Apollo Global Management has put easyJet in play with a possible all-cash takeover approach, the most significant corporate development heading into Friday's session. Elsewhere, a staffing update from Hays, a housebuilder result from MJ Gleeson, and a £21m fundraise from Avingtrans round out a busy morning for UK equities.
Apollo Global discloses possible all-cash bid for easyJet
easyJet (LSE:EZJ) confirmed that private equity giant Apollo Global Management has made a possible all-cash takeover approach for the airline. Apollo has until 7 August to announce a firm intention to bid or walk away under UK Takeover Panel rules, setting a clear deadline for what could become one of the more consequential deals in the European aviation sector in recent years.
Hays tips full-year profit at top of consensus range
Hays (LSE:HAS) guided full-year pre-exceptional operating profit to the upper end of the £37m–£46m consensus range, crediting cost discipline and productivity improvements for offsetting persistent weakness in permanent hiring. The update signals the global staffing group has managed its cost base effectively through a difficult market for white-collar recruitment.
Gleeson delivers in-line FY2026 profit as Homes completions jump
MJ Gleeson (LSE:GLE) reported full-year 2026 profit in line with expectations, with its Homes division posting a 10% jump in completions. Chief executive Graham Prothero acknowledged ongoing uncertainty in the broader housing market but pointed to the strengthened Homes business as positioning the group to capitalise when conditions improve. The result underscores Gleeson's operational progress even as the sector awaits a more sustained market recovery.
Avingtrans raises £21m to expand Michigan nuclear facility
Avingtrans (AIM:AVG) launched a £21m placing to fund expansion of its Michigan nuclear manufacturing facility, with an £11m cornerstone commitment anchoring the raise. The engineering group is targeting a near-tripling of nuclear revenues to around £90m over five years, reflecting growing demand for nuclear supply chain capacity as the energy transition accelerates investment in the sector.
EnQuest clears pre-emption hurdle on Malaysia acquisition
EnQuest (LSE:ENQ) confirmed it has cleared the pre-emption process on its previously announced acquisition of all three Malaysian production sharing contract interests, removing a key conditional hurdle. The clearance means the deal can proceed as structured, adding material upstream exposure in Malaysia to EnQuest's portfolio.
Johnson Service Group reaffirms margin target on flat first-half revenue
Johnson Service Group (LSE:JSG) reported first-half revenue broadly flat year on year at £258m and reaffirmed its full-year adjusted operating margin target of at least 14%. The UK textile services group's update signals stable trading conditions, with management maintaining its profitability outlook despite the absence of top-line growth in the period.
Xavier Niel takes personal stake in Vodafone via Vega vehicle
French billionaire Xavier Niel has acquired a stake in Vodafone Group (LSE:VOD) through his Vega investment entity, with the investment funded entirely by Niel personally and financial institutions. The move adds a high-profile European tech and telecoms investor to Vodafone's shareholder register at a time when the group is navigating a significant strategic restructuring.
