Loungers CEO offloads 130,000 sharesCelebrus Technologies director buys 50,000 sharesHarwood Capital director snaps up £30,000 EKF Diagnostics' sharesCEO of Loungers (LGRS:AIM) Nick Collins has sold 130,000 shares at 221p for a total value of £287,300 on 9 January.Following the sale Collins has 956,276 ordinary shares representing 0.92% of the issued ordinary shares.Loungers? shares are up 13% o

The UK hospitality sector has been one of the biggest casualties of the pandemic and the slowest to rebound.Enforced closures during lockdowns, surging energy, labour and commodity prices post pandemic and ongoing train strikes mean hospitality has faced more than its fair share of obstacles over the last three years.The extra challenges mean hospitality has been slower than other sectors to regai

UK shares have lagged their US and European counterparts significantly since 2016 leaving them vulnerable to takeover by more highly-valued peers and private equity groups which are still flush with cash, argue Shore Capital research analysts Rob Sanders and Chris Bottomley.Since June 2016, at the time of Britain's vote to exit the EU, the S&P 500 index has doubled, Japan's Nikkei is up 80%, the G

First half sales increase 22%Record 34 new sites expected to open this yearLike-for-like sales growth acceleratesAll-day bar/cafe/restaurants operator Loungers (LGRS:AIM) continued its sector leading like-for-like sales growth in the 24 weeks to 1 October and opened 16 new sites, putting it on track to open a record 34 sites in the current financial year.The assured performance was well received b

Phillip Meeson caught investors on the hop over the past week after adding to his stake in package holidays and budget flyer Jet2 (JET). This is a surprising move considering that Meeson, executive chairman and architect-in-chief of Jet2's transformation over several decades, is planning his retirement.The outgoing boss added 13,000 shares in a deal worth £146,120, bolstering his 18.3% stake in

Like for like sales up 11% in first 10 weeks of final quarterFull year profit expected to be inline with market expectationsLoungers predicts record year of coastal tourismAfter initially struggling to get customers back through its doors after the reopening pub group J D Wetherspoon (JDW) seems to have rediscovered its mojo with like for like sales accelerating in the final quarter to 11% compare

Loungers (LGRS:AIM) 194.4pLoss to date: 30%We originally said to buy all-day cafe operator Loungers (LGRS:AIM) at 278.5p on 23 December 2021 as an attractive growth story, and one where its proposition fitted nicely with the rise of hybrid working where people would spend more time in their local community.WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE WE SAID TO BUY?The shares have suffered from the broader sell-off in e

It's been a challenging first half of the year for investors with so many stocks falling in value. Our annual stock pick selection features a few bright spots, yet the portfolio is still in negative territory. We can only hope for a much better second-half, though the outlook is far from encouraging.Since we published the portfolio on 23 December 2021, we've seen a 14.5% loss versus a 3.8% decline

Loungers (LGRS:AIM) 257.8pLoss to date: 7.4%Original entry point: Buy at 278.5p, 23 December 2021Rising inflation and interest rates have dampened investor sentiment towards consumer facing businesses.But we believe the company remains well positioned to continue its growth trajectory against a less rosy economic backdrop. A recent (26 Apr) trading update confirmed momentum in the business.The com

Despite the best efforts of quite a few holdings, our 'stocks for 2022' portfolio is lagging the FTSE All-Share index since being launched in late December 2021. We're up 2.4% versus a 3.2% gain from the benchmark.Nevertheless, to be in positive territory is a good achievement given how volatile the first three months of the year have been for stock markets, and the FTSE All-Share index has benefi

Leisure and hospitality shares are trading below pre-pandemic levels but arguably the underlying fundamentals have improved. Financially strong operators have taken advantage of favourable market conditions to accelerate their expansion plans.These include Wagamama owner Resturant Group (RTN), The Gym Group (GYM:AIM), Loungers (LGRS:AIM), and Fulham Shore (FUL:AIM).Despite lingering impacts from t

Loungers (LGRS:AIM) is in a sweet spot as an investment, offering both revenue growth and increasing margins as it benefits from scale efficiencies.The ability to trade throughout the day appeals to a broad demographic with around 90% of customers visiting for more than one occasion, demonstrating the attraction of the format.Arguably the offering is even more relevant in a post-pandemic world and

Accsys TechnologiesAccsys (AXS:AIM) is a global leader in sustainable wood technology and sells its products into the construction and building materials industries in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia through timber distributors.Its Accoya wood product is both sustainable and high-performing, with a 50-year guarantee, which makes it an ideal replacement for man-made, carbon-polluting alterna

Shares in all-day cafe-bar operator Loungers (LGRS:AIM) gained 4% to 281p after reporting a 92% increase in first half revenues to £102.3 million and a 28% increase compared with 2019, despite the estate being open for only 11 weeks of the 24 week period.Compared with 2019 like-for-like sales growth since reopening in April to 3 October was an industry leading 26.6%, and 13.6% excluding the VAT r

Shares in drinks-maker Diageo (DGE) hit a new all-time high of £39.48 this week after the firm released an ambitious set of sales targets reaching from the current financial year out to 2030.Chief executive Ivan Menezes said: 'We believe our sales growth trajectory has accelerated, underpinned by the strength of our advantaged position across geographies, categories and price tiers,' adding he st

The latest official figures show new coronavirus cases rising at their fastest rate since March 2021 due to the more transmissible 'Delta' variant which is putting pressure on the government to choose between leaving some measures in place after June 21 or postponing so-called Freedom Day by a couple of weeks.The UK isn't alone in balancing risks of new variants against the progress made in blocki

The opening of indoor hospitality on 17 May was the penultimate step on the Government's roadmap towards the complete removal of restrictions on 21 June, notwithstanding the threat of new variants.The UK's successful vaccination programme and falling hospitalisations over recent months has spurred hopes for a strong second half economic rebound, with the Bank of England upgrading its 2021 growth f

We're getting a distinct feeling of dejà vu as the hospitality sector starts to reopen. Indeed, just 10 months ago we were doing more or less the same thing, although this time round the economy looks in much better shape and the rollout of vaccinations has given consumer confidence a shot in the arm.After a third lockdown, there is no doubt a large part of the population is ready - not to

Shares in neighbourhood cafe operator Loungers (LGRS:AIM) fell 2.8% to 258.5p despite it beefing up its finances ahead of the reopening.The firm has agreed a 12 month extension to its banking facilities as well as covenant testing waivers ahead of opening up its estate.An incremental revolving credit facility of £15 million, put in place last April has been extended to October 2022 and provides t

There is significant pent-up demand in the pubs and restaurants sector which should see a swift return to profitability once reopening is allowed, according to analysts at broker Numis.POSITIVE FACTORS ALIGNIf Australia is any guide, customers will flock back to restaurants very quickly. Since the country reopened in the early Autumn footfall reached pre-pandemic levels in October.Reservations dat