Non-exec's firm cashes in at Lancashire

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

Lancashire Holdings non-executive director Barry Volpert is chief executive of private equity firm Crestview, which has raised more than £4.7m from the sale of shares in the property, aviation and marine insurer.

The share prices of the five separate disposals varied from 497p to just over 500p. Crestview still owns 3.6% of Lancashire.

In a separate deal, Lancashire bought back 88,181 shares at 497.3p each. It bought back $12.9m worth of shares in the first quarter of 2010.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Sign up

Finance director Neil McConachie has sold 18,235 shares at 498p a share to raised £90,810. This is his second sale in June having raised just over £373,000 from the sale of 75,000 shares at 497.5p a share on the seventeenth.

McConachie has been with Lancashire since February 2006. Bermuda-based Lancashire switched from AIM to the Main Market in March 2009. The last AIM share price was 470p a share but in January a special dividend of 76p a share was paid. That was followed by a final dividend of 6.4p a share in April.

Lancashire had a book value per share of $7.38 at the end of March 2010. Net premiums written more than doubled from $99.2m to $203.5m in the first quarter of 2010.

Lancashire has secured a $200m two year credit facility with Lloyds and will report its second quarter figures on 5 August.

Top Director Buys

Mid Wynd International Inv Trust (MWY) Director name: Mr Russell Napier Amount purchased: 5,175 @ 940.00p Value: £48,645

Tristel (TSTL) Director name: Mr Francisco Angel SolerAmount purchased: 75,000 @ 53.00p Value: £39,750

Chemring Group (CHG) Director name: Mr Kenneth C ScobieAmount purchased: 1,000 @ 2,992.00p Value: £29,920

Chemring Group (CHG) Director name: Mr Kenneth C ScobieAmount purchased: 1,000 @ 2,979.00p Value: £29,790

Trinity Mirror (TNI) Director name: Mrs Sylvia (Sly) BaileyAmount purchased: 33,724 @ 73.50p Value: £24,787

Trinity Mirror (TNI) Director name: Sir Sir Ian GibsonAmount purchased: 26,854 @ 74.10p Value: £19,899

Chamberlin and Hill (CMH) Director name: Mr Tom BrownAmount purchased: 15,000 @ 74.00p Value: £11,100

Top Director Sells

Lancashire Holdings (LRE) Director name: Mr Barry Stuart VolpertAmount sold: 589,808 @ 500.00p Value: £2,949,040

Lancashire Holdings (LRE) Director name: Mr Barry Stuart VolpertAmount sold: 157,863 @ 500.00p Value: £789,315

Lancashire Holdings (LRE) Director name: Mr Barry Stuart VolpertAmount sold: 104,694 @ 500.42p Value: £523,910

New World Resources (NWR) Director name: Mr Steven SchuitAmount sold: 60,000 @ 712.90p Value: £427,740

Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) Director name: Mr Roger BurnleyAmount sold: 100,000 @ 326.10p Value: £326,100

Lancashire Holdings (LRE) Director name: Mr Barry Stuart VolpertAmount sold: 48,630 @ 497.03p Value: £241,706

Lancashire Holdings (LRE) Director name: Mr Barry Stuart VolpertAmount sold: 41,683 @ 497.02p Value: £207,173

Lancashire Holdings (LRE) Director name: Mr Neil William McConachieAmount sold: 18,235 @ 498.00p Value: £90,810

Discovery Metals (CDI) (DME) Director name: Mr Gordon GaltAmount sold: 101,219 @ 62.27p Value: £63,029

Discovery Metals (CDI) (DME) Director name: Mr Gordon GaltAmount sold: 100,000 @ 61.77p Value: £61,770