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Asos chief cashes in

Asos chief executive Nick Robertson has cashed in a portion of his stake after the e-commerce giant posted an encouraging trading update.
February 5, 2015

Although e-commerce specialist Asos (ASC) has seen its share price halve year on year, that hasn't stopped chief executive Nick Robertson from cashing in and selling off a portion of his stake in the company. After a year of turmoil, Asos gave investors a positive update in early January. In the six weeks to 9 January, retail sales accelerated 15 per cent. That’s significantly ahead of the first quarter, during which retail sales grew just 8 per cent year on year.

IC TIP: Hold at 2,873p

More pleasing was a market upturn for the international division. Sales there rose 5 per cent during the same six-week period, compared with a 2 per cent decline in the first quarter.

Analysts at Numis said as comparative figures start to weaken, the strength of sterling is annualised and certain pricing benefits trickle through, sales should continue to ramp up this year.

Buys

CompanyDirectorDateNo of sharesPrice (p)Value (£)Holding (shares)Holding (%)
1pm Ron Russell22 Jan 1515,000639,4507,348,68419.903
Aberdeen Asian Income Fund PAK Arthur (ch)22 Jan 15250199.8350043,3860.022
Bankers IT D Wild22 Jan 158,403599.9850,41612,8030.011
BlackRock Throgmorton Trust ♥SD Beart26 Jan 15178287.2551133,9540.046
Braemar Shipping Services Jurgen Breuer28 Jan 156,00045527,3006,0000.020
Burberry  Carolyn McCall 28 Jan 151,1171,77719,8491,1170.000
Caledonia Mining CorpLeigh Wilson (ch)23 Jan 1530,20042.38312,80072,5000.139
Daily Internet Michael Edelson (ch)22 Jan 156,318,7041.594,78127,584,0005.749
Daily Internet Christopher Evans (ce)29 Jan 15369,4851.55,54219,625,3674.100
Flowgroup Nigel Canham (cfo)22 Jan 1568,4004329,41268,4000.029
Flybe  Simon Laffin (ch)26 Jan 1560,72869.7542,358288,0000.133
Foreign & Colonial  CA Keljik 27 Jan 159,00045040,50072,0010.013
Games Workshop  Elaine O'Donnell22 Jan 151,500502.257,5341,5000.005
Intercede  Ian Drew23 Jan 1526,00011429,64073,0000.151
JPMorgan Smaller Companies  AS Robson27 Jan 151,000744.537,4452,1630.012
JPMorgan Smaller Companies  MF Quicke (ch)27 Jan 154,879752.536,7149,2120.052
Lamprell John Kennedy (ch)22 Jan 1555,291107.4459,4061,293,1280.378
Lamprell ΩJohn Kennedy (ch)23 Jan 1528,128104.8929,5031,321,2560.387
Lamprell ΩJohn Kennedy (ch)26 Jan 15117,857111.54131,4631,439,1130.421
Learning Technologies  Leslie-Ann Reed26 Jan 15750,00018.5138,750750,0000.212
Learning Technologies  Neil Elton (fd)26 Jan 15160,00018.529,600160,0000.045
Leed Resources Charles Zorab22 Jan 153,268,2940.092,9413,268,2940.105
London Capital  Holdings Charles Henri-Sabet (ch)22 Jan 15250,00029.573,7501,700,0002.609
Madagascar Oil ♥Steve Hope28 Jan 15100,0004.54,500187,390,23228.737
Madagascar Oil ♥Steve Hope28 Jan 15100,00088,000187,290,23228.722
Madagascar Oil ♥Steve Hope28 Jan 15160,0008.513,600187,190,23228.707
Madagascar Oil ♥Steve Hope28 Jan 15200,0007.9815,950187,030,23228.682
Miton  Gervais Williams23 Jan 15295,00025.575,2259,088,2415.321
NetDimensions (Holdings) †Jay Shaw (ce)28 Jan 15750765704,814,00012.398
Phorm Corp ♥Johannes Roth22 Jan 159,500,00010.5997,50080,289,60710.443
Plutus PowerGen *Phil Stephens (ce)22 Jan 153,846,1540.6525,00038,012,8216.652
Porvair Dr Raj Rajagopal26 Jan 1515,000302.8845,43115,0000.033
RM2 International ♥Ian Molson (ch)22 Jan 151,000,00051510,0008,500,0002.633
Roxi Petroleum Kairat Satylganov (cfo)26 Jan 1516,758,2867.411,241,789236,291,83026.999
Roxi Petroleum ♥Edmund Limerick22 Jan 15555,0008.7548,563555,0000.063
RWS Holdings ΩReinhard Ottway (ce)27 Jan 155868524,9935860.001
Sound Oil ♥M Fumagalli28 Jan 153,906,25016625,00068,193,75016.267
Telecom plus Melvin Lawson26 Jan 1525,000985246,2502,089,8692.608
Telecom plus Julian Schild26 Jan 1525,000985246,250158,6820.198
Telecom plus The Hon Charles Wigoder (ch)26 Jan 1525,000985246,25012,958,68316.171
W Resources *Michael Masterman (ch)26 Jan 1550,666,6660.3152,000790,549,16927.388
W Resources * ♥Dr. Byron Pirola26 Jan 1516,666,6660.350,000171,876,4155.955
Whitbread Richard Baker (ch)22 Jan 152,7434,920134,95615,1890.008
Sells
CompanyDirectorDateNo of sharesPrice (p)Value (£)Holding (shares)Holding (%)
Arian Silver CorpAnthony Williams (ch)22 Jan 1585,00036.6831,17500.000
ASOS Nicholas Robertson (ce)28 Jan 15744,6002,716.4920,226,9517,000,0008.390
Judges Scientific David Barnbrook 23 Jan 157001,60511,23521,7910.363
Judges Scientific The Hon Alex Hambro (ch)22 Jan 1515,0001,605240,75077,5001.292
Kingfisher Sir Ian Cheshire27 Jan 1516,000346.455,4242,555,9700.109
Kingfisher ♥Sir Ian Cheshire27 Jan 1515,000346.451,9602,555,9700.109
Learning Technologies  Jonathan Satchell (ce)26 Jan 153,000,00018.5555,000110,214,99531.090
Proton Power Systems Thomas Melczer22 Jan 15250,0004.1410,352250,0000.039
SThree Gary Elden (ce)28 Jan 15150,000338507,0003,068,0852.422
WYG Graham Olver28 Jan 1523,40411025,74464,3220.096
WYG ♥Graham Olver28 Jan 1564,32211070,75400.000

* placing/tender/open offer ♥ spouse/connected party Ω ISA/SIPP/Trust † depositary receipts