Director dealings: Ascential CEO ups stake following mixed results

Ascential chief executive Duncan Painter forked out £178,000 of shares in the business-to-business media group.

Painter, who joined the company formerly known as Emap in October 2011, purchased acquired 41,538 ordinary shares in the London-listed firm on Wednesday at an average price of 428.26p.

This saw him increase his holding in the group to a total of 3.59m shares or 0.90% of the group's issued share capital.

Ascential stock took a hit on Monday after shareholders collected some profits as the business turned in a mixed set of half-year results, sending the shares down 6%.

Ascential saw first-half revenue rise 14% to £189m, thanks to growth in digital offerings, however, operating profit dropped 11% to £29m due to exceptional costs stemming from the sale of its exhibitions arm.

Top Director Buys

Ascential (ASCL)
Director name: Painter,Duncan
Amount purchased: 41,538 @ 428.26p
Value: £177,890.71

Value And Income Trust (VIN)
Director name: Oakeshott,Matthew A
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 270.00p
Value: £135,000.00

Victrex Plc (VCT)
Director name: Sigurdsson,Jakob
Amount purchased: 3,250 @ 3,072.50p
Value: £99,856.23

Staffline Group (STAF)
Director name: Crabtree,John R A
Amount purchased: 2,375 @ 1,054.00p
Value: £25,032.50

Igas Energy (IGAS)
Director name: Bowler,Stephen
Amount purchased: 556 @ 81.00p
Value: £450.36

Spirent Communications (SPT)
Director name: Hutchinson,Eric G
Amount purchased: 206 @ 121.40p
Value: £250.08