果冻传媒

UPDATED ON 01 APRIL 2026
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Berkeley, Rightmove & Victorian Plumbing: Markets live

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漏 Investors鈥 Chronicle
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April 1
产测听Hugh Moorhead
Berkeley shares tank on 30% downgrade

Shares in Berkeley Group (BKG) fell 18 per cent in early trading after the company issued negative guidance that implies downgrades of as much as 30 per cent to consensus profit before tax estimates.

The housebuilder said that it would pause new land purchases until returns improve, shrink its balance sheet and potentially slow the second phase of its investment in a 4,000-home build-to-rent portfolio, Berkeley Living.

As a result, it is guiding for a cumulative profit before tax of 拢1.4bn over FY2027-2030, with the spread slightly weighted towards FY2027. Analysts are forecasting 拢1.4bn over only FY2027-2029, according to FactSet, implying 25-30 per cent downgrades to these years.

Berkeley, which last updated the market fewer than three weeks ago on 13 March, reiterated that it was on track to meet its FY2026 profit before tax guidance of 拢450mn, and its target of distributing a further 拢564mn to shareholders by 2030, with a preference for buybacks over dividends.

The company said the new strategy would allow it to increase investment 鈥渨hen the market and regulatory environments inflect鈥 and boost shareholder returns 鈥渁s appropriate鈥.

April 1
产测听Alexander Hamer
Victorian Plumbing adds another bonus stream for execs

There鈥檚 a technique used by life coaches and their ilk called 鈥榤anifesting鈥 where writing down goals can help them be achieved. Victorian Plumbing (V果冻传媒) has gone for this approach with a new bonus plan that would pay out massively in the event its shares triple from the current level of 67p.

It covers chief executive , who started in the job today, chief financial officer Daniel Barton and six other senior managers. They would share between 拢4mn and 拢20.5mn on top of existing salary and bonuses if the share price traded between 250 and 300p. Victorian Plumbing floated at 262p in 2021 but has only rarely made it into triple figures since. The new goal can be hit in the next four financial years.

鈥淭he board believes the [value creation plan] provides a clear, disciplined and transparent framework to incentivise long鈥憈erm value creation and reinforce alignment between senior leadership and shareholders,鈥 the company said.

Company founder Mark Radcliffe, who was CEO until yesterday, won鈥檛 be part of the additional bonus plan because as a 47 per cent shareholder he already has enough incentive to get the shares higher, the company said. The shares moved up 4 per cent on Wednesday, but remain down a quarter from a 2026 high of 88p in early February.

April 1
产测听Michael Fahy
One of three Senior bidders walks away

One of the three private equity groups bidding for engineering group Senior (SNR) has withdrawn from the contest.

Arcline Investment Management ruled itself out of the running this morning. Senior has secured extensions from the Takeover Panel to continue talks with the other two bidders 鈥 Advent International and a consortium between Blackstone and Tinicum.

Senior first announced it had appointed advisors to talk to buyers on 27 February after rejecting an initial bid from Advent that valued the company at around 拢1.1bn, or 272p a share. The shares currently trade at 291p.

In January, the company announced it had completed the disposal of its aerostructures business to Sullivan Street Partners for 拢117mn.

April 1
产测听Hugh Moorhead
Rightmove hit with 拢1.5bn legal claim over agent charges

A class action lawsuit seeking 拢1.5bn in damages from Rightmove (RMV) for allegedly overcharging estate agents has been filed with the Competition Appeal Tribunal, the BBC has reported.

The claim, launched by accountant and former Competition and Markets Authority panel member Jeremy Newman on behalf of hundreds of estate agents, alleges the website has 鈥渁bused a dominant position鈥 in the online property portal market, charging thousands of estate agents excessive and unfair subscription fees.

In November, the Financial Times reported that Innsworth Advisors, the litigation funding arm of US hedge fund Elliott Management, was financing the 鈥渋mminent鈥 legal action against Rightmove, demanding 拢1bn in damages.

In a statement this morning, the company said it was 鈥渃onfident in the value we provide to our partners and consumers鈥, adding that the claim was 鈥渨ithout merit, and we will defend it vigorously鈥. The shares fell 7 per cent to 398p in early trading.

April 1
产测听Michael Fahy
Babcock lands 鈥榖ridging鈥 deal for naval support

Babcock International (BAB) has signed a six-month bridging agreement with the Ministry of Defence 鈥渢o maintain continuity of our naval base and nuclear submarine fleet services鈥.

A five-year deal to support the Royal Navy鈥檚 fleet expired yesterday and the bridging agreement has been put in place ahead of the signing of a new, long-term deal 鈥渨hich is in the latter stages of negotiation鈥 with the MoD, the company said.

Chief executive David Lockwood said the new deal 鈥渨ill see even more investment in skills, communities and infrastructure鈥.

Defence companies have complained of delays to new contracts until the government announces its new Defence Investment Plan, which was initially meant to be published last autumn in the wake of the strategic defence review.

The Ministry of Defence鈥檚 top civil servant, Jeremy Pocklington, told a House of Commons committee last week that the plan needed to be agreed across the government.

鈥淚 really do understand the interest in this issue. We are working flat out to get it right, and it is our highest priority,鈥 he said.

Babcock鈥檚 shares rose by 5 per cent.