Director dealings: Wetherspoon's chief executive ups stake

Wetherspoon's chief executive John Hutson purchased 8,384 ordinary shares in the FTSE-100 pubco on Monday.

Hutson, who was appointed to Wetherspoon's board back in 1996, acquired the shares at an average price of 1,263p each, for a total cost of £105,889.92.

The shares were acquired as part of Wetherspoon's deferred bonus scheme.

JD Wetherspoon reported solid annual results on Friday and chairman Tim Martin took time out of his traditional pro-Brexit diatribe to say that 4.0% growth would be needed in the present year to maintain profits.

The pub group generated £1.69bn of revenue in the 52 weeks to 29 July, up 4.2% if excluding last year's 53rd week. Like-for-like-sales meanwhile grew 5.0%, which was slightly short of the 5.2% reported at 49 weeks, which the market expected to be maintained.

Profit before tax rose 6.2% to £107.2m, which was better than average analysts estimates that were looking for nearer £106m, with ongoing share buyback helping earnings per share rise 14.5% to 79.2p versus expectations of 77.2p.

As of 1630 BST, Wetherspoon shares had picked up 1.98% to 1,288p.

Top Director Buys

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
Director name: Hutson,John
Amount purchased: 8,384 @ 1,263.00p
Value: £105,889.92

Cairn Homes (CRN)
Director name: Kenny,Timothy
Amount purchased: 62,750 @ 1.56
Value: 98,141.00

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
Director name: Hutson,John
Amount purchased: 6,516 @ 1,263.00p
Value: £82,297.08

Infrastrata (INFA)
Director name: Beardmore,Matthew
Amount purchased: 3,383,379 @ 0.59p
Value: £19,989.00

Ip Group (IPO)
Director name: Flint,Douglas J
Amount purchased: 16,100 @ 124.00p
Value: £19,964.00

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
Director name: Connor ,Nigel
Amount purchased: 1,268 @ 1,263.00p
Value: £16,014.84

Ecofin Global Utilities And Infrastructure Trust (EGL)
Director name: King,Malcolm Robert
Amount purchased: 9,885 @ 128.60p
Value: £12,712.11

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
Director name: Connor ,Nigel
Amount purchased: 914 @ 1,263.00p
Value: £11,543.82

City Merchants High Yield Trust (CMHY)
Director name: Scholefield,Tim
Amount purchased: 4,300 @ 187.10p
Value: £8,045.30

Murray International Trust (MYI)
Director name: Binyon,Claire
Amount purchased: 43 @ 1,113.64p
Value: £478.87

National Grid (NG.)
Director name: Shaw ,Nicola
Amount purchased: 19 @ 807.90p
Value: £153.50

National Grid (NG.)
Director name: Pettigrew,John
Amount purchased: 19 @ 807.90p
Value: £153.50

National Grid (NG.)
Director name: Agg,Andrew
Amount purchased: 19 @ 807.90p
Value: £153.50

Share Plc (SHRE)
Director name: Thomas ,Gareth
Amount purchased: 583 @ 25.75p
Value: £150.12

Share Plc (SHRE)
Director name: Stone,Richard William
Amount purchased: 583 @ 25.75p
Value: £150.12

Share Plc (SHRE)
Director name: Birkett,Mike
Amount purchased: 583 @ 25.75p
Value: £150.12

Share Plc (SHRE)
Director name: Ecsery,Francesca Eva
Amount purchased: 583 @ 25.75p
Value: £150.12

Share Plc (SHRE)
Director name: Tolkien,Richard
Amount purchased: 582 @ 25.75p
Value: £149.86

Emis Group (EMIS)
Director name: Southby,Peter
Amount purchased: 15 @ 999.00p
Value: £149.85

Provident Financial (PFG)
Director name: Mullen,Ken
Amount purchased: 24 @ 621.00p
Value: £149.04

Provident Financial (PFG)
Director name: Fisher,Andrew C
Amount purchased: 24 @ 621.00p
Value: £149.04

British Land Company (BLND)
Director name: Maudsley,Charles
Amount purchased: 24 @ 617.60p
Value: £148.22

British Land Company (BLND)
Director name: McKeown,Brona
Amount purchased: 24 @ 617.60p
Value: £148.22

British Land Company (BLND)
Director name: Grigg,Chris
Amount purchased: 24 @ 617.60p
Value: £148.22

British Land Company (BLND)
Director name: Roberts,Timothy Andrew
Amount purchased: 24 @ 617.60p
Value: £148.22

National Grid (NG.)
Director name: Westcott,Mike
Amount purchased: 15 @ 807.90p
Value: £121.19

Top Director Sells

Sampo Oyj (0HAG)
Director name: Wahlroos,Björn
Amount sold: 1,670,000 @ 43.82
Value: 73,179,399.49

Smith (ds) (SMDS)
Director name: Roberts,Miles
Amount sold: 754,037 @ 484.50p
Value: £3,653,309.11

Onesavings Bank (OSB)
Director name: Golding ,Andy
Amount sold: 550,000 @ 409.29p
Value: £2,251,094.89

Onesavings Bank (OSB)
Director name: Talintyre ,April
Amount sold: 164,708 @ 409.29p
Value: £674,133.34

Redde (REDD)
Director name: Ward,Martin
Amount sold: 293,401 @ 187.60p
Value: £550,420.29

Redde (REDD)
Director name: Oakley,Stephen
Amount sold: 197,245 @ 187.60p
Value: £370,031.63

Onesavings Bank (OSB)
Director name: Duke,Rodney
Amount sold: 14,537 @ 408.40p
Value: £59,369.11

Infrastrata (INFA)
Director name: Beardmore,Matthew
Amount sold: 3,390,000 @ 0.59p
Value: £20,001.00