Marketing firm restructuring pays dividends

SCOTT WRIGHT

SHARES in shopping mall marketing firm SpaceandPeople surged nearly six per cent as the firm reported a profit of more than £173,000 for the six months ended June 30.

The Glasgow-based company, which lost £174,000 at the same stage last year, said it was seeing the benefits of a restructuring it undertook at the end of a turbulent 2016.

Chief executive Matthew Bending said the overhaul, which resulted in a headcount reduction and sales software upgrades, have allowed it to cut costs and improve productivity.

The firm’s UK promotions arm made a profit of £489,000, up from £385,000, boosted by a Network Rail contract. C&D Auction Marts Ltd sold 1,550 draft Blackface ewes at their annual sale in Dumfries on Saturday to a top of £72 and an average of £56.62 (-£3.61 on the year), while 228 Blackface gimmers peaked at £110 and levelled at £90.88 (-£5.58).

Wallets Marts had a small show of store cattle in Castle Douglas yesterday as a result of their large sales of suckled calves and store cattle scheduled for the next two weekends. Many of the stores forward were dairy-bred which impacted on the trade with 24 heifers averaging £816.04 per head, or 193p per kg, while 23 bullocks levelled at £920.65 or 178.7p. Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 1,560 prime lambs at Ayr yesterday to a top of £95 per head and 195.4p per kg to average 161.9p (+3.7p on the week).

There were also 853 cast sheep forward when all classes were cheaper on the week, with heavy ewes selling to £130.50 for Texels and averaging £60.10, while light ewes peaked at £48.50 for Blackfaces and levelled at £31.34.

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd sold 46 prime heifers in St Boswells yesterday to a top of 260p and an average of 223p (-10p), while 33 prime bullocks peaked at 262p and levelled at 221p (+5p).

In the rough ring 39 beef cows sold to 197p and averaged 143p (-2p).

There were also 1,747 prime lambs that sold to

Blackface ewes were sold at Dumfries auction.

£94 and 206.3p to average 168p (+7.6p).

The 624 cast sheep forward saw heavy ewes sell to £85 for Suffolks and average £65, while light ewes peaked at £59 for Cheviots and levelled at £25.50.

The firm also sold 12 prime heifers in Carlisle yesterday to a top of 244.5p and an average of 208.9p (+0.8p), while 14 prime, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 232.5p and levelled at 198.7p (+1.6p).

Thirty-nine prime, beefbred bulls sold to 239.5p and averaged 204.2p (+7.3p), while 27 prime, dairy-bred bulls peaked at 193.5p and levelled at 160.1p (+9.7p).

In the rough ring 98 beef cows sold to 188.5p and averaged 126.9p (-5.4p), while 248 dairy cows peaked at 164.5p and levelled at 101.6p (-1.9p).

There were also 2,425 prime lambs that sold to £101.80 and 243.9p to average 169.5p (+4.5p).

The 310 heavy ewes forward sold to £123.50 for Texels and averaged £61.41, while 117 light ewes peaked at £49.50 for Jacobs and levelled at £25.10.