Director dealings: Essensys CEO increases holding, Morgan Sindall director covers tax bill

(Sharecast News) - Software company Essensys featured at the top of the list of buyers on Friday, after it disclosed a series of purchases that took its CEO's interest in the company to almost 31%. The AIM-traded firm said Mark Furness bought 350,000 shares on Thursday, at a weighted average price of 74.58p.

In the first transaction, he spent £148,000 on 200,000 shares at 74p each, and in the second he bought 100,000 shares for 76p each, spending £76,000.

The third transaction saw Furness spend £33,300 on 45,000 shares for a price of 74p apiece, while the final transaction was for 5,000 shares at 74.5p each, for a total of £3,725.

Following the transactions, Furness' total beneficial interest in the company increased to 19,679,066 shares, representing 30.56% of its total issued capital.

The Essensys board said Furness was treated as acting in concert with other shareholders, being Barry Clark, Ian Sadler, Michael Guest, Michael Grant and Liam Kavanagh, some of which also purchased shares.

As a result of those purchases, the total number of shares held by the concert party increased to 24,447,680 from 24,065,272, representing an increase to 37.97% of its issued share capital, from 37.38%.

The members of the concert party also held options over another 837,747 shares between them, with Essensys saying that, given the options were granted at a time the party members held more than 50% of its share capital, exercising them would not trigger an obligation to make an offer for the company under the Takeover Code.

It said the concert party could end up holding up to 25,285,427 shares if it exercised all options held by members, representing a maximum potential interest of up to 38.77% of its share capital as enlarged by any exercises.

On the selling side of things, Morgan Sindall Group disclosed a sale made by its finance director, to cover his tax bill after the exercise of a bonus award.

The FTSE 250 company said Steve Crummett acquired 12,612 shares at nil cost on Thursday, under its 2019 deferred bonus plan.

He subsequently sold 5,944 shares for 2,330p each, netting him £138,495.20 to forward to the tax man.

As a result of the exercise and sale, Morgan Sindall said Crummett's total holding had increased by a net of 6,668 shares.

Top Director Buys

Essensys (ESYS) Director name: Furness,Mark Amount purchased: 200,000 @ 74.00p Value: £148,000.00

Essensys (ESYS) Director name: Furness,Mark Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 76.00p Value: £76,000.00

Dfs Furniture (DFS) Director name: Hutchinson,Alison Amount purchased: 18,762 @ 216.20p Value: £40,563.44

Ferguson (FERG) Director name: Halligan,Cathy Amount purchased: 300 @ $142.23 Value: $35,184.43

Dfs Furniture (DFS) Director name: Hutchinson,Alison Amount purchased: 15,961 @ 212.20p Value: £33,869.24

Essensys (ESYS) Director name: Furness,Mark Amount purchased: 45,000 @ 74.00p Value: £33,300.00

Centaur Media (CAU) Director name: Mukerji,Swagatam Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 48.00p Value: £24,000.00

Rotala (ROL) Director name: Dunn,Robert Amount purchased: 53,500 @ 26.00p Value: £13,910.00

Essensys (ESYS) Director name: Pepper , Alan Amount purchased: 20,200 @ $0.74 Value: $12,326.21

Audioboom Group (BOOM) Director name: Tobin,Michael Amount purchased: 533 @ 1,875.00p Value: £9,993.75

Rockfire Resources (ROCK) Director name: Elliott ,Patrick Amount purchased: 1,228,070 @ 0.57p Value: £7,000.00

Cenkos Securities (CNKS) Director name: Boorman,Andrew Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 69.40p Value: £6,940.00

Cenkos Securities (CNKS) Director name: Boorman,Andrew Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 67.90p Value: £6,790.00

Essensys (ESYS) Director name: Furness,Mark Amount purchased: 5,000 @ 74.50p Value: £3,725.00

Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (cdi) (GTE) Director name: Guidry,Gary Amount purchased: 2,883 @ $1.37 Value: $3,256.96

Uls Technology (ULS) Director name: Scott,Oliver Rupert Andrew Amount purchased: 4,000 @ 73.00p Value: £2,920.00

Uls Technology (ULS) Director name: Scott,Oliver Rupert Andrew Amount purchased: 1,062 @ 72.80p Value: £773.14

Top Director Sells

Yamana Gold Inc. Npv (cdi) (AUY) Director name: Marrone,Peter Amount sold: 128,325 @ $6.75 Value: $512,677.76

Morgan Sindall Group (MGNS) Director name: Crummett ,Steve Amount sold: 5,944 @ 2,330.00p Value: £138,495.20

Rolls-royce Holdings (RR.) Director name: East,Warren Amount sold: 99,007 @ 95.71p Value: £94,759.60

Cls Holdings (CLI) Director name: Widlund,Fredrik Amount sold: 34,605 @ 202.00p Value: £69,902.10