Director dealings: GoCompare chairman ups stake

Comparison website GoCompare rallied on Tuesday after chairman Peter Wood - the founder of Direct Line, Esure and Sheila's Wheels - snapped up nearly 17.8m shares in the company, lifting his total holding from 25.6% to 29.9%.

Wood said: "My share purchase underlines my view, which is shared by my fellow board members, that the current GoCompare share price does not fully reflect the operational and strategic momentum in the business.

"I'm particularly excited about our weflip brand and the potential opportunities it offers. If we deliver on our wider Savings as a Service strategy it will be brilliant for savers everywhere, reinforcing my decision to increase my holding to 29.9%."

In its preliminary full-year results last week, the company said it plans to invest around £10m in marketing for its energy switching service, weflip. This will be funded by operational cash flow from the core business.

At 1600 GMT, GoCompare shares were up 8.31% to 69.97p.

Top Director Buys

Gocompare.com Group (GOCO)

Director name: Mr Peter Wood

Amount purchased: 17,783,588 @ 63.70p

Value: £11,328,146

Gocompare.com Group (GOCO)

Director name: Mr Peter Wood

Amount purchased: 17,783,588 @ 63.70p

Value: £11,328,146

Jupiter Fund Management (JUP)

Director name: Mr Andrew Formica

Amount purchased: 150,000 @ 368.90p

Value: £553,350

Jupiter Fund Management (JUP)

Director name: Mr Andrew Formica

Amount purchased: 66,173 @ 360.00p

Value: £238,223

Netcall (NET)

Director name: Mr James Ormondroyd

Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 32.90p

Value: £32,900

Netcall (NET)

Director name: Mr Henrik Bang

Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 32.90p

Value: £32,900

Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust (TEM)

Director name: Mr David Graham

Amount purchased: 4,141 @ 747.00p

Value: £30,933

Verona Pharma (VRP)

Director name: Mr David Ebsworth

Amount purchased: 43,800 @ 57.00p

Value: £24,966

Top Director Sells

WANdisco (WAND)

Director name: Mr David James Richards

Amount sold: 85,266 @ 524.08p

Value: £446,862

Sage Group (SGE)

Director name: Mr Steve Hare

Amount sold: 30,436 @ 667.73p

Value: £203,230

Sage Group (SGE)

Director name: Mr D. Blair Crump

Amount sold: 11,026 @ 667.73p

Value: £73,624

Cranswick (CWK)

Director name: Mr Martin T P Davey

Amount sold: 618 @ 2,514.25p

Value: £15,538

WANdisco (WAND)

Director name: Dr Yeturu Aahlad

Amount sold: 2,587 @ 524.08p

Value: £13,558