The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers among London Main Market small-caps on Tuesday.
----------
SMALL-CAP - WINNERS
----------
Mobico Group PLC, up 6.1% at 29.44 pence, 12-month range 25.54p-89.45p. The Birmingham, England-based public transport operator’s subsidiary ALSA has won an eight-year capital-light contract in Saudi Arabia worth €500 million in total revenue, as part of a joint venture alongside ‘a local company’. Contract includes the operation of 156 vehicles serving Qiddiya, a planned new city on the outskirts of Riyadh, and the operation of ’Park & Ride’ facilities connecting Riyadh and Qiddiya. ‘Qiddiya is one of Saudia Arabia’s key strategic projects and is expected to become the largest entertainment destination in the country,’ Mobico says. ALSA has been operating in Saudi Arabia since October, 2023. ‘This new contract, which meets our disciplined return hurdles, strengthens Mobico’s presence in the Middle East and showcases ALSA’s ability to win competitive contracts in large-scale overseas projects, positioning ourselves as a leading operator of innovative, sustainable transport services,’ says Executive Chair Phil White.
----------
S&U PLC, up 1.5% at 1,735.00p, 12-month range 1,260p-1,950p. The motor finance and property bridging-focused lender reports £51.8 million in revenue for the first half ended August 5, down 14% from £60.4 million the year before. Pretax profit increases 21%, however, to £15.6 million from £12.8 million. Company records impairment charge of £8.1 million, down 57% from £18.9 million, with net finance costs falling 31% to £6.6 million from £9.6 million. S&U announces first interim dividend of 35p per share, up on-year from 30p. Aspen Bridging revenue increases to £12.5 million from £11.2 million, with pretax profit rising to £5.0 million from £3.4 million. Advantage Finance revenue decreases to £39.3 million from £49.1 million, but pretax profit rises to £10.8 million from £9.4 million. ‘These results provide clear evidence that S&U’s recovery from the challenges of the past two years is now underway,’ Chair Anthony Coombs says. ‘Current trading at both Aspen and especially Advantage is strong, albeit still subject to the fluctuations in consumer confidence caused by the upcoming budget and feeble economic growth. Overall, however, the skies are brightening and this, allied to the usual determination and excellent morale within the Group, should be reflected in S&U’s full year results.’
----------
SMALL-CAP - LOSERS
----------
Secure Trust Bank PLC, down 19% at 976.00p, 12-month range 339p-1,220p. The Solihull, England-based business and consumer lender says its net lending book declined 4.1% in the third quarter ended September 30, ‘as the run-off of the Non-Core Vehicle Finance book quickened, combined with a small decrease in the Core business’. Core business is trading in line with expectations with ongoing ‘strong’ capital ratios, while its net lending balance has increased 10% on-year ‘with all businesses contributing to the strong performance’. For Vehicle Finance, which Secure Trust intends to pivot away from as announced in July, the portfolio ‘reduced at a greater rate than anticipated [in the third quarter], reducing expected full year income from that business’. Company adds: ‘The Vehicle Finance business also incurred higher than anticipated impairment charges for the year-to-date...Underlying arrears and default rates in the portfolio remained stable but have not improved on H1 2025 to the extent anticipated.’ It also expects that the exit ‘may require additional provisions for onerous supplier contracts associated with new business originations, which would be treated as exceptional costs’. Secure Trust now expects its full-year underlying pretax profit to underperform against market forecasts by up to £9 million, due to the Vehicle Finance performance. However, it still expects the underlying pretax profit to rise by around 30% annually.
----------
Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.