The Insider: City deals uncovered

Don't take holiday from St Ives

Marketing firm and book printer St Ives has had an impressive year. Revenue grew by 3%, but higher margin consultancy and marketing contracts drove profit for the period to 1 August up by 17% to £29.4 million. The shares have done well, too. They’ve now tripled since summer 2012, but bosses are betting there's more to come.

Chief executive Matt Armitage has just bought 37,786 shares at 192.35p. Former boss Patrick Martell paid the same price for 47,978 shares. Martell handed in his notice in July after 35 years at the company and stood down a few weeks later. He leaves for good at the end of this month.

"We now have a profitable and cash generative Print Services businesses, and a substantial Marketing Services proposition which has been successfully expanded and strengthened through acquisition over the past year," said Armitage.

"The current year has started well and in line with our expectations, with our Marketing Services segment benefiting from the UK economic recovery, from increasing marketing spend by our UK and international clients, and from our own organic growth initiatives."

A forward price/earnings ratio of 10.4 and dividend yield of 4% suggest management confidence is justified.

Tristel still cleaning up

Supplying disinfectants to keep hospitals, laboratories and vet surgeries germ-free is clearly good business. Tristel's profits have been growing fast and analysts have been forced to upgrade estimates numerous times this year. The shares have quadrupled in 15 months and at 77p sit near a record high. Time, it seems, for the company's biggest shareholder to skim off some profits.

Francisco Soler, non-executive chairman and a founding shareholder of the group has sold 350,000 shares at 75p each, worth over £262,000. In July 2013, the stake would have been worth just £66,000. But Soler and his family still own 26% of the company, or 10.6 million shares worth a cool £8 million.

That's still plenty of exposure to a company expected to grow earnings by over 20% a year and trading on a modest earnings multiple. It has a decent cash pile, too.

This article is for information and discussion purposes only and does not form a recommendation to invest or otherwise. The value of an investment may fall. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.