LONDON (ShareCast) - Shares in dry cleaning chain owner Johnson Service Group jumped for the second day in a row as directors bought heavily following yesterday’s bullish trading statement.

Chief executive John Talbot, who previously had no stake, bought 635,000 shares – more than 1% of the company – at 21.16p.

Chairman Simon Sherrard bought 236,294 shares at the same price, lifting his holdings to 276,294 shares.

Finance director Yvonne Monaghan and three non-executive directors including the Tory peer Baroness Wilcox, bought smaller stakes at the same price.

Shares in JSG, which owns the UK-wide dry cleaning chain Johnson The Cleaners as well as facilities management and workwear rental facilities, shot ahead yesterday after it said it expects a satisfactory result in 2008 following a difficult 2007.

Annual pre-tax profit fell to £18.5m, in line with analyst forecasts, compared with £25.7m the year before. Sales for the year to 31 December 2007 fell to £406m from £411m.

Commenting on the results, Sherrard said: "Our three continuing businesses - Textile Rental, Drycleaning and Facilities Management - have strong market positions and are an excellent base on which to build the group's rehabilitation as a leading services company."

JSG’s share price has almost halved in the past year. It slumped in November after the company said it expected to breach its banking covenants.

Top Director Buys

Johnson Service Group (JSG)
Director name: Mr John Talbot
Amount purchased: 635,000 @ 21.20p
Value: £134,620

Centaur Media (CAU)
Director name: Mr Graham Sherren
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 71.00p
Value: £71,000

ClearStream Technologies Group (CTN)
Director name: Mr Mike Love
Amount purchased: 208,676 @ 30.00p
Value: £62,603

Johnson Service Group (JSG)
Director name: Mr Simon P Sherrard
Amount purchased: 236,294 @ 21.20p
Value: £50,094

ClearSpeed Technology (CSD)
Director name: Mr Richard B Farleigh
Amount purchased: 500,000 @ 10.00p
Value: £50,000

IDOX (IDOX)
Director name: Mr Christopher Wright
Amount purchased: 250,000 @ 11.00p
Value: £27,500

THB Group (THB)
Director name: Mr Victor Thompson
Amount purchased: 25,000 @ 82.00p
Value: £20,500

Imagesound (ISD)
Director name: Mr Ken Pratt
Amount purchased: 250,000 @ 5.70p
Value: £14,250

Johnson Service Group (JSG)
Director name: Baroness Baroness Judith Ann Wilcox
Amount purchased: 47,258 @ 21.20p
Value: £10,019


Top Director Sells

Cape Lambert Iron Ore (CLIO)
Director name: Mr Anthony W P Sage
Amount sold: 3,500,000 @ 32.36p
Value: £1,132,600

Brixton (BXTN)
Director name: Mr Timothy C Wheeler
Amount sold: 284,261 @ 295.60p
Value: £840,276

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