The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers among London Main Market small-caps on Wednesday.
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SMALL-CAP - WINNERS
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International Personal Finance PLC, up 13% at 108 pence, 12-month range 62.8p-124.4p. The company, which offers small, unsecured cash loans, reports a ‘very good financial performance’ in 2022, as it increases dividends to 9.2p per share from 8.0p a year ago. Revenue rises 18% to £645.5 million from £548.7 million, with pretax profit up 14% to £77.4 million from £67.7 million. ‘All three divisions have made a good start to 2023 with no discernible impact from cost-of-living increases on customer demand or repayment performance,’ the firm says.
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ME Group International PLC, up 6.9% at 135.2p, 12-month range 56.7p-138.67p. The instant-service equipment firm formerly known as Photo-Me International says pretax profit in the year that ended October 31 jumps 87% year-on-year to £53.4 million from £28.6 million. Says performance driven by higher demand and prices in Europe, UK and Ireland, especially for photobooth and laundry services. Revenue rises 21% to £259.8 million from £214.4 million. Total dividend payouts fall to 2.89p from 12.1p, however. ‘Whilst still early into the financial year, the board has seen a continuation of positive trading momentum,’ the firm says. Expects annual profit to meet current market expectations, which it cites as pretax profit of £58.5 million and revenue of £284.8 million.
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SMALL-CAP - LOSERS
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Ricardo PLC, down 1.9% at 558.00p, 12-month range 325p-596.0p. The environmental and engineering consulting company reports a mixed set of interim results, with a swing to interim pretax loss of £12.5 million from profit of £4.6 million a year before. This was due to a £18.3 million of ‘largely non-cash charges for the impairment of goodwill and other assets’, which includes decommissioning costs in its Automotive & Industrial Established Mobility operating segment, due to a performance downturn within the segment. More positively, revenue rises 17% to £212.7 million from £182.0 million, and interim dividend rise 15% to 3.35p per share. Ricardo says it is on track to deliver on its full-year expectations.
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