LONDON (ShareCast) - Aaron Brown, appointed a non-executive director at Mitchells and Butlers earlier this month, has opened his account at the pub group, spending nearly £100,000 on shares.

Brown, who is also a director of R20, the investment vehicle of billionaire property tycoon Robert Tchenguiz, bought 50,000 shares in the O’Neill's and Harvester owner at 199.7p each.

News of the purchase, made Tuesday, comes on the same day Goldman Sachs upgraded its rating on the pub group to ‘neutral’ from ‘sell’ in light of heavy falls in its share price in recent months.

M&B has lost almost 75% of its value in the past year, with the smoking ban and reduced consumer confidence hitting trade.

Goldman cut its six-month price target on the group to 220p from 290p.


Top Director Buys

Anglogold Ash (AGD)
Director name: Mr Russell P Edey
Amount purchased: 1,754 @ R23,350.00
Value: R40,955,900

Banco Santander Central Hispano (BNC)
Director name: Mr Abel Matutes Juan
Amount purchased: 506,000 @ 932.64p
Value: £4,719,158

Banco Santander Central Hispano (BNC)
Director name: Mr Abel Matutes Juan
Amount purchased: 506,000 @ 931.85p
Value: £4,715,161

New Century AIM VCT (NCA)
Director name: Mr Michael David Barnard
Amount purchased: 855,410 @ 103.20p
Value: £882,783

Dolphin Capital Investors (DCI)
Director name: Mr Miltos Kambourides
Amount purchased: 200,000 @ 106.00p
Value: £212,000

Mitchells & Butlers (MAB)
Director name: Mr Aaron Brown
Amount purchased: 50,000 @ 199.70p
Value: £99,850

Pinewood-Shepperton (PWS)
Director name: Mr Ivan Dunleavy
Amount purchased: 31,565 @ 230.00p
Value: £72,600

Findel (FDL)
Director name: Mr Philip Maudsley
Amount purchased: 40,000 @ 160.00p
Value: £64,000

Jubilee Platinum (JLP)
Director name: Mr Malcolm Burne
Amount purchased: 100,000 @ 54.00p
Value: £54,000

Findel (FDL)
Director name: Mr Patrick E Jolly
Amount purchased: 20,000 @ 161.00p
Value: £32,200


Top Director Sells

Carnival (CCL)
Director name: Mr Robert H Dickinson
Amount sold: 18,042 @ 1,760.67p
Value: £317,660

Halma (HLMA)
Director name: Mr Neil Quinn
Amount sold: 119,403 @ 199.50p
Value: £238,209

New Century AIM VCT (NCA)
Director name: Mr Geoffrey Charles Gamble
Amount sold: 39,000 @ 103.20p
Value: £40,248

New Century AIM VCT (NCA)
Director name: Mr Robin William Kirby
Amount sold: 35,000 @ 103.20p
Value: £36,120

New Century AIM VCT (NCA)
Director name: Mr Robin William Kirby
Amount sold: 10,000 @ 103.20p
Value: £10,320

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