Gulf starts at Sheikh Adi-2 25/05/2012
Iraq-focused oil explorer Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has begun drilling at the Sheikh Adi-2 well in the Sheikh Adi block.
Lloyds Banking Group has extended its £34 million facility to small business finance provider Ultimate Finance (ULG) to a three-year minimum term. Meanwhile, Siemens Financial Services has doubled its own funding facility to the company's new Ultimate Asset Finance arm to £1 million and Hitachi Capital has provided a new £500,000 facility to the asset finance side.
Chief executive officer Gordon Pepler argues these new and extended facilities 'demonstrate confidence in our continued growth prospects.' He says Ultimate Asset Finance is 'exceeding management expectations so far this year.'
AIM-quoted Ultimate, which bought Ashley Commercial Finance a year ago for an initial £4.75 million with another £2.7 million to pay if targets were met, more than doubled pre-tax profits to £1.16 million in the year to July on turnover up 45 per cent to £9.3 million. House broker and shareholder WH Ireland sees pre-tax profits reaching £1.9 million in the current year, with £2.3 million on the cards for 2012-13.
Now trading at 17.38p, Ultimate's shares sport an undemanding prospective price/earnings ratio of six and yield a comforting 4 per cent. They could outperform some sector peers.
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Iraq-focused oil explorer Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has begun drilling at the Sheikh Adi-2 well in the Sheikh Adi block.
Oil giant Shell is extending its offer period for Mozambique-focused Cove Energy (COV) after having its bid trumped by Thai government-owned PTT Exploration & Production.
Kazakhstan-focused Roxi Petroleum (RXP) has declared that its NK7 well in the Galaz aea has drilled to a depth of 1,360 metres.
Steered by sector veteran Algy Cluff, North-Sea focused cash shell Cluff Natural Resources (CNR) has joined AIM.
Somalia-focused oil explorer Red Emperor Resources (RMP) has exercised its option to take part in the drilling of the Shabeel North well.
Oil concern Heritage Oil (HOIL) has reported its Miran West-3 well in Iraq could deliver 1,000 barrels per day of condensate.