Mark Watson-Mitchell - 24.12.2025 Following on from yesterday's contract news item, this morning, Gulf Marine Services (LON:GMS) , a leading provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels to the offshore energy industry, has announced the award of a contract covering one of its Large-class vessels in the Middle East. The contract spans a total of two years including options. Management Comment Executive Chairman Mansour Al Alami stated that: "We are extremely happ

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 23.12.2025 Yesterday morning the Christie Group (LON:CTG) announced that it had sold off its loss-making subsidiary Vennersys – which was a signal of strong corporate management. This morning the company has issued a very positive Trading Update stating that it anticipates a stronger full-year performance than previously expected due to robust trading in the latter part of 2025, particularly in its Professional & Financial Services division. The compan

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 22.12.2025 News comes from the North Shore of Alaska today that will not please shareholders in Pantheon Resources (LON:PANR) . The group has today provided a corporate update and shareholder letter, highlighting that while the Dubhe-1 well has confirmed mobile hydrocarbons, it has not yet achieved the desired production outcome, leading to a pause in testing to conserve capital and await spring conditions for more cost-effective operations. The company

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 22.12.2025 The Rank Group (LON:RNK) has this morning reported that it has been impacted by a fraud in its Spanish interests, to the value of some €7.1m. The news could well hit the shares in the market today, if it does have an impact, with them dropping by up to 20% or so, then I would suggest that 'cheap buyers' - who recognise the value of the group's equity - will pounce on the stock taking advantage of the Spanish hit. This Morning's News Rank decl

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 18.12.2025 Just nine days ago I featured the shares of the SSP Group (LON:SSPG) following its latest corporate announcement. The shares were then 178p - this afternoon they are 206.20p, a near 16% rise in just over a week. However, a month ago the shares were 137.50p - so the subsequent rise has shown over a 50% gain. The Business SSP is a global leader in the operation of food and beverage outlets in travel locations, employing around 49,000 colleagues

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 18.12.2025 This morning Currys (LON:CURY) has reported a significant improvement in its financial performance for the half year ended 1st November, with group adjusted profit before tax reaching £22m, a 144% year-on-year increase, and group free cash flow rising by 68% to £84m. The UK and Ireland segment showed strong momentum with a 6% revenue increase, driven by gains in recurring service revenue, credit adoption, B2B sales, and new categories, while

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 17.12.2025 Yesterday the Hollywood Bowl Group (LON:BOWL) , the UK and Canada's largest ten-pin bowling operator, announced its 2025 Final Results showing improving margins. The £460m-capitalised group reported a strong financial and operational performance for the year to end-September, with revenue increasing by 8.8% to £250.7m. Group adjusted EBITDA grew by 4.2% to £91.2m, while statutory profit after tax rose by 15.7% to £34.6m. The company returned

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 17.12.2025 It may not mean too much in terms of the market's general upward push but I have noticed that the shares of Currys (LON:CURY) and AO World (LON:AO) have been edging gently higher. Currys shares are 127.70p, ahead of announcing its Interim Results tomorrow morning. The AO World stock is looking mildly better at 109.20p. I remain a fan of both electrical retailers. Analysts Ben Hunt, Wayne Brown and Anubhav Malhotra, at Panmure Liberum , rate

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 15.12.2025 Analysts Rahim Karim and Jens Erhenberg, at Cavendish Capital Markets , have today initiated their research coverage on Ramsdens Holdings (LON:RFX) , with a weighty Target Price of 480p for the group's shares. They noted that: "Since its IPO in 2017, Ramsdens has delivered consistent growth and established itself as a leading player in the UK market. Although its exposure to the gold price creates an element of variability in the group’s earn

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 15.12.2025 This morning, the Sedgefield-based group has announced that a Major European defence prime has selected Filtronic (LON:FTC) for the next phase of its electronic sensor programme. It is yet another signal of long-term customer confidence in its high-performance technology for the defence market. Today's News Filtronic the designer and manufacturer of advanced RF solutions for the space, aerospace and defence, and telecoms infrastructure marke

