch Positive Following Canadian Acquisition

    Ithaca Energy (LSE:ITH) has announced that Fitch Ratings has placed its BB- long-term issuer default rating on Rating Watch Positive following the company’s recently announced acquisition of offshore Canadian oil and gas assets from Suncor Energy.

    The rating action reflects Fitch’s assessment of the potential impact of the transaction on Ithaca’s operational scale, geographical diversification and exposure to different fiscal and regulatory environments.

    According to Ithaca, Fitch identified the increased size of the group’s asset portfolio and its expansion into Canada as factors supporting the decision. The ratings agency also highlighted Canada’s comparatively stable operating environment and more favourable fiscal regime relative to the UK Continental Shelf.

    A Rating Watch Positive designation indicates that Fitch is considering a potential upgrade to Ithaca’s credit rating. It does not constitute an immediate change to the company’s existing BB- rating.

    Separately, Moody’s reaffirmed Ithaca Energy’s Ba3 corporate credit rating following the announcement of the Canadian transaction, leaving its existing assessment unchanged.

    The two ratings actions follow Ithaca’s agreement to acquire offshore Canadian assets from Suncor Energy, extending the company’s operations beyond its established production and development activities in the UK Continental Shelf.

    Ithaca said the acquisition forms part of its strategy to increase operational scale and diversify its asset base across different geographical markets.

    Management considers the ratings developments consistent with its objectives of expanding the business and establishing a broader production portfolio. Any subsequent change to the company’s credit ratings will depend on the respective agencies’ assessments.

    The acquisition represents an expansion of Ithaca’s offshore exploration and production activities into Canada, adding a second geographical market alongside its existing UK operations.

    Ithaca Energy PLC is a London-listed oil and gas exploration and production company with assets primarily located in the UK Continental Shelf. The company is pursuing geographical diversification through its proposed Canadian acquisition, with a focus on offshore production, development opportunities and long-term cash flow generation.

  • RentGuarantor Signs Two-Year Student Rental Partnership With King’s College London

    RentGuarantor Signs Two-Year Student Rental Partnership With King’s College London

    RentGuarantor Holdings (LSE:RGG) has entered into a two-year partnership with King’s College London to provide professional rent guarantor services to students seeking accommodation in the private rental market.

    Under the agreement, RentGuarantor will act as the university’s professional guarantor partner, offering students access to its services when securing privately rented accommodation, including properties in central London.

    The arrangement covers a student population that includes approximately 20,000 international students, many of whom may not have access to a UK-based individual willing or able to act as a rental guarantor.

    RentGuarantor’s service enables eligible tenants to obtain professional guarantor support when landlords or letting agents require additional financial security as part of a tenancy agreement.

    The partnership comes amid changes to the UK private rental sector under the Renters’ Rights Act, including restrictions on rent payments in advance. According to the company, these changes have increased the relevance of alternative guarantor arrangements for students who cannot provide a UK-based guarantor.

    RentGuarantor said the agreement forms part of its strategy to develop relationships with universities and other institutions, providing access to its services through established student support channels.

    The company identified King’s College London’s international student population and the cost of privately rented accommodation in central London as factors relevant to the partnership.

    The agreement expands RentGuarantor’s institutional relationships and provides an additional channel through which students can apply for its guarantor services. Financial terms of the partnership and any associated revenue expectations were not disclosed in the supplied announcement.

    RentGuarantor Holdings is a UK-based provider of professional rent guarantor services for tenants in the private rental sector, excluding Northern Ireland. The company operates an online application platform designed to process guarantor requests, with a target of completing eligible applications on the same day.

    Its services are intended to support tenants who require a guarantor to secure accommodation, while providing landlords and letting agents with an alternative to traditional personal guarantor arrangements.

  • Bluebird Mining Ventures Cancels Further 19.5 Million Warrants at 0.23 Pence Per Share

    Bluebird Mining Ventures Cancels Further 19.5 Million Warrants at 0.23 Pence Per Share

    Bluebird Mining Ventures (LSE:BMV) has announced the cancellation of a further 19,500,000 warrants exercisable at 0.23 pence per share, continuing a programme to reduce outstanding historic securities and simplify its capital structure.

    The latest cancellation follows earlier warrant reductions completed in April 2026. Together, these actions have reduced the number of warrants in the affected class from 228,260,870 to 108,255,435.

    The reduction decreases the number of shares that could potentially be issued through the exercise of these warrants, lowering the associated potential dilution for existing shareholders.

    According to the company, the remaining warrants exercisable at 0.23 pence per share now represent approximately 3.37% of its issued share capital, compared with 11.34% before the cancellation programme began.

    Bluebird is continuing to review the validity of the outstanding warrants, with the possibility of further cancellations depending on the outcome of that assessment.

