Persimmon's Jonathan Davie lays foundations

Persimmon non-executive Jonathan Davie started building a stake in the housebuilder with the purchase of £42,000 in shares.

Davie, who was appointed to the board on January 1, bought 10,000 shares at 419.9p a time.

His purchase comes soon after the company said it completed 8,976 house sales last year and has seen a 7% increase in sales and steady prices since the start of this year.

The number of legal completions was down 12% on the 10,202 achieved in 2008, but in line with the figure flagged in an update in January. The average selling price dropped to £160,513 from £172,994.

There was a pre-tax profit of £7m before exceptional items and goodwill charges, reflecting a stronger second half when profits jumped to £23.7m from a £16.7m loss the year before.

Davie is the chairman of the spread-betting firm IG Index.


Top Director Buys

GlobeOp Financial Services (GO.)
Director name: Mr Edward Annunziato
Amount purchased: 48,000 @ 240.00p
Value: £115,200

E2V Technologies (E2V)
Director name: Mr Chris Geoghegan
Amount purchased: 123,512 @ 40.00p
Value: £49,405

Persimmon (PSN)
Director name: Mr Jonathan R Davie
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 419.92p
Value: £41,992

Restaurant Group (RTN)
Director name: Mr Robert Morgan
Amount purchased: 12,494 @ 211.00p
Value: £26,362

Corin Group (CRG)
Director name: Mr Michael R D Roller
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 58.50p
Value: £23,400

Corin Group (CRG)
Director name: Mr David Young
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 58.00p
Value: £23,200

Trifast (TRI)
Director name: Mr Neil Chapman
Amount purchased: 80,000 @ 21.85p
Value: £17,480

Ricardo Group (RCDO)
Director name: Mr John Michael Harper
Amount purchased: 5,000 @ 272.00p
Value: £13,600

Xchanging (XCH)
Director name: Ms Patricia O'Driscoll
Amount purchased: 7,000 @ 191.70p
Value: £13,419


Top Director Sells

Serco Group (SRP)
Director name: Mr Kevin S Beeston
Amount sold: 283,760 @ 565.07p
Value: £1,603,443

Serco Group (SRP)
Director name: Mr Christopher R Hyman
Amount sold: 283,760 @ 565.07p
Value: £1,603,443

Whitbread (WTB)
Director name: Mr Christopher C B Rogers
Amount sold: 48,563 @ 1,447.70p
Value: £703,047

Whitbread (WTB)
Director name: Mr Alan C Parker
Amount sold: 37,701 @ 1,447.70p
Value: £545,797

Serco Group (SRP)
Director name: Mr Andrew Jenner
Amount sold: 72,033 @ 565.07p
Value: £407,037

Whitbread (WTB)
Director name: Mr Patrick Dempsey
Amount sold: 16,154 @ 1,447.70p
Value: £233,861

Whitbread (WTB)
Director name: Mr Simon Barratt
Amount sold: 13,195 @ 1,447.70p
Value: £191,024

Invista Real Estate Investment Management Holdings (INRE)
Director name: Mr Mark Lawson
Amount sold: 200,000 @ 49.00p
Value: £98,000

Camco International (CAO)
Director name: Mr Scott J McGregor
Amount sold: 600,000 @ 13.75p
Value: £82,500

Share Plc (SHRE)
Director name: Mr Richard Tolkien
Amount sold: 79,889 @ 27.00p
Value: £21,570