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 12.12.2025 This morning has announced that it has received a possible cash offer from VertiGIS Ltd, a portfolio company of Battery Ventures, at 73p per share, valuing the company at approximately £87.1m. This offer represents a significant premium of 57.0% to last night's closing price and has secured support from major shareholders representing 33.8% of the issued ordinary share capital, including irrevocable undertakings for 17.7% and a letter of int

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 12.12.2025 This morning Filtronic (LON:FTC) reported significant strategic progress in the first half of FY2026, securing its largest-ever contract with SpaceX for next-generation E-band GaN products, alongside a €7m contract for LEO satellite constellation RF assemblies and a £13.4 million defence contract. The company ended the period with £10.5m in cash and £8.5m net cash excluding leases, self-financing a headquarters relocation. Filtronic, which i

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 11.12.2025 Next Thursday morning, 18th December, Currys (LON:CURY) will be declaring its Interims results for the trading period to Saturday, 30th August. They should show an advance across its markets, despite tricky trading conditions generally. At the end of October, the group’s shares touched 147.20p, before easing back to 121.80p on pre-Budget fears. They are now 131.70p and looking capable of scaling back above this year’s High, perhaps next week

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 11.12.2025 At the end of last month, Billington Holdings (LON:BILN) confirmed the closure of the group's facility at Yate, near Bristol. Since then, its shares have been gradually advancing, having risen from 310p to the current 347p, with the market seemingly impressed at the structural steel group's strategic restructuring. It will be interesting to see just what the group will do with the site after closure process is completed. The Barnsley, South

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 11.12.2025 The shares of the Gateshead-based building services group, Northern Bear (LON:NTBR) recently burst above my latest Target Price of 140p and peaked at 158p. In my note on the group 11 days ago, I commented on the heavier dealing volumes being recorded in the shares. At the same time, I suggested that there would be bouts of profit-taking which could clip them back, thereby providing risk-tolerant investors with cheaper buying opportunities. Th

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 10.12.2025 This week’s unexpected Trading Update from Mears Group (LON:MER) has resulted in analysts upgrading their current year estimates. We will have to wait until next month for a detailed report on the UK’s leading housing services provider’s business report for its full year to end-December. The group released the unscheduled release confirming that it will perform towards the top end of market expectations, due to improved sales and margins.

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 09.12.2025 The shares of The Property Franchise Group (LON:TPFG) peaked at 598.68p at the end of September this year, before easing back 478p on bouts of profit-taking. Now they are climbing back up again, currently 526p, valuing the agency group at £334m, which I consider to be an attractive buying level for investors looking forward to a positive 2026. Last week’s Pre-Close Trading Update was one of confidence, with the group stating that it was le

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 09.12.2025 The Finals to end-September published last Thursday by the £1.41bn-capitalised SSP Group (LON:SSPG) indicated that the group, which is a leading operator of restaurants, bars, cafes and other food and beverage outlets in travel locations across 38 countries, is really getting its act together. And its shares, now at 178p, up 32p in the last week, have reflected the market confidence following the results. The Business SSP is a global leader

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 09.12.2025 This coming Thursday, 11 th December, will see Dotdigital Group (LON:DOTD) , the leading SaaS provider of an AI-powered customer experience and data platform for intelligent, personalised marketing engagement at scale, will be holding its AGM which should point to better times ahead. On Tuesday, 4 th November, the group declared its Final Results for the year to end-June, proudly proclaiming that it was a “ Year of organic growth, enhance

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 08.12.2025 This group’s shares have trebled since I featured them a year ago and there is still so much more to come yet! Last Thursday, 4th December, ASA International (LON:ASAI) issued a surprise Trading Update stating that: “Building on the sustained momentum seen during the first half of the year, the 2025 full year outlook remains positive with improved business and financial performance driven by continued strong client demand and loan portfolio