Traders today decided to take another close look at easyJet (LON:EZJ) after the low cost airline emerged as the top riser in London’s midcap index on Friday. According to Google Finance, the company generated the most interest in London this morning, making it the most searched for UK stock.
In a trading update released on last week’s final day of trading, easyJet revealed that its sales jumped over 20 percent in the June quarter. EasyJet's campaign to draw in more corporate travellers succeeded, resulting in a 20 percent increase in the number of business passengers.
The airline’s share price was dragged down by profit taking this morning, falling 3.1 pence to 364.9 pence after surging from 55 pence on the back of Friday’s update.
As for today’s RNS statements, it was all about oil and gas yet again.
The spotlight early in the day was on Sound Oil (LON:SOU), whose share price lost a quarter of its value on the back of a disappointing operational update.
The Italy and Indonesia operating oil explorer said there was no commercial gas in its Marciano site in Italy, prompting the company to cease its operations there.
A couple of other oil and gas juniors caught the eye of investors this morning. Among them was Leni Gas & Oil (LON:LGO), which has added to its asset portfolio by agreeing to farming into Advance Oil Company’s North Moruga area leases in Trinidad.
According to the agreement, LGO could earn an interest of between 33 and 49 percent in the North Moruga projects.
Another oil and gas small cap, Dominion Petroleum (LON:DPL), was in focus after issuing a funding update this morning.
The company told investors that it has raised £5.25 million by issuing shares to BlueGold Global Fund as part of last month’s US$50 million funding. Blue Gold is controlled by the company’s non-executive director Dennis Crema.
Moving away from oil and gas, investors in the retail sector had news to digest this morning. Dixon’s Retail (LON:DXNS), which owns PC World and Currys, has won a contract to operate the consumer electronics section of Harrods' flagship store in London.
Another FTSE 250 constituent, the UK’s largest pizza chain Domino’s Pizza (LON:DOM) emerged among the most talked about companies on bulletin boards. Investors were discussing today’s interim results from Domino and the way brokers responded to the figures.
Domino said that its pre-tax profits jumped 14.8 percent to £20.1 million as sales climbed 9 percent to £258.4 million in the first half of the year. Online sales jumped 50.9 percent to £85 million.
The group said that it will increase its marketing expenditure threefold compared to a year earlier in the second half.
The reaction was mixed.
Altrium Securities has a positive response to the results, raising its target price for the company from 400 pence to 450 pence, while upholding its “hold” recommendation.
However, Panmure Gordon upheld both its “sell” rating for the stock and its target price of 345 pence.
Both targets are below Domino’s Friday’s close of 459.1 pence. Shares in the group climbed 31.8 pence to 490.9 pence on the back of the report this morning.
Monday's most followed: easyJet, Sound Oil, Dixon's Retail, Dominion Petroleum, Domino's Pizza
Published: 21:19 25 Jul 2011 AEST