Director dealings: GSK director ups stake

GlaxoSmithKline director Victoria Whyte acquired £47,000 worth of ordinary shares in the UK's biggest drugs company on Thursday.

Whyte, who joined GSK's corporate secretariat more than 30 years ago, purchased just over 3,000 shares at an average price of 1,547p each, for a total transaction value of £46,719.40.

Just last week, GlaxoSmithKline reported full-year sales of more than £30bn last Wednesday but warned that earnings in the current year would be hurt by generic competition to its blockbuster asthma treatment.

GSK revealed 2018 group sales were £30.8bn, for a 2% increase on the previous year, while pre-tax profits were ahead by 36% at £4.8bn.

Fourth-quarter sales came in at £8.2bn and adjusted earnings per share at 31.2p. Analysts had been looking for adjusted EPS of around 27.7p.

As of 1615 GMT, GSK shares had picked up 1.82% to 1,575.20p.

Top Director Buys

Glaxosmithkline (GSK)
Director name: Whyte,Victoria
Amount purchased: 3,020 @ 1,547.00p
Value: £46,719.40

Castings (CGS)
Director name: Vicary,Adam
Amount purchased: 3,000 @ 357.00p
Value: £10,710.00

Emis Group (EMIS)
Director name: Southby,Peter
Amount purchased: 16 @ 940.00p
Value: £150.40

Kcom Group (KCOM)
Director name: Bielby,Anna
Amount purchased: 204 @ 73.60p
Value: £150.14

Aa (AA.)
Director name: Clarke,Martin C
Amount purchased: 165 @ 90.81p
Value: £149.84

Nucleus Financial Group (NUC)
Director name: Ferguson,David Ritchie
Amount purchased: 88 @ 170.00p
Value: £149.60

Go-ahead Group (GOG)
Director name: Brown,David
Amount purchased: 8 @ 1,827.98p
Value: £146.24

Go-ahead Group (GOG)
Director name: Ferguson,Carolyn
Amount purchased: 8 @ 1,827.98p
Value: £146.24

Top Director Sells

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Bride,Martin
Amount sold: 67,070 @ 505.25p
Value: £338,871.16

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Bride,Martin
Amount sold: 52,684 @ 505.25p
Value: £266,185.90

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Horton,Andrew
Amount sold: 50,948 @ 505.25p
Value: £257,414.76

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Horton,Andrew
Amount sold: 47,073 @ 505.25p
Value: £237,836.32

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Cox ,Adrian
Amount sold: 39,191 @ 505.25p
Value: £198,012.52

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Cox ,Adrian
Amount sold: 26,079 @ 505.25p
Value: £131,764.14

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Bride,Martin
Amount sold: 11,353 @ 505.25p
Value: £57,361.03

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Horton,Andrew
Amount sold: 10,115 @ 505.25p
Value: £51,106.04

Grainger (GRI)
Director name: Gordon,Helen
Amount sold: 13,465 @ 242.60p
Value: £32,666.09

Beazley (BEZ)
Director name: Cox ,Adrian
Amount sold: 5,604 @ 505.25p
Value: £28,314.21

Grainger (GRI)
Director name: Simms,Vanessa
Amount sold: 5,579 @ 242.60p
Value: £13,534.65