News

John Haynes, chairman of car repair manual group Haynes Publishing, has beefed up his stake in the business by 150,000 shares.

He paid £225,000 for the holding at 150p a share in addition to the 85,000 bought last month at 155p and the 15,000 snapped up in August at 170p.

In October, the firm said sales of core automotive repair manuals held up well during the first quarter despite a deterioration in market conditions.

Sales of US car manuals in local currency ended the period 10% ahead of last year and were up 5% in the UK. But there's been a marked downturn at the UK general publishing division since the end of its financial year in May. Revenue fell by 3% year on year.

The company, set up by Haynes in 1960 and listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1979, has seen its value fall by more than half in the past year to about £11m.

Top Director Buys

Haynes Publishing Group (HYNS)
Director name: Mr J H C Haynes
Amount purchased: 150,000 @ 150.00p
Value: £225,000

Universe Group (UNG)
Director name: Mr John Scholes
Amount purchased: 4,751,960 @ 2.50p
Value: £118,799

Bodycote International (BOY)
Director name: Mr Stephen Harris
Amount purchased: 71,076 @ 140.70p
Value: £100,004

BB Holdings (BBHL)
Director name: Lord Lord Ashcroft
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 201.00p
Value: £80,400

Platinum Australia (PLAA)
Director name: Mr John Derek Lewis
Amount purchased: 150,000 @ 15.06p
Value: £22,605

Westminster Group (WSG)
Director name: Mr Roger Worrall
Amount purchased: 164,300 @ 30.00p
Value: £49,290

Impellam Group (IPEL)
Director name: Ms Cheryl Jones
Amount purchased: 175,000 @ 26.00p
Value: £45,500

Alkane Energy (ALK)
Director name: Mr Neil Christopher O'Brien
Amount purchased: 200,000 @ 14.30p
Value: £28,600

Mouchel Group (MCHL)
Director name: Ms Debbie Howard Hewitt
Amount purchased: 6,182 @ 323.50p
Value: £19,999

New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPO)
Director name: Mr Nick Thompson
Amount purchased: 13,500 @ 143.00p
Value: £19,305