Director dealings: Greencore, Unilever insiders buy up shares

(Sharecast News) - Director dealings at Greencore Group and Unilever were disclosed to the market in London on Wednesday.

Greencore said its non-executive chair, Leslie van de Walle, together with a person closely associated, purchased 40,000 shares in the convenience food manufacturer at 236.2p per share on 19 November.

The transaction came as the company continued efforts to secure approval for its planned takeover of Bakkavor Group, which remained under scrutiny by the Competition and Markets Authority.

The CMA this week launched a consultation on Greencore's proposed undertakings to address competition concerns, including the planned divestment of its chilled soups and sauces facility in Bristol.

The regulator has until 12 January to decide whether the undertakings are sufficient to avoid a phase two inquiry.

Unilever separately reported that non-executive director Zoe Yujnovich bought 1,610 shares at 4,466p on 18 November.

The disclosure followed news that the consumer goods group was proposing to cut around 50 roles at its long-standing Port Sunlight site in Wirral as part of a drive to improve efficiencies in its liquid operations.

It has begun a consultation with staff and said it would seek to avoid compulsory redundancies, with redeployment and voluntary exit options under review.

The cuts came amid a broader effort to streamline operations across the group's UK footprint.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

Top Director Buys

Metlen Energy & Metals (MTLN)

Director name: Mytilineos,Evangelos

Amount purchased: 15,000 @ 40.35

Value: 605,200.48

Metlen Energy & Metals (MTLN)

Director name: Mytilineos,Evangelos

Amount purchased: 5,000 @ 40.94

Value: 204,699.99

Greencore Group (cdi) (GNC)

Director name: Walle,Leslie Van de

Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 236.20p

Value: �94,480.00

Unilever (ULVR)

Director name: Yujnovich,Zoe

Amount purchased: 1,610 @ 4,466.00p

Value: �71,902.60

Touchstone Exploration Inc Npv (di) (TXP)

Director name: McKinnon,Kenneth R.

Amount purchased: 865,000 @ $0.12

Value: $58,850.50

B&m European Value Retail S.a. (di) (BME)

Director name: Jegen ,Tjeerd

Amount purchased: 31,450 @ 157.87p

Value: �49,649.17

Vodafone Group (VOD)

Director name: Carter,Stephen A

Amount purchased: 52,770 @ 94.04p

Value: �49,626.12

Diploma (DPLM)

Director name: Huse,Geraldine

Amount purchased: 750 @ 3,997.00p

Value: �29,977.50

Firstgroup (FGP)

Director name: Wilson CBE,Lena

Amount purchased: 11,000 @ 178.50p

Value: �19,635.00

Animalcare Group (ANCR)

Director name: Hutchens,Douglas

Amount purchased: 7,500 @ 249.00p

Value: �18,675.00

Aeorema Communications (AEO)

Director name: Owen,Richard

Amount purchased: 25,000 @ 66.00p

Value: �16,500.00

Barratt Redrow (BTRW)

Director name: Bickerstaffe,Katie

Amount purchased: 2,913 @ 375.40p

Value: �10,935.40

Rightmove (RMV)

Director name: Hook,Ruaridh

Amount purchased: 1,195 @ 482.00p

Value: �5,759.90

Likewise Group (LIKE)

Director name: Simpson,Andrew

Amount purchased: 16,250 @ 27.00p

Value: �4,387.50

Cambridge Nutritional Science (CNSL)

Director name: Millard ,Jeremy

Amount purchased: 168,776 @ 2.37p

Value: �3,999.99

Cambridge Nutritional Science (CNSL)

Director name: Rand,Carolyn

Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 2.30p

Value: �2,300.00

Aviva (AV.)

Director name: Lambert,Pippa

Amount purchased: 229 @ 642.00p

Value: �1,470.18

Cambridge Nutritional Science (CNSL)

Director name: Rand,Carolyn

Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 2.37p

Value: �1,182.50

Touchstone Exploration Inc Npv (di) (TXP)

Director name: McKinnon,Kenneth R.

Amount purchased: 5,000 @ $0.12

Value: $340.18

Activeops (AOM)

Director name: Jeffery,Richard John

Amount purchased: 60 @ 250.00p

Value: �150.00

Mitie Group (MTO)

Director name: Bentley,Phillip

Amount purchased: 90 @ 166.00p

Value: �149.40

Top Director Sells

Associated British Foods (ABF)

Director name: Weston,George G

Amount sold: 43,660 @ 2,103.00p

Value: �918,169.83

Associated British Foods (ABF)

Director name: Tonge,Eoin

Amount sold: 34,818 @ 2,103.00p

Value: �732,222.56

Law Debenture Corp. (LWDB)

Director name: Jackson,Denis

Amount sold: 67,485 @ 1,022.00p

Value: �689,696.72