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(Sharecast News) - FTSE 250 (MCX) 23,364.75 0.15%
Baltic Classifieds shares fell more than 7% on Thursday after the online classifieds operator reported full-year revenue growth but guided to a lower margin and higher leverage as it continues an accelerated buyback programme.
The FTSE 250 company said revenue rose 7% to €88.5m in the year ended 30 April, while EBITDA also increased 7% to €68.6m and the EBITDA margin remained stable at 78%.
Operating profit grew 13% to €60.4m, profit for the year rose 14% to €50.9m, and adjusted net income increased 7% to €58.1m.
Baltic Classifieds said it returned €101.1m to shareholders through buybacks and dividends during the year, after increasing borrowings to fund repurchases it said reflected an undervalued share price.
Net debt rose to €46.2m from €4.4m, with leverage increasing to 0.7x, while the group said it expected revenue growth of around 10% in 2027 and a full-year margin in the mid-70s.
Supermarket Income REIT announced the completion on Thursday of a £445m refinancing delivering lower borrowing costs and increasing average debt maturity.
The new facilities - a £375m syndicate and £70m bilateral - will refinance all of the company's existing unsecured loan facilities maturing over the next two years.
They comprise a £225m syndicated three-year revolving credit facility; a £45m bilateral three-year RCF; a £150m syndicated five-year RCF; and a £25m bilateral five-year RCF. Each facility benefits from two one-year extension options.
Shares of PPHE Hotel Group slid on Thursday as it confirmed the strategic review had ended and it is not in receipt of any takeover approaches.
"The company is no longer in discussions with any party in relation to any proposal for a potential sale of the company that the board considers to be deliverable," it said in a brief statement.
Under UK takeover rules, PPHE is no longer in an offer period. Last month, the company revealed that a proposed £920m takeover by Israel's Fattal Hotel Group had failed due to opposition from its biggest shareholder, Euro Plaza Holdings. The latter has a 33% stake in PPHE.
FTSE 250 - Risers
CMC Markets (CMCX) 704.00p 8.31%
QinetiQ Group (QQ.) 464.60p 4.93%
The Schiehallion Fund Limited NPV (MNTN) 2.13p 4.66%
Chemring Group (CHG) 563.00p 4.36%
Partners Group Private Equity Limited. (EUR) (PEY) 7.40p 3.64%
AEP Plantations (AEP) 155.00p 3.54%
Raspberry PI Holdings (RPI) 894.75p 2.84%
Trainline (TRN) 220.00p 2.71%
Genus (GNS) 2,302.00p 2.68%
WH Smith (SMWH) 415.20p 2.67%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
PPHE Hotel Group Ltd (PPH) 1,596.00p -6.67%
Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) 122.80p -6.54%
Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) 187.80p -6.38%
Pacific Horizon Inv Trust (PHI) 1,130.00p -3.58%
IP Group (IPO) 65.90p -3.23%
Workspace Group (WKP) 333.80p -3.01%
Big Yellow Group (BYG) 879.00p -2.87%
FirstGroup (FGP) 187.40p -2.80%
Berkeley Group Holdings (The) (BKG) 3,396.00p -2.35%
Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust (TEM) 322.00p -2.27%
