Embattled outsourcer Kier shares plunge as ‘accounting error’ reveals higher net debt than previously thought March 11, 2019 Construction outsourcer Kier Group spooked investors on Monday morning as it admitted an 'accounting error' had forced it to recalculate its net debt as £50m higher than previously stated. The firm’s stock fell 13 per cent after it issued an update saying it has revised its net debt position as at 31 December to £180.5m, up from [...]
Provident Financial resolves regulation issues with City watchdog March 6, 2019 Doorstep lender Provident Financial has said it has "substantially resolved" recent regulatory issues as it revealed that it has hired a new boss to lead its Vanquis Bank business. The company, which has rejected a £1.3bn takeover bid from rival Non-Standard Finance (NSF), revealed that the Vanquis refund programme was more than 99 per cent [...]
Stobart battle: Judge finds former boss Andrew Tinkler breached duties as a director February 15, 2019 The judge in the bitter court battle between the Stobart Group and former chief executive Andrew Tinkler ruled today that Tinkler had made four “serious” breaches of his duty as a director. His Honour Judge Russen QC said Tinkler breached his contractual and fiduciary duties in four ways: by agitating for the removal of the [...]
Construction in crisis: Where did it all go wrong for Kier? January 29, 2019 Construction outsourcer Kier Group has had a tricky few months. First, it became the most shorted stock on the market, with hedge funds drawing direct comparison to failed competitor Carillion. Since then, it has bungled a rights issue, lost its chief executive and seen its share price plummet more than 39 per cent. City PM tracks [...]
Kier shares fall again as investors react to reports it will sell housing maintenance arm to cut debt January 28, 2019 Shares in troubled outsourcer Kier Group were down four per cent this morning on yesterday’s news it is to sell off its housing maintenance business in a bid to cut hundreds of millions of pounds worth of debt. The construction firm, whose chief executive left last week after sustained pressure from high-profile shareholder Neil Woodford, declined [...]
Kier Group negotiating sale of its housing maintenance business in a bid to reduce debt January 27, 2019 Kier Group, the troubled outsourcing company, is nearing an agreement to sell its housing maintenance division. The deal, if agreed, would be part of a previously announced plan to shore up the balance sheet of the construction and building services provider by selling non-core assets. Read more: Short sellers release pressure on construction outsourcing giant Kier [...]
Neil Woodford increases stake in construction giant Kier after chief executive’s departure January 23, 2019 Neil Woodford has upped his stake in troubled construction outsourcer Kier Group by millions of pounds in the wake of the firm’s chief executive resigning yesterday. The veteran investor, a leading stakeholder in the firm, had been pressing for changes at executive level in the company after a botched rights issue drove its value to [...]
Kier Group director leaves to join Grenfell Tower cladding building firm Rydon Construction January 17, 2019 Kier Group operations director Mark Norris is to leave the beleaguered contractor to join Rydon Construction as a director. Norris leaves Kier as it continues struggling with its finances after a botched issue late last year caused the company’s shares to plummet. Read more: Outsourcer Kier Group's lenders face underwriting headache after rights issue flounders He [...]
Fund manager Neil Woodford leads push to oust top Kier Group executives January 13, 2019 Leading fund manager Neil Woodford is leading a push to unseat construction group Kier’s top executive team after its botched rights issue, according to reports. Woodford Investment Management, which owns a 16 per cent stake in Kier, is leading a push to replace chief executive Haydn Mursell and finance director Bev Dew, Sky News reported [...]
Star trader Neil Woodford’s fund reports healthy profits despite recent drop in assets January 9, 2019 Veteran investor Neil Woodford’s fund Woodford Investments has reported operating profit of £41.7m and paid directors £36.5m in dividends in the 12 months to the end of March last year. However, the accounts do not take into account recent outflows from the fund, and profits are likely to be impacted in the next set of full-year [...]
