Directors dealings: Compass Group's North American COO unloads over a quarter of his stake

Compass Group's chief operating officer for North America, Gary Green, unloaded over a quarter of the stock he held in the catering services outfit.

Green off-loaded 100,000 shares in the catering group at an individual price of 1,498.33p, for a total disbursement of £1,498,330.31.

That took his total holdings in the firm down to 265,819 shares, which was equivalent to 0.016% of Compass Group's total shareholders' equity.

On 29 September, analysts at SocGen reiterated their 'sell' recommendation on Compass's stock, explaining to clients that they now saw its business model as providing less scope for the company to improve its operating margins at the earnings before interest and taxes level.

Hence, the current 2017 EV/EBIT multiple of 17.5 the shares were changing hands at, which was 60% above its historical average and 26% greater than the average for its sector, was "unjustified", they said.

In its third quarter trading update, published on 28 July, management said the company was continuing to have a good year, posting organic revenue growth of 5.6% for the nine months to 30 June 2016.

The FTSE 100 firm said its focus on growth was driving strong levels of new business wins and retention remains good across all regions.

Shares in Compass finished the session higher by 0.20% to 1,496p, just a tad below their 52-week high of 1,515p.

Top Director Buys

Aa (AA.)
Director name: Clarke,Martin C
Amount purchased: 200,000 @ 292.62p
Value: £585,250.00

Ecofin Global Utilities And Infrastructure Trust (EGL)
Director name: Negre,Martin
Amount purchased: 359,500 @ 135.54p
Value: £487,281.42

Onesavings Bank (OSB)
Director name: Doman ,Andrew
Amount purchased: 85,499 @ 261.25p
Value: £223,366.13

Accrol Group Holdings (ACRL)
Director name: Crossley,Stephen
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 132.00p
Value: £132,000.01

Capita (CPI)
Director name: Parker,Andy
Amount purchased: 14,000 @ 703.92p
Value: £98,548.80

Glaxosmithkline (GSK)
Director name: Slaoui,Moncef
Amount purchased: 4,600 @ $21.79
Value: $78,980.45

Jpmorgan Global Growth & Income (JPGI)
Director name: Wightman,Nigel
Amount purchased: 20,000 @ 253.00p
Value: £50,600.00

Capital & Regional (CAL)
Director name: Norval ,Louis
Amount purchased: 73,200 @ 63.00p
Value: £46,116.00

Capital & Regional (CAL)
Director name: Norval ,Louis
Amount purchased: 64,000 @ 63.00p
Value: £40,320.00

Onesavings Bank (OSB)
Director name: Doman ,Andrew
Amount purchased: 15,000 @ 259.60p
Value: £38,940.00

Terra Capital (TCA)
Director name: Bartlett ,Peter
Amount purchased: 38,000 @ $0.85
Value: $32,205.00

Infrastructure India (IIP)
Director name: Lulla,Rahul (Sonny)
Amount purchased: 150,000 @ 12.00p
Value: £18,000.00

Capita (CPI)
Director name: Powell,Ian
Amount purchased: 2,000 @ 698.94p
Value: £13,978.80

Wood Group (john) (WG.)
Director name: Brown,Jann M
Amount purchased: 1,101 @ 730.00p
Value: £8,037.30

Allergy Therapeutics (AGY)
Director name: Jensen,Peter
Amount purchased: 30,000 @ 19.25p
Value: £5,775.00

Spirent Communications (SPT)
Director name: Hutchinson,Eric G
Amount purchased: 586 @ 78.96p
Value: £462.71

Dunedin Smaller Companies Inv Trust (DNDL)
Director name: Henderson,Alexa
Amount purchased: 51 @ 204.00p
Value: £104.04

Top Director Sells

Mj Gleeson (GLE)
Director name: Mills,Christopher H B
Amount sold: 1,000,000 @ 600.00p
Value: £6,000,000.00

Compass Group (CPG)
Director name: Green,Gary
Amount sold: 100,000 @ 1,498.33p
Value: £1,498,330.31

Mandarin Oriental International (singapore) (MDO)
Director name: James Clark,Paul
Amount sold: 8,400 @ $1.30
Value: $10,962.00

Mandarin Oriental International (singapore) (MDO)
Director name: James Clark,Paul
Amount sold: 8,300 @ $1.30
Value: $10,790.00

Mandarin Oriental International (singapore) (MDO)
Director name: James Clark,Paul
Amount sold: 6,100 @ $1.31
Value: $7,991.00

Mandarin Oriental International (singapore) (MDO)
Director name: James Clark,Paul
Amount sold: 55 @ 126.00p
Value: £87.95