Torotrak (LSE: TRK) moves into profit, while Thomas Cook (LSE: TCG) ends a bad year.
The FTSE 100 (UKX) is carrying on its down-up-down dance at the moment, reversing yesterday's modest gain for a 25 point fall by mid-afternoon to 5,775.
But wherever the index is going, plenty of individual companies are doing just fine. Here are three names whose share prices are rising and look set to beat the FTSE today:
Torotrak
Torotrak (LSE: TRK) gained 8% to reach 32p, after first-half results showed the developer of gearless vehicle transmission systems moving into the black, from a first-half pre-tax loss last year of £2.1 million to a profit of £1.4 million this year.
The progress came from a very big increase in revenues, from just £0.8 million a year ago to £4.7 million this year, with new chief executive Jeremy Deering saying "the time is now right to adjust that approach to one of more aggressive, accelerated growth".
Today's rise provides a welcome respite for shareholders, who have seen their share price sliding in recent months, and it could well signal a key point in the progress of this blue-sky share.
United Utilities
United Utilities (LSE: UU) put on 18p (2.7%) to 687p after the release of first-half results, with the movement quite significant for such a large and boring FTSE 100 company. But large and boring is often what brings home the long-term profits.
For the six months to 30 September, Britain's largest water utility saw revenues up by 4% to £823 million, leading to a 5% rise in underlying pre-tax profits to £142 million. Price rises provided the biggest boost to the bottom line, after regular Ofwat gave its approval to a 6% uplift. However, the most important result for many was the raising of the interim dividend by 7% to 11.44p per share.
Thomas Cook
The shares of Thomas Cook (LSE: TCG) continue their escape from the brink with a 3% rise to 24.6p today, despite the troubled travel firm ending a dreadful year with an underlying pre-tax loss of £17 million. Much blame was placed on the company's disastrous London 2012 Olympics marketing, with prices having had to be slashed to offload excess capacity.
Why the price rise? Well, underlying operating profits were decent at £156 million, with the bottom line being hit badly by exceptional costs. And net debt has fallen, from £891 million last year to £788 million.
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> Alan Oscroft does not own any shares mentioned in this article.
