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Shares in Auction Technology Group (ATG) rose 12 per cent this morning after its largest shareholder, distressed debt specialist FitzWalter Capital, raised its indicative cash offer to 400p per share, valuing the online auction platform at ÂŁ491mn.

The new approach tops FitzWalter’s earlier 360p proposal, which the board had unanimously rejected. The latest figure represents a premium of roughly 48 per cent to Auction’s share price on 2 January, before ATG’s directors first revealed the takeover interest.

This is now FitzWalter’s 12th bid since first approaching the company in September. The board has so far rejected them all, arguing they undervalue the business. FitzWalter, meanwhile, has criticised the board for failing to engage and called for the revised offer to be considered “against the fundamental performance of the business over recent years”.

It urged investors to press the directors to enter talks and work “towards a deliverable transaction or risk further value destruction by the existing board”. The firm has until 2 February to either make a firm offer for the company or walk away.

“Our proposal would give shareholders certainty to realise a cash offer at an attractive premium, compared to trusting a board that has consistently failed to deliver shareholder value,” said Andrew Gray, partner at FitzWalter Capital.

Genus (GNS) shares climbed 9 per cent in early trading after the company said it now expects full-year profits to be ahead of analyst forecasts.

The pig and bull genetics specialist also said the first-half pre-tax profit would be ÂŁ56mn, compared to a full-year analyst forecast of ÂŁ84mn.

This comes after a series of problems in the semen market, which included destocking and multiple swine fever outbreaks in China, appeared to ease.

Genus said in November its full-year profit would likely be “modestly ahead” of the midpoint of consensus forecasts, and has now changed this to “moderately above” the top-end of analyst forecasts.

The first-half reported profit of ÂŁ55.6mn includes a milestone payment after the formation of a joint venture in China, which Genus will receive in the third quarter. The company will report its interim results for the half to 31 December on 26 February.

Housebuilder MJ Gleeson (GLE) is on track to meet analysts’ profit before tax expectations of £24.3mn for the year ending June 2026, it announced in a trading statement on Friday.

During the first half of the year its homes business, which focuses on the north of England, completed 848 homes, a 6 per cent increase versus the prior year, while its net private sales per outlet per week, a key measure of activity, increased 10 per cent versus the prior year to 0.48 (excluding bulk deals).

Its land business, which is focused on the southern half of the country, reported three site sales, with active discussions to sell a further five.

“We now expect to see an improvement in new home sales through the spring selling season on the back of last month’s rate cut, and as uncertainty in the run-up to the Budget continues to subside,” said chief executive Graham Prothero.

The shares rose 4 per cent in early trading.

Johnson Service Group (JSG) said it anticipated “another year of progress” in 2026, adding the textile services group is on course to hit its adjusted operating margin target of “at least” 14 per cent by the end of the year.

The company, which joined the main market from Aim in August, said adjusted operating profit growth for the year to 31 December is expected to match current market expectations. Revenues are set to rise 4.3 per cent to ÂŁ536mn, with 1.4 per cent organic growth.

JSG’s hotel, restaurant and catering, its largest division, is forecast to grow organic revenue by 1 per cent after “resilient” trading in the final quarter. Sales in the workwear segment, meanwhile, are set to rise 2.4 per cent organically, helped by steady customer retention levels.

Net debt at the end of the year stood at ÂŁ112mn, up from ÂŁ69mn a year earlier, which includes a ÂŁ55mn cash outflow linked to share buybacks. Full-year results are expected to be announced in early March. The shares rose 2 per cent to 144p.