Director dealings: Invu sees spike in shares as changes start to pay off

DOCUMENT management software group Invu is one of the stock market's smallest companies with a market capitalisation of less than £1 million.

Shares rose sharply last month after its latest full-year results showed sales rose to 2.5m from 2.2m with losses before tax shrinking to 700,000 from 4.5m.

Chief executive Colin Gallick said the figures showed the benefits of major changes introduced in 2009 at the firm, which also works with customers on business automation.

"A focus on our core markets, improvement of our distribution channel and a commitment to market-driven innovation has resulted in a significant productivity improvement in the business. We look to continue this momentum in the new financial year," he said.

Following the results, finance director Ian Smith went into the market to up his stake in the business. He purchased 2.2 million shares at 0.45p each to take his holding to 2.9 million shares.

• Lindsay Page, finance director of fashion chain Ted Baker, has sold part of his stake in the company after a strong run for the shares.

Page sold 250,000 shares at 800p each to reduce his holding to 44,000 shares.

Last month the company said sales in the first 19 weeks of the year had risen by more than 15 per cent.

• Nicholas Smith, a non-executive director at Chinese orange grower Asian Citrus, has upped his holding. He bought 100,000 shares at 59.4p each to increase his stake to 532,596.

• Michael O'Neill, a non-executive director at financial software group First Derivatives, has sold 100,000 shares at 550p each. He still retains a stake of 640,000 shares.

• Rod Jones, chairman at software and operational planning group Tracsis, has bought his first holding in the company with the purchase of 23,000 shares at 49p each.

• Ian Barby, a non-executive director at Madagascar Oil, has bought 30,000 shares at an average share price of 33.5p. He now holds 108,943 shares.

• Several directors at vehicle repair group Just Car Clinics have upped their stakes.

Chairman David Hickey bought 95,833 shares and now holds 2.8 million shares, chief executive Barry Whittles bought 143,755 shares and now holds 1.97 million, and finance director Chris Elton bought 125,000 shares and now holds 1.1 million. They paid 24p for each share.

• Liam Ferguson, chairman of Vindon Healthcare, has sold 150,000 shares at 10.875p each.

He still holds more than four million shares in the company, which specialises in products for use in controlled environments.