Director dealings: Hilton Food chairman offloads shares

Hilton Food Group chairman Robert Watson sold 65,242 ordinary shares in the FTSE 250-listed food packing business on Thursday.

Watson, who exercised options over the shares as part of Hilton's long-term investment plan earlier in the day, disposed of the shares at an average price of 1,024p each, for a total value of £668,078.

Hilton Food posted a jump in full-year profit and revenue back in March as volumes were boosted by the integration of Seachill and the new shellfish business.

In the year to 30 December 2018, adjusted pre-tax profit rose 22.2% to £45.7m on revenue of £1.65bn, up 21.5%. Meanwhile, volume was up 13.5% to 344,784 tonnes, driven by a full year's contribution from chilled fish supplier Seachill, which it bought back in 2017, and its Australian operations.

As of 1620 BST, Hilton shares had slipped 2.54% to 998p.

Top Director Buys

AA (AA.)

Director name: Mr Simon Breakwell

Amount purchased: 96,444 @ 73.95p

Value: £71,320

Hammerson (HMSO)

Director name: Mr Andrew Formica

Amount purchased: 22,000 @ 289.60p

Value: £63,712

Polar Capital Holdings (POLR)

Director name: Mr Quintin Price

Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 600.00p

Value: £60,000

Barclays (BARC)

Director name: Mr Crawford S Gillies

Amount purchased: 30,000 @ 158.04p

Value: £47,412

Genel Energy (GENL)

Director name: Mr Bill Higgs

Amount purchased: 19,424 @ 211.07p

Value: £40,998

Genel Energy (GENL)

Director name: Mr Bill Higgs

Amount purchased: 16,048 @ 211.78p

Value: £33,986

Yourgene Health (YGEN)

Director name: Mr Hayden Jeffreys

Amount purchased: 222,348 @ 11.20p

Value: £24,903

Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust Red (DSM)

Director name: Mr Andrew Griffiths

Amount purchased: 20,484 @ 72.80p

Value: £14,912

Downing Strategic Micro-Cap Investment Trust Red (DSM)

Director name: Mr Andrew Griffiths

Amount purchased: 20,484 @ 72.80p

Value: £14,912

Yourgene Health (YGEN)

Director name: Mr Barry Kenneth Hextall

Amount purchased: 89,551 @ 11.20p

Value: £10,030

Top Director Sells

Hilton Food Group (HFG)

Director name: Mr Robert Watson

Amount sold: 65,242 @ 1,024.00p

Value: £668,078

Pearson (PSON)

Director name: Mr John Fallon

Amount sold: 62,536 @ 813.70p

Value: £508,855

Pearson (PSON)

Director name: Mr Coram Williams

Amount sold: 22,367 @ 813.70p

Value: £182,000