    The company said it intends to continue examining historic securities and legacy capital arrangements as part of its broader capital management activities. The review is aimed at simplifying the group’s equity structure and assessing outstanding financial instruments.

    The latest cancellation does not involve the issue of new shares and reduces the number of warrants that could be exercised under the affected historic arrangements.

    Bluebird Mining Ventures is a London-listed company operating across gold streaming, mining and treasury investments. Its business model includes streaming and royalty arrangements involving metals and other assets, with a focus on investment structures that do not necessarily require direct ownership or operation of mining projects.

  • Vodafone Raises VodafoneThree Annual Cost Savings Target to £1 Billion by 2032

    Vodafone Raises VodafoneThree Annual Cost Savings Target to £1 Billion by 2032

    Vodafone Group (LSE:VOD) has increased its annual cost savings target for its UK subsidiary VodafoneThree to £1 billion by the financial year ending March 2032, compared with its previous objective of £700 million by fiscal 2030.

    The telecommunications group outlined the revised target on Thursday as part of its medium-term financial objectives, identifying VodafoneThree as a contributor to its plans for group-wide cash flow growth.

    Vodafone expects adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation after leases (EBITDAaL) at VodafoneThree to increase at a mid-to-high single-digit annual rate between fiscal 2025 and fiscal 2032.

    The company is also targeting more than a threefold increase in operating free cash flow at the UK business by fiscal 2032, measured against its fiscal 2025 baseline.

    The revised financial objectives follow Vodafone’s acquisition of the remaining 49% interest in VodafoneThree from former joint venture partner CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holding for £4.3 billion in July 2026.

    VodafoneThree was established in 2025 through the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK, combining the two operators into a single telecommunications business. The July transaction gave Vodafone full ownership of the merged entity.

    According to Vodafone, the UK operation has maintained commercial momentum since the merger. The group expects further cost savings and earnings growth at VodafoneThree to contribute to its broader medium-term financial targets.

    At group level, Vodafone is aiming to achieve double-digit organic growth in adjusted free cash flow over the medium term, with the UK subsidiary expected to play a role in meeting that objective.

    The updated targets establish VodafoneThree’s planned cost savings, profitability growth and cash generation through fiscal 2032, following the integration of the former Vodafone UK and Three UK operations.

  • Futura Medical Appoints Interim CFO as Finance Director Steps Down During Sale Process

    Futura Medical Appoints Interim CFO as Finance Director Steps Down During Sale Process

    Futura Medical (LSE:FUM) has announced changes to its finance leadership and corporate governance arrangements as the company continues its strategic review and formal sale process.

    Angela Hildreth, currently Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer, will step down from her executive positions in mid-November 2026. She will remain on the company’s board as a non-executive director while the strategic review continues.

    Futura has appointed Maddy Kennedy as interim Chief Financial Officer. Kennedy has experience in financial management within the life sciences sector and will assume responsibility for the company’s finance function during the transition.

    The company has also engaged ESGovernance to provide outsourced company secretarial services, adding external support for its corporate governance and administrative requirements.

    The management changes come as Futura progresses its ongoing merger and acquisition discussions and formal sale process. According to the company, the process has attracted significant interest from potential counterparties, with detailed information memoranda being distributed to prospective bidders.

    Futura expects to receive non-binding offers over the coming weeks as interested parties assess the business and its commercial operations.

    The company emphasised that there is no certainty the process will result in a transaction. The board said it remains focused on progressing the strategic review with the objective of preserving and realising value for shareholders.

    The formal sale process represents a potential change in ownership or corporate structure for Futura, although no agreement has been announced and the outcome remains undetermined.

    Futura Medical is a UK-based consumer healthcare company specialising in sexual health products. Its principal commercial product, Eroxon, is an over-the-counter topical gel developed for erectile dysfunction. The company’s development portfolio also includes WSD4000 and Eroxon Intense, targeting female sexual dysfunction and other sexual health applications.

    Futura operates through licensing and distribution agreements across international markets, with its commercial and development activities focused on consumer sexual healthcare.

  • Rainbow Rare Earths Appoints Ashleigh Woolf as Non-Executive Director Following Darryll Castle Resignation

    Rainbow Rare Earths Appoints Ashleigh Woolf as Non-Executive Director Following Darryll Castle Resignation

    Rainbow Rare Earths (LSE:RBW) has announced the appointment of Ashleigh Woolf as a non-executive director following the resignation of Darryll Castle, who served on the board as a nominee of major shareholder TechMet.

    Woolf currently serves as Chief Legal Officer at TechMet and has more than 15 years of experience across mergers and acquisitions, private equity, corporate law and regulatory compliance in multiple jurisdictions.

