Companies: ACG    AFS    AMR    CBOX    CDT    CWP    FNT    RCG   

The AIM Index added to recent four-year highs, touching 1,198.9 on Friday, a 15.6-point up tick for the week overall, while quarter-end profit-taking pulled the FTSE 100 back 70 points to 5,964.6.

As expected, investors were treated to a plethora of bullish results and announcements. Hong-Kong based biometrics business RC Group (RCG) climbed 19 per cent to 47.5p on the back of tripled earnings per share for 2005 on profits up 114 per cent to £4.8 million. Led by chief executive Dr Raymond Chu, the company has just launched an innovative facial-recognition-equipped Fx9 laptop, for which it has already snared orders worth £1.6 million.

Debt solutions counter Accuma (ACG) unveiled superb half-time figures to end-January, moving into pre-tax profits of £304,000 on a dramatic 310 per cent leap in turnover to £4.1 million. The shares put on three per cent to 275.p over the week.

Although tough trading at its automotive division dragged interim pre-tax profits at Armour Group (AMR) back 26 per cent to £1.0 million, the home electronics business enjoyed like-for-like sales growth for the half to 28 February in both domestic and export markets. The addition of market-leading flat-screen furniture maker Alphason should bring strong revenues, especially with the World Cup this summer expected to bring a massive boost to its market. Nevertheless, the shares had fallen six per cent to 51p by Friday.

Manufacturing blow for Clipper

Wind turbine maker and wind energy project developer Clipper Windpower (CWP) surrendered 11 per cent to 322.5p as the venture, which floated on AIM in September with a £60.6 million funding, revealed a fivefold widening of losses to £10.4 million ($18 million) in 2005. Sentiment was also affected by delays related to the manufacturing roll out of one of its turbines, though Clipper still expects to meet production targets in 2007.

Water filtration outfit Amiad (AFS) joined AIM in December with a £6.5 million funding priced at 129p, with the cash raised used to pay down debt and fund its marketing push. Led by affable chief executive Yossi Katz, the Israeli-headquartered business posted an encouraging 57 per cent profits surge to £2.3 million for 2005. After storming up to 241.5p in four months the shares put on a another penny.

Elsewhere Clean Diesel Technologies (CDT) attributed its £3.1 million net loss for the year to December to 'increased investment in sales and marketing'. Encouragingly, revenues rose 12.5 per cent to £470,000, and the shares nudged up 2.5p to 56p.

Fountains felled on warning

In a shock profits warning environmental services specialist Fountains (FNT) confessed full year results to September would significantly disappoint. The figures will be hit by major cost overruns and delivery delays relating to a large fixed price rail contract. The market was unimpressed with the news, and the shares were culled by 26 per cent to 78.5p.

Making an auspicious debut on Wednesday was ATM deployer and operator Cashbox (CBOX). The company debuted following a £4.5 million fundraising at 20p, and the shares clipped to a healthy premium of 25.5p. 'We have a large number of sites waiting to be supplied with ATMs,' boasted chief executive Carl Thomas, 'and we look forward to installing these locations as quickly as possible'.