Standard Life executives add to holdings

Life insurer Standard Life's executive directors have added to their shareholdings following Wednesday's full year results.

Chief executive David Nish's wife Caroline has bought 75,000 shares at 206.05p each. This investment of nearly £155,000 takes the Nish family stake to 261,981 shares.

Nish was appointed chief executive at the beginning of 2010 and was previously finance director.

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Norman Skeoch, the chief executive of Standard Life Investments, has bought the same number of shares at the same price. Skeoch owns 558,775 shares.

Non-executive chairman Gerald Grimstone acquired 25,000 shares at 203.59p each. That takes his stake to 175,545 shares.

Standard Life is lifting its efficiency targets after delivering 2009 profits ahead of market expectations on Wednesday.

'We are announcing today that we will target a further £100m of efficiency savings by 2012. These savings, which will improve new business margins, will be achieved through transforming our operations to become lower cost and scalable, while maintaining the quality of customer service,' claimed Nish.

Underlying profit before tax in 2009 rose to £291m from £154m the year before, while European Embedded Value (EEV) operating profit before tax dipped to £919m from £933m. That trumped market expectations of a figure around £665m.

Profit attributable to equity shareholders after tax more than doubled to £213m from £100m but the diluted underlying earnings per share (EPS) only edged up to 12p from 11.7p.

On an EEV basis, diluted operating EPS eased to 29.1p from 29.8p.

Gross earned premiums held steady at £3,562m from £3,564m (restated) in 2008.

Top Director Buys

Standard Life (SL.) Director name: Mr Keith SkeochAmount purchased: 75,000 @ 206.05p Value: £154,538

Standard Life (SL.) Director name: Mr David Thomas NishAmount purchased: 75,000 @ 206.05p Value: £154,538

Anglo American (AAL) Director name: Sir John ParkerAmount purchased: 5,505 @ 2,707.50p Value: £149,048

Prudential (PRU) Director name: Ms Bridget MacaskillAmount purchased: 15,000 @ 524.50p Value: £78,675

Leaf Clean Energy (LEAF) Director name: Mr Peter TomAmount purchased: 100,000 @ 60.00p Value: £60,000

Standard Life (SL.) Director name: Mr Gerry GrimstoneAmount purchased: 25,000 @ 203.59p Value: £50,898

Angel Mining (ANGM) Director name: Mr Francis David Sherston ChapmanAmount purchased: 500,000 @ 7.00p Value: £35,000

Leaf Clean Energy (LEAF) Director name: Mr Bran KeoghAmount purchased: 50,000 @ 62.00p Value: £31,000

Leaf Clean Energy (LEAF) Director name: Mr Bran KeoghAmount purchased: 50,000 @ 60.00p Value: £30,000

Pennon Group (PNN) Director name: Mr Gerard ConnellAmount purchased: 4,000 @ 521.39p Value: £20,856

Top Director Sells

Brit Insurance Holdings NV (BRE) Director name: Mr Dane Jonathan DouetilAmount sold: 24,227 @ 745.13p Value: £180,523

Fuller Smith and Turner (FSTA) Director name: Mr Simon EmenyAmount sold: 30,000 @ 540.00p Value: £162,000

Amlin (AML) Director name: Mr Brian D CarpenterAmount sold: 27,492 @ 419.39p Value: £115,299

Brit Insurance Holdings NV (BRE) Director name: Mr Matthew ScalesAmount sold: 12,112 @ 745.13p Value: £90,250

Senior (SNR) Director name: Mr M RollinsAmount sold: 80,435 @ 90.10p Value: £72,472

Senior (SNR) Director name: Mr Michael SheppardAmount sold: 36,673 @ 90.10p Value: £33,042