Corporate news flow this morning spans marketing and staffing upgrades, public sector contract wins, and a wave of resource-sector milestones from lithium and gold to nickel and tin. The standout is Brave Bison's first-half results, which came in materially ahead of its own July trading update, while Empresaria and Applied Nutrition both lifted guidance on the back of stronger-than-expected trading. Elsewhere, mining and energy names dominate the tail of the agenda, led by Cornish Metals' financing package for South Crofty and a sharp valuation upgrade at Rockhopper's Sea Lion field.
Brave Bison posts near-doubling of net revenue in H1
Brave Bison Group (AIM:BBSN), the marketing and technology partner for global brands, reported net revenue of £23.9m for the first half, up 98% from £12m a year earlier. Adjusted profit before tax rose 120% to £4.1m from £1.9m in the prior-year period, while adjusted basic earnings per share climbed 31% to 3.7p. The growth came from accretive acquisitions, strong trading in the sport and entertainment division, and double-digit organic growth at MiniMBA, the marketing training business acquired in August 2025.
Scalable, platform-based solutions including MiniMBA generated 41% of group divisional EBITDA and 32% of net revenue in the period, underscoring the high-margin economics of that part of the business. Adjusