Director Dealings: Informa in demand

CONFERENCE and exhibition organiser Informa saw sales and profits dip last year but a better-than-expected dividend increase impressed analysts.

Despite the impact of the economic downturn on the company's events, the group also saw margins improve thanks to cost-cutting and said bookings for 2010 were running ahead of last year.

Shares in the company, which stages more than 8,500 events around the world, have doubled from their year low, but finance director Adam Walker appears to believe more is to come. Last week he invested 77,000 to increase his stake with the purchase of 22,000 shares at 350p. He now holds 171,000 shares.

Dr Kenneth Chrystie, a non-executive director of Glasgow-based intellectual property group Murgitroyd, has increased his holding by 2,500 shares at 250p each. He now holds 8,500 shares.

Graham Wilson, non-executive director at Goals Soccer Centres, has upped his stake with the purchase of 10,000 shares at 150p. He now holds 310,000 shares in the East Kilbride-based company.

The wife of Steve Morgan, chairman of housebuilder Redrow, has bought 100,000 shares in the company to take the couple's stake up to just below 30 per cent.

She paid 131.5p each for the shares in the company, which recently reported interim sales had increased by 25 per cent.

David Roberts, a newly appointed non-executive director at Lloyds Banking Group, has bought his first stake in the company.

The former Barclays executive purchased 378,670 shares at 52.55p each.

Sir Bryan Nicholson, non-executive director at Education Development International, has sold almost half his holding in the group.

He disposed of 250,000 shares at 136p to leave him with 265,000 shares in the business, which provides educational qualifications and assessment services.

The company also announced that chairman Richard Price has bought 50,000 shares at the same price to take his stake up to 1.44 million.

Tony Holt, a non-executive director at insurance underwriter Amlin, has bought 500,000 shares at 411.75p each to take his holding up to 759,102 shares.