Director dealings

ALTHOUGH machine gun manufacturer Manroy has won significant contracts since joining the Aim market last year, it recently warned that delays in obtaining export licences would impact on revenues.

Delivery on a number of orders which had been expected in the current financial year is now expected to slip into next year.

The company said revenues for the year ended 30 September, 2011, would be around 15 per cent below market forecasts, although increased margins and cost control were expected to ensure that profit before tax for the full year would remain broadly in line with market expectations.

Shares in the company have fallen from their high of 123p earlier this year, and non- executive Brian O’Donnell last week took the opportunity to up his stake. He purchased 12,000 shares at 82p each and now holds 122,526 shares.

• James Guyette, head of aero engine group Rolls-Royce’s North American operations, has sold 122,560 shares at 696p a time. He retains a stake of 274,796 shares.

• Andy McRae, managing director of Healthcare Locums’ Australian arm, has bought 200,000 shares at 5.5p each to increase his stake to 700,000 shares.

• Paul Loudon, chief executive of DiamondCorp, the South African diamond development and exploration company, acquired 70,000 shares at an average price of 6.4p each. He now holds just under three million shares in the group.

• Jim Mellon, chairman at Aim-listed Port Erin, which focuses on investing in the biotechnology and bio-pharmaceutical sectors, has bought 70,000 shares at 8.25p each. He now owns 3.4 million shares.

• Two non-executive directors at Hikma Pharmaceuticals have increased their holdings. Ronald Goode and Robert Pickering together bought 15,500 shares at between 617p and 633p.

• Three directors at pawnbroking group Albemarle & Bond Holdings have increased their stakes in the group. Geoff Brady and Tracey Graham each bought 500 shares, and Barry Stevenson acquired 3,000. They each paid 323p for the shares.

• Stewart Gilliland, a non-executive director of cash and carry firm Booker, has bought 50,000 shares at 78p each, his first stake in the firm.