Blue Prism (PRSM) and 'momentum' are two phrases that are becoming increasingly interchangeable. Indeed, the robotic process automation specialist’s shares are up over 120 per cent in the past year alone.
But what’s driving this growth? For one thing, deal count: over the six months to April 2018, Blue Prism signed a whopping 559 software contracts – up from 209 a year earlier. On top of that, first-half revenues soared 145 per cent to £22.9m, although pre-tax losses widened after a rise in administrative expenses.
Considering the share-price’s historical progress, it’s not overly-concerning that chief executive Alastair Bathgate offloaded 410,000 shares on 26 July at 1,844p each, worth around £7.6m in total. He retains a stake worth roughly 7 per cent, with no current plans for further sales.
Mr Bathgate also sold 595,238 shares back in January, as part of a wider secondary placing of 2.3m shares at 1,260p to raise £30m for him and other selling shareholders. This came alongside a primary placing to raise £40m for the group. Mr Bathgate subsequently retained a 7.7 per cent stake.
| Buys | |||||||
| Company | Director | Date | No of shares | Price (p) | Value (£) | Holding (shares) | Holding (%) |
| Alliance Trust | Christopher Samuel | 26 Jul 18 | 20,000 | 768.9 | 153,780 | 40,265 | 0.012 |
| APC Technology* | Anthony Lochery | 26 Jul 18 | 1,481,481 | 6.75 | 100,000 | 3,603,703 | 2.003 |
| APC Technology* | Richard Hodgson (ceo) | 26 Jul 18 | 300,000 | 6.75 | 20,250 | 2,300,000 | 1.279 |
| Avon Rubber | Nick Keveth (fd) | 26 Jul 18 | 1,383 | 1,444.64 | 19,979 | 6,147 | 0.020 |
| Avon Rubber | Chloe Ponsonby | 26 Jul 18 | 1,400 | 1,445 | 20,230 | 3,400 | 0.011 |
| CentralNic* | Donald Baladasan (cfo) | 01 Aug 18 | 86,538 | 52 | 45,000 | 159,455 | 0.093 |
| CentralNic* | Iain McDonald | 01 Aug 18 | 96,153 | 52 | 50,000 | 96,153 | 0.056 |
| Ceres Power* | Aidan Hughes | 27 Jul 18 | 265,200 | 15.08 | 39,992 | 265,200 | 0.021 |
| Ceres Power*♥ | Alan Aubrey (ch) | 27 Jul 18 | 26,525,100 | 15.08 | 3,999,985 | 284,063,394 | 22.226 |
| Clipper Logistics♥ | Antony Mannix (ceo) | 30 Jul 18 | 80,000 | 318.4127 | 254,730 | 946,786 | 0.933 |
| Clipper Logistics♥ | David Hodkin (cfo) | 30 Jul 18 | 240,000 | 318.4127 | 764,190 | 1,113,196 | 1.097 |
| Deltex Medical | Nigel Keen (ch) | 26 Jul 18 | 6,000,000 | 0.8417 | 50,502 | 48,223,410 | 9.788 |
| Deltex Medical | Andrew Mears (ceo) | 27 Jul 18 | 2,234,222 | 0.89 | 19,885 | 2,781,808 | 0.565 |
| Equiniti | Tim Miller | 27 Jul 18 | 25,000 | 232.68 | 58,170 | 95,798 | 0.026 |
| Equiniti | Guy Wakeley (ceo) | 27 Jul 18 | 25,000 | 232.68 | 58,170 | 1,145,619 | 0.314 |
| Equiniti | John Stier (cfo) | 27 Jul 18 | 10,000 | 232.68 | 23,268 | 333,828 | 0.092 |
| Equiniti | Philip Yea (ch) | 27 Jul 18 | 63,000 | 237.63 | 149,707 | 148,000 | 0.041 |
| Findel | Stuart Caldwell (cfo) | 26 Jul 18 | 16,636 | 299 | 49,742 | 24,820 | 0.029 |
| Ilika | Michael Inglis (ch) | 30 Jul 18 | 250,000 | 20 | 50,000 | 365,000 | 0.362 |
| Ilika | Graeme Purdy (ceo) | 30 Jul 18 | 125,000 | 20 | 25,000 | 734,427 | 0.729 |