    The appointment maintains TechMet’s representation on Rainbow’s board as the company progresses development activities at its two principal rare earth projects, Phalaborwa in South Africa and Uberaba in Brazil.

    Woolf’s professional background includes legal and compliance responsibilities relevant to corporate transactions and investment activities. Her appointment comes as Rainbow continues work on projects intended to supply rare earth materials to industrial markets.

    The board change follows Castle’s departure from his position as a TechMet-nominated director. Rainbow has presented the appointment as consistent with its ongoing corporate governance and project development activities.

    Rainbow is advancing its Phalaborwa and Uberaba projects using a processing approach designed to recover rare earth elements from phosphogypsum, a by-product of fertiliser production. The process is intended to extract rare earth materials from existing phosphogypsum deposits rather than through conventional mining and initial ore processing.

    The company is targeting the production of rare earth materials for Western supply chains, including applications in industrial manufacturing, energy transition technologies and defence equipment.

    Rainbow Rare Earths is a London-listed mineral development company focused on rare earth recovery projects in South Africa and Brazil. Its development strategy centres on processing phosphogypsum resources to produce rare earth raw materials for downstream industrial use.

  • Foresight Group Reports £13.0 Billion AUM and £9.1 Billion FUM for First Half

    Foresight Group Reports £13.0 Billion AUM and £9.1 Billion FUM for First Half

    Foresight Group (LSE:FSG) reported assets under management (AUM) of £13.0 billion for the six months ended 30 September 2026, broadly unchanged over the period, while funds under management (FUM) increased modestly to £9.1 billion as new fundraising offset the impact of a partial investment realisation.

    The investment manager continued to focus on its private markets operations following the disposal of its public markets division. The company also reported a high proportion of recurring revenue and continued profitable, cash-generative operations.

    During the first half, Foresight raised £224 million through retail investment vehicles, which the company identified as offering higher margins. In Australia, the group secured a A$75 million commitment for its Australian Renewables Income Fund, adding to its fundraising activity across real asset investment strategies.

    Portfolio activity included a partial realisation of the group’s investment in Kinetic, an Australian mass transit operator. The transaction reduced FUM by £134 million and generated performance fees for Foresight.

    The Kinetic transaction also involved the establishment of a A$660 million continuation vehicle, which the company reported was oversubscribed. The arrangement forms part of Foresight’s ongoing management of its private markets investment portfolio.

    Elsewhere, the group completed further realisations within its private equity portfolio during the reporting period, alongside continued fundraising and investment management activity.

    Foresight also maintained its share buyback programme as part of its capital allocation activities. The company identified the programme as contributing to earnings per share and supporting its shareholder distribution policy.

    The half-year update reflects Foresight’s increased concentration on private markets following the sale of its public markets business, with its investment activities spanning infrastructure, renewable energy and private equity.

    Foresight Group Holdings Ltd is a FTSE 250-listed investment manager operating across the UK, Europe and Australia. Founded in 1984, the group manages capital for institutional and retail investors, with investment strategies covering energy transition, decarbonisation, nature recovery and financing for small and medium-sized businesses.

  • Logistics Development Group Rejects DBAY Takeover Proposal at 20 Pence Per Share

    Logistics Development Group Rejects DBAY Takeover Proposal at 20 Pence Per Share

    Logistics Development Group plc (LSE:LDG) has rejected a revised potential cash takeover proposal from existing shareholder DBAY Advisors, after its independent directors concluded that the proposed price of 20 pence per share undervalued the company.

    The approach was initially made on an unsolicited and indicative basis at 19 pence per share for the remaining issued share capital of Logistics Development Group. DBAY subsequently increased the proposed consideration to 20 pence per share in cash through a revised draft proposal.

    Following a review of the terms with its advisers and consultation with a major independent shareholder, the company’s independent directors unanimously decided not to support the revised approach.

    The board’s decision reflects its assessment that the proposed consideration does not adequately represent the value of Logistics Development Group. No firm takeover offer has been announced.

    Under the UK Takeover Code, DBAY has until 5 November 2026 to announce a firm intention to make an offer or confirm that it does not intend to proceed. The deadline follows the company’s disclosure of the approach and its entry into a formal offer period.

    The offer period also brings relevant disclosure requirements under the Takeover Code, including obligations applicable to certain shareholders and other parties holding interests in the company’s securities.

    The potential transaction remains subject to DBAY’s decision on whether to submit a formal offer. The rejection of the indicative proposal does not establish whether a further approach will be made.

    Logistics Development Group is an AIM-listed investment company focused on logistics and related infrastructure businesses. Its investment activities provide exposure to companies operating across transportation, supply chain management and associated services.