The Business Magazine Thames Valley June 2014

news 7 Shareleague Thames Valley Presented by in association with Business T H E M A G A Z I N E

With pharmaceuticals grabbing many of the main headlines last month following the attempts by Pfizer to buy AstraZeneca, the Basingstoke-based group Shire also grabbed a share of the spotlight by announcing a strong start to the year.

In the first quarter of 2014 its product sales were up 19% to $1,308 million and total revenues up 18% to $1,347m. The group headed the region’s table for share price rises among large companies in April with a 15% hike.

Guildford-based Acal Group, a European leader in advanced technology solutions – providing marketing, engineering, design, manufacturing and other services through its specialist electronics and supply chain divisions – was

the top performer in the small company section with a 13% rise.

A trading update announced that since the last interim management statement, trading had continued “robustly as anticipated”, with results for the year expected to be in line with management expectations. Electronics orders for the second half of the past year were 25% higher than the previous year, and like-for- like orders (excluding acquisitions) were 4% higher. The new financial year started with an order book that was 35% higher than in 2013.

Star performance of the month by far (29% share price rise) came from Oxford Technology VCT in the sub- £50 million turnover class. For more than 25 years it has specialised in investing in start-up and early-stage technology companies based near Oxford.

Large (over £1 billion) Closing price

31/03/14 SHIRE

BG GROUP SEGRO

ICTL.HTLS.GP. ELECTROCOMP.

ULTRA ELECTRONICS HDG. MICRO FOCUS INTL. ASHTEAD GROUP DIXONS RETAIL SERCO GROUP

2,945.00 1,117.50 332.00

1,927.00 283.00

1,790.00 830.50 951.00 49.20

421.00

Closing price 30/04/14

3,378.00 1,198.00 349.90

2,018.00 290.50

1,696.00 775.00 874.50 44.98

340.10

Medium (£250 million to £1 billion) Closing price

GENUS

OXFORD INSTRUMENTS VITEC GROUP DE LA RUE

XP POWER (DI) SHANKS GROUP INTERSERVE KOFAX

GALLIFORD TRY FIDESSA GROUP

31/03/14 990.00

1,267.00 611.00 814.50

1,650.00 110.75 730.00 495.00

1,327.00 2,537.00

ACAL

TISSUE REGENIX GROUP FUTURA MEDICAL LATHAM(JAMES)

PINEWOOD SHEPPERTON MCBRIDE

SINCLAIR PHARMA NANOCO GROUP SDL

31/03/14 316.00 25.00 58.50

435.00 442.50 106.00 33.25

108.25 341.00

ACCESSO TECHNOLOGY GROUP 721.00

Sub £50 million Closing price

OXFORD TECHNOLOGY VCT BEZANT RESOURCES EGDON RESOURCES

ENV.RCYC.TECHNOLOGIES CARDIFF PROPERTY ANGLE

OXFORD BIOMEDICA PETARDS GROUP CORAC GROUP

ZINCOX RESOURCES

31/03/14 35.00 8.37

18.88 0.40

862.50 94.00 2.48

10.50 11.75 16.00

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – JUNE 2014

Closing price 30/04/14

1,014.00 1,289.00 617.50 819.50

1,640.00 101.75 661.00 444.75

1,188.00 2,242.00

Small (£50 million to £250 million) Closing price

Closing price 30/04/14 358.00 27.13 62.75

457.50 462.50 98.25 30.75 98.50

301.25 597.25

Closing price 30/04/14 45.00 9.63

21.63 0.45

950.00 87.00 2.23 9.25 8.25

10.63

Change in share price 15% 7% 5% 5% 3%

-5% -7% -8% -9%

-19%

Change in share price 2% 2% 1% 1%

-1% -8% -9%

-10% -10% -12%

Change in share price 13% 9% 7% 5% 5%

-7% -8% -9%

-12% -17%

Change in share price 29% 15% 15% 13% 10% -7%

-10% -12% -30% -34%

education news

An artist’s impression of the Aylesbury Centre, set to open by autumn 2015

Landmark £16.5m education centre set to open in 2015

Work has started on a landmark £16.5 million education centre in Aylesbury led by Buckinghamshire New University, Aylesbury College and Aylesbury Vale District Council.

The Aylesbury Centre will be a four-storey building constructed in Walton Street, next to the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

Bucks New University and Aylesbury College, through their partnership, Buckinghamshire Education Skills and Training (BEST), will lease the building, which is expected to open by autumn 2015.

The Centre will expand the degree provision available in Aylesbury following Bucks New University’s recent introduction of a Business Management degree at Aylesbury College. The Aylesbury Centre will also offer professional and commercial courses.

The Centre aims to stimulate further economic growth in the town and across Buckinghamshire by offering a number of courses which are directly linked to meeting skills needed by local industry. It is hoped that up to 2,000 students will attend the Centre.

Professor Ruth Farwell, vice chancellor of Bucks New University, said: “Commencing work on the Aylesbury Centre represents a significant milestone for the University. It is the tangible way of both celebrating our partnership with Aylesbury College through BEST and marking the start of our journey to establishing Aylesbury as a university town. We look

forward to providing higher and professional education for the people and employers of Aylesbury and surrounding areas.”

Karen Mitchell, principal of Aylesbury College, added: “This is an exciting time for Aylesbury. I am delighted that the College is working in partnership with Bucks New University through BEST to provide high quality, affordable, and accessible local higher and professional education in the heart of our community.”

Councillor Neil Blake, leader of Aylesbury Vale District Council, said: “The start of work on this project is terrific news for people in the Aylesbury Vale area. The centre is a great example of how Aylesbury is changing to offer a much wider range of facilities and services.

“With Aylesbury Vale District Council’s investment, the Centre will bring new jobs to the district and create opportunities for local people to increase their qualifications and skills. Having a more skilled local workforce will make coming to Aylesbury Vale a more attractive proposition for businesses.“

The Centre will also include restaurants and a café on its ground floor, and a new public square will be created.

Details: 01494-522141 stephen.dewhurst@bucks.ac.uk www.bucks.ac.uk

www.businessmag.co.uk

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