TalkTalk non-exec spends £250,000

A round-up of the biggest director deals today so far.

Non-executive director Ian West has spent £250,000 on shares in the fixed line voice and broadband telecommunications company TalkTalk, it announced today.

He took 181,700 shares at 137.58p a pop, taking his holding to 346,023 shares.

The shares are lower than when he last took a stake in the company, buying 100,000 shares at 153.17p a time in February, the same month he was appointed to the TalkTalk board.

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Nevertheless, they picked up momentum after the company last week announced a rise in profits in the year to 31 March. Headline earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose to £276m from £221m the previous year on revenues that climbed by £1.77bn from £1.69bn.

TalkTalk, which was demerged from Carphone Warehouse, said average revenue per user in the fourth quarter rose to £25 a month from £23.60 in the previous quarter.

Revenue will be broadly flat in 2012, the company said.

TalkTalk, which was formed from the demerger of mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse, has 4.1m broadband customers.

Prior to his appointment in February, West worked at the satellite broadcaster and broadband provider Sky, where he was in charge of subscriptions and with the telecoms group ntl.

Top Director Buys

TalkTalk Telecom Group (TALK) Director name: Mr Ian WestAmount purchased: 181,700 @ 137.58p Value: £249,983

Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) Director name: Mr Gerard KleisterleeAmount purchased: 5,000 @ 2,159.40p Value: £107,970

Keller Group (KLR) Director name: Mr Ruth Cairnie Amount purchased: 6,000 @ 533.80p Value: £32,028

Manganese Bronze Holdings (MNGS) Director name: Mr John RussellAmount purchased: 44,247 @ 56.50p Value: £25,000

VinaLand Ltd. (VNL) Director name: Mr Robert Anthony Eagleson GordonAmount purchased: 27,000 @ $0.88 Value: $23,825

VinaLand Ltd. (VNL) Director name: Mr Robert Anthony Eagleson GordonAmount purchased: 27,000 @ $0.88 Value: $23,825

Top Director Sells

Staffline Group (STAF) Director name: Mr Andy HogarthAmount sold: 1,000,000 @ 245.50p Value: £2,455,000

Blinkx (BLNX) Director name: Dr Michael LynchAmount sold: 1,350,000 @ 139.99p Value: £1,889,865

Staffline Group (STAF) Director name: Mr Marshall EvansAmount sold: 300,000 @ 245.50p Value: £736,500

Blinkx (BLNX) Director name: Mr Suranga ChandratillakeAmount sold: 383,257 @ 137.85p Value: £528,320

Babcock International Group (BAB) Director name: Mr Kevin ThomasAmount sold: 45,000 @ 670.00p Value: £301,500

Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) Director name: Mr Darren M ShaplandAmount sold: 85,323 @ 342.11p Value: £291,899