Capita boss takes more shares

Paul Pindar, chairman of the provider of outsourced services to the government, Capita, has spent nearly £1m on shares in the group.

He bought 150,000 shares at 640p a time and now has about 1.7m shares or 0.3% of the company, which operates the Criminal Records Bureau and collects the TV licence among other activities.

In an update last month,Capita said revenue growth in the second half of 2010 has been subdued, but the bid pipeline is at a record level.

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The company said the pressures on public spending are having a bigger than expected impact on a small number of the group's trading activities than envisaged at the halfway point of the year.

The news on the public spending front is not all bad, however, with the group expecting outsourcing to play a major role in delivering the £6bn of savings targeted by the UK government.

The bid pipeline stood at £4.4bn on 22 July 2010 with 23 opportunities. The group faces no material rebids (greater than 1% of previous year's revenue) until 2012.

The private sector is also on a cost cutting drive, and Capita is actively pursuing a number of opportunities notably in financial services, it says.

Top Director Buys

Capita Group (CPI) Director name: Mr Paul PindarAmount purchased: 150,000 @ 640.00p Value: £960,000

Prospect Japan Fund Ltd. (PJF) Director name: Mr David Fitzwilliam-LayAmount purchased: 97,319 @ $0.70 Value: $68,318

Edinburgh Dragon Trust (EFM) Director name: Mr Iain McLarenAmount purchased: 10,000 @ 252.00p Value: £25,200

Sanderson Group (SND) Director name: Mr David GutteridgeAmount purchased: 80,000 @ 28.18p Value: £22,544

Top Director Sells

Pacific Alliance Asia Opportunity Fund Ltd. (PAX) Director name: Mr Christopher M GradelAmount sold: 369,836 @ $1.32 Value: $488,184

Bankers Petroleum Ltd. (BNK) Director name: Mr John Brian ZaozirnyAmount sold: 50,000 @ 421.65p Value: £210,825

Noble Investments (UK) (NBL) Director name: Mr Kean McDonaldAmount sold: 250,000 @ 130.50p Value: £326,250

Mandarin Orirntal International (Singapore) (MDO) Director name: Mr Terry L StinsonAmount sold: 150,000 @ $2.08 Value: $311,295

Sandvine Corp. (SAND) Director name: Mr Scott HamiltonAmount sold: 18,700 @ 141.97p Value: £26,548