Small cap news round-up
Security software provider Digital Barriers has won a framework contract with G4S, a FTSE 250 listed security company, for its ThruVis people screening technology.
G4S will sell and support ThruVis in their operations in 19 European countries, with potential to include other technologies from Digital Barriers.
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Target Healthcare Real Estate Investment Trust has completed the acquisition of three care homes for a total of £20.9m.
The care homes have increased the company’s portfolio to 45 properties and that it has now invested around £270m in care homes since its inception, with a about £90m committed since it raised funds last May.
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Shares in AIM-listed BlueRock Diamonds are up more than 8% after saying it was encouraged by its production results and recovery to date.
Volumes of around BlueRock's target of 1250 tonnes a day have been achieved, albeit not consistently due to the continued exceptional levels of rainfall and to-be-expected commissioning issues arising from the plant laying idle for over six months.
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Galantas Gold Corporation said construction of the portal works for development of its underground gold mine at the Omagh gold property, County Tyrone, are complete.
The portal works involved drilling and blasting of the initial opening, the installation of grouted cable bolts and meshing and bolting of the adjacent rock faces.
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AIM-listed Ergomed, a provider of services to the pharmaceutical sector, has appointed Dr Jan Petracek as chief executive of its drug safety subsidiary Prime Vigilance.
He will succeed Neil Clark who is leaving the company on 16 April to become chief executive of Destiny Pharma, a novel antimicrobials company.
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AIM-listed Blue Prism said on Thursday that revenue for the full year is anticipated to be "significantly ahead" of existing market expectations thanks to strong sales progress and ongoing momentum in the pipeline.
In a trading update for the financial year to date, the company said its momentum has continued to build, with 151 new software deals secured in the five months to the end of March, of which 87 were new customers and 60 were upsells across 40 existing customers.
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Commercial gas production has started from Ascent Resources’ well in Slovenia.
Chief executive Colin Hutchison said that Thursday marks the company’s “official shift from explorer to producer” after a decade and almost €45m invested in the Slovenia gas project by Ascent and its partners.
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AIM-listed investor Onzima Ventures is to buy the remaining 51% stake it does not already own in N4 Pharma, a drug discovery company, subject to shareholder approval.
At the next general meeting on 2 May, the company will also propose change its name to N4 Pharma, and if approved its ticker will be changed to N4P and its website address to www.n4pharma.com.
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BNN Technology has successfully completed a placing announced earlier on Thursday, raising gross proceeds of £25m to fund investment in two new platforms and other initiatives in line with its strategy to become a major data-focused internet portal in China.
A total of 31,250,000 new ordinary shares of par value £0.10 each were conditionally placed at 80p each and the company said the placing was completed with support from existing and new institutional investors.
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AIM-listed investor Dorcaster is to buy Experiential Ventures, the holding company of Escape Hunt group, an entertainment franchise, for £12m, partly funded from an equity placing.
The company will also change its name to Escape Hunt plc, subject to shareholder approval at the next meeting on 2 May. On approval, its AIM ticker will be changed to ESC and its website address will be changed to www.escapehunt.com.
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Shares in Gfinity climbed on Thursday after the eSports business announced it had been appointed the official tournament partner for Microsoft's Turn 10 Studios' Forza Racing Championship on Xbox.
Forza RC is a four week competition beginning with an event at Microsoft's store in New York, showcasing 18 of ForzaRC's players to participate in either the Forza Motorsport 6 competion for elite drivers or the Forza Horizon 3 competiotion for casual players.
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Scapa said on Thursday that it performed well in the year to the end of March 2017, with the good progress reported in the interims continuing.
The AIM-listed supplier of bonding solutions and manufacturer of adhesive-based products said revenue, trading profit and margins are all ahead of expectations.
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AMI-listed Gattaca warned on Thursday that profits for the year to 31 July 2017 will be around 10-15% below its previous expectations.
The group said its performance in the first half of the year reflects tougher UK trading conditions following the Brexit vote. Net fee income in the first half softened due to near-term uncertainty, which led to elongated hiring decisions and some projects being delayed.
Happy Easter!