Director dealings: Chiefs pitch in as Invu heads back to break-even

DOCUMENT management software group Invu is aiming to hit break-even by the end of the year following a major business restructuring.

The company, which works with small and medium-sized businesses to help them become paperless organisations, has put a new management team and board in place over the past year.

When it last updated the market in September, Invu said it was performing in line with internal targets.

With the company's financial year end due on 31 January, the purchase of shares by the chief executive and finance director last week suggests that progress is continuing.

Chief executive Colin Gallick and finance director Ian Smith each bought 714,250 shares at 0.7p each.

The pair now own almost 4 million shares between them. The company's market value has almost halved over the past year.

• Several directors at trading group Plus Markets have increased their holdings.

Chairman Giles Vardey, chief executive Cyril Theret and finance director Nemone Wynn-Evans each bought 250,000 shares at 1.95p.

• Paul Cooper, chief executive of electronic payment group Universe, has bought 75,000 shares at 3.25p each and now holds 650,000 shares.

• Ken Hanna, a non-executive director at Glasgow-based temporary power group Aggreko has bought his first shares in the company. Hanna bought 10,000 shares at 1,500p each.

• Paul Bailie, a director at insurance group Hardy Underwriting Bermuda, has bought 30,000 shares at 275p each to take his holding up to 41,479 shares.

• Edward Strachan, an executive director of exhibitions group ITE, has sold more than half of his holding.

He disposed of 3 million shares at 225p each through a company of which he is majority shareholder. He retains a stake of 2.68 million shares.

• Paul Gardner, finance director of West African-focused gold miner Cluff Gold, has bought his first stake in the company with the purchase of 10,000 shares at 104.65p each.

• The chairman of five-a-side operator Goals Soccer Centres, Sir Rodney Walker, has spent 150,000 on shares to increase his holding.

Walker, who used to head the UK Sports Council, bought 120,001 shares at 125p.

Earlier this month, he was one of several directors at the East Kilbride company who had bought a combined 200,000 worth of shares after the firm issued a profit warning due to the impact of the weather.