| Ilika | Keith Jackson | 30 Jul 18 | 50,000 | 20 | 10,000 | 70,000 | 0.070 |
| Infrastructure India | Timothy Walker | 31 Jul 18 | 500,000 | 3.4 | 17,000 | 981,667 | 0.144 |
| Infrastructure India | Sonny Lulla (ceo) | 31 Jul 18 | 500,000 | 3.9 | 19,500 | 1,500,000 | 0.221 |
| Judges Scientific | Charles Holroyd | 26 Jul 18 | 806 | 2,480 | 19,989 | 1,217 | 0.020 |
| Judges Scientific | Charles Holroyd | 26 Jul 18 | 799 | 2,500 | 19,975 | 2,016 | 0.033 |
| Just Eat | Michael Evans | 31 Jul 18 | 6,238 | 801.491 | 49,997 | 6,238 | 0.001 |
| Luceco | John Barton | 30 Jul 18 | 61,538 | 34.75 | 21,384 | 100,000 | 0.062 |
| Luceco | Tim Surridge | 30 Jul 18 | 50,000 | 34.75 | 17,375 | 69,231 | 0.043 |
| Luceco | Giles Brand (ch) | 01 Aug 18 | 622,919 | 39.74 | 247,548 | 9,466,919 | 5.887 |
| Luceco | John Hornby (ceo) | 01 Aug 18 | 1,000,000 | 39.74 | 397,400 | 32,396,514 | 20.147 |
| MaxCyte♥ | John Johnston | 26 Jul 18 | 11,500 | 240 | 27,600 | 86,500 | 0.170 |
| OptiBiotix Health | Neil Davidson (ch) | 30 Jul 18 | 103,000 | 98.6 | 101,558 | 478,000 | 0.567 |
| Park Group | Martin Stewart (fd) | 27 Jul 18 | 25,000 | 69 | 17,250 | 1,239,600 | 0.667 |
| Polar Capital | Alexa Coates | 31 Jul 18 | 2,000 | 674 | 13,480 | 2,000 | 0.002 |
| Proteome Sciences | Martin Diggle | 27 Jul 18 | 525,000 | 3.49 | 18,323 | 55,913,431 | 18.942 |
| Proteome Sciences♥ | Martin Diggle | 01 Aug 18 | 328,000 | 3.5 | 11,480 | 56,359,431 | 19.093 |
| PZ Cussons | Caroline Silver (ch) | 26 Jul 18 | 10,000 | 220 | 22,000 | 30,000 | 0.007 |
| PZ Cussons | Brandon Leigh (cfo) | 30 Jul 18 | 11,000 | 232.1 | 25,531 | 156,917 | 0.037 |
| Swallowfield | Roger McDowell | 27 Jul 18 | 8,666 | 270 | 23,398 | 389,105 | 2.271 |
| VPC Specialty Lending Investments♥ | Richard Levy | 01 Aug 18 | 66,609 | 83 | 55,285 | 3,080,438 | 0.843 |
| W Resources♥ | Michael Masterman (ch) | 27 Jul 18 | 5,500,000 | 0.435 | 23,925 | 1,086,565,648 | 19.835 |
| Sells | |||||||
| Company | Director | Date | No of shares | Price (p) | Value (£) | Holding (shares) | Holding (%) |
| 4imprint | Andrew Scull | 31 Jul 18 | 10,806 | 2,013.30 | 217,557 | 59,194 | 0.211 |
| 4imprint♥ | Andrew Scull | 31 Jul 18 | 9,194 | 2,013.30 | 185,103 | 50,000 | 0.178 |
| Actual Experience | Robin Young | 26 Jul 18 | 3,600 | 260 | 9,360 | 2,600 | 0.006 |
| Actual Experience | Robin Young | 26 Jul 18 | 1,000 | 270 | 2,700 | 6,200 | 0.014 |
| Blue Prism | Alastair Bathgate (ceo) | 26 Jul 18 | 410,000 | 1,844 | 7,560,400 | 4,653,224 | 6.966 |
| Halma | Jennifer Ward | 26 Jul 18 | 1,134 | 1,386.39 | 15,722 | 16,193 | 0.004 |
| Halma | Adam Meyers | 26 Jul 18 | 3,406 | 1,386.39 | 47,220 | 340,480 | 0.090 |
| Halma | Jennifer Ward | 31 Jul 18 | 7,556 | 1,403.78 | 106,070 | 23,749 | 0.006 |
| Halma | Adam Meyers | 31 Jul 18 | 23,908 | 1,403.78 | 335,616 | 343,480 | 0.090 |
| Halma | Andrew Williams (ceo) | 31 Jul 18 | 41,402 | 1,403.78 | 581,193 | 608,646 | 0.160 |
| Independent Investment Trust (The) | Douglas McDougall (ch) | 01 Aug 18 | 25,000 | 761.2 | 190,300 | 7,999,500 | 14.421 |
| * placing/tender/open offer ♥ spouse/connected party | |||||||
