Daily Mail CEO buys 50,000 shares

Martin Morgan, the Chief Executive of the Daily Mail and General Trust, has doubled his stake in the company with the purchase of 50,000 shares.

Morgan, handed over £195,945 for the shares, which he bought at 391.89p a go, taking his stake in the firm to 978,016 shares.

The shares were purchased on Tuesday, just a month after the company posted a decline in interim profits.

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Adjusted operating profit fell 8.0% to £133m from £144m the year before while adjusted profit before tax tumbled 14% to £105m from £121m a year earlier. DMGT has adjusted its figures to reflect acquisitions, disposals, closures and non-annual events in the current and prior year; the percentage changes are calculated using constant exchange rates.

Revenue in the six months to April 1st eased 2.0% to £973m from £991m at the interim stage last year, but was up 3.0% on an underlying basis.

This week the company struck a deal with real estate investment trust British land, who will buy land which is currently home to the newspaper's printing operations.

The Daily Mail and General Trust said it was relocating out of the area due to changes in its technology.

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Daily Mail and General Trust A (Non.V) (DMGT)

Director name: Mr Martin Morgan

Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 391.89p

Value: £195,945

Petrofac Ltd. (PFC)

Director name: Mr Tim Weller

Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 1,352.00p

Value: £135,200

GB Group (GBG)

Director name: Mr Richard Law

Amount purchased: 150,344 @ 65.92p

Value: £99,107

North Atlantic Smaller Companies Inv Trust (NAS)

Director name: Mr Christopher H B Mills

Amount purchased: 6,000 @ 1,039.00p

Value: £62,340

GB Group (GBG)

Director name: Mr David Wilson

Amount purchased: 81,966 @ 67.01p

Value: £54,925

British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY)

Director name: Mr Nicholas Ferguson

Amount purchased: 1,768 @ 676.00p

Value: £11,952

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Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO)

Director name: Mr Irakli Gilauri

Amount sold: 75,000 @ 1,010.00p

Value: £757,500

Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO)

Director name: Mr Irakli Gilauri

Amount sold: 75,000 @ 1,010.00p

Value: £757,500

GB Group (GBG)

Director name: Mr Richard Law

Amount sold: 84,505 @ 65.00p

Value: £54,928