Directors dealings: Abcam chair trims stake as shares hit five-year high

The chairman of life sciences group Abcam trimmed his sizeable holdings in the group as the firm's share price continued to trade near their best levels of the past five years.

Dr. Jonathan Milner, the non-executive chair of the AIM-50 outfit, cashed-in shares worth a total of £10.55m.

Following the transaction, which was carried out on 19 September, Dr. Milner was left with a 10.84% stake in the group, which produces and markets high quality protein research tools.

Milner's remaining direct and indirect interests were subject to a 12-month lock-up on customary terms, the company said in a statement.

The proceeds would be used for charitable donations, private company investments and for tax and estate planning, Abcam said.

In a pre-close update to investors ahead of its latest full-year results, management said it had been a significant year for Abcam, with the company having delivered two times or better market growth in every geography and product category in which it operated.

Commenting on the latest set of figures from the company, Numis's Stefan Hamill, Paul Cuddon and Sally Taylor told clients: "We believe in paying up for Abcam's market leading organic growth as it follows in BTG and Hikma's footsteps to create a much larger UK-listed mid-cap company, and maintain our 850p DCF valuation (c.30x June 2018 EPS, the first unhedged year)."

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Mcbride (MCB)
Director name: Coleman,John
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 186.50p
Value: £74,600.00

Wynnstay Group (WYN)
Director name: Roberts,B Paul
Amount purchased: 12,250 @ 518.00p
Value: £63,455.00

Wynnstay Group (WYN)
Director name: Greetham,Ken
Amount purchased: 12,250 @ 518.00p
Value: £63,455.00

Batm Advanced Communications Ltd. (BVC)
Director name: Marom,Zvi
Amount purchased: 300,000 @ 16.63p
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Character Group (CCT)
Director name: Dowding,Mark
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 435.00p
Value: £43,500.00

Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red Ptg Pref Shares (RICA)
Director name: Spencer,Christopher
Amount purchased: 13,150 @ 226.50p
Value: £29,784.75

Ruffer Investment Company Ltd Red Ptg Pref Shares (RICA)
Director name: Evans,Sarah
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 226.72p
Value: £22,672.00

Character Group (CCT)
Director name: Harris,David
Amount purchased: 4,597 @ 435.00p
Value: £19,996.95

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
Director name: Hutson,John
Amount purchased: 1,688 @ 917.00p
Value: £15,478.96

Verseon Corporation (di/reg S) (VSN)
Director name: Fodor,Eniko
Amount purchased: 6,000 @ 161.00p
Value: £9,660.00

Bunzl (BNZL)
Director name: van Zanten,Frank
Amount purchased: 899 @ 992.00p
Value: £8,918.08

Athelney Trust (ATY)
Director name: Boyle,Robin G
Amount purchased: 2,500 @ 200.00p
Value: £5,000.00

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
Director name: Hutson,John
Amount purchased: 17 @ 913.50p
Value: £155.30

Pennon Group (PNN)
Director name: Loughlin,Christopher
Amount purchased: 17 @ 890.43p
Value: £151.37

Centaur Media (CAU)
Director name: Vidler ,Andria
Amount purchased: 329 @ 45.70p
Value: £150.35

Centaur Media (CAU)
Director name: Brankin,Grainne
Amount purchased: 328 @ 45.70p
Value: £149.90

Homeserve (HSV)
Director name: Bennett,Martin
Amount purchased: 26 @ 574.67p
Value: £149.41

Homeserve (HSV)
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Amount purchased: 26 @ 574.67p
Value: £149.41

Wetherspoon (j.d.) (JDW)
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Amount purchased: 14 @ 913.50p
Value: £127.89

Pennon Group (PNN)
Director name: Davy ,Susan
Amount purchased: 14 @ 890.43p
Value: £124.66

Aberdeen Private Equity Fund Ltd. Sterling Part Shares (APEF)
Director name: Hebson,Philip
Amount purchased: 117 @ 105.12p
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Abcam (ABC)
Director name: Milner,Jonathan Simon
Amount sold: 1,310,370 @ 803.88p
Value: £10,533,802.67

Gulf Marine Services (GMS)
Director name: Anderson,Duncan
Amount sold: 600,000 @ 50.00p
Value: £300,000.00

Abcam (ABC)
Director name: Milner,Jonathan Simon
Amount sold: 20,361 @ 819.76p
Value: £166,911.69

Wynnstay Group (WYN)
Director name: Roberts,B Paul
Amount sold: 12,250 @ 518.34p
Value: £63,496.65

Wynnstay Group (WYN)
Director name: Greetham,Ken
Amount sold: 12,250 @ 518.34p
Value: £63,496.65

Bunzl (BNZL)
Director name: van Zanten,Frank
Amount sold: 653 @ 2,311.00p
Value: £15,090.83

Lms Capital (LMS)
Director name: Lerner,Neil
Amount sold: 11,648 @ 84.00p
Value: £9,784.32

Lms Capital (LMS)
Director name: Knight,Martin
Amount sold: 7,417 @ 84.00p
Value: £6,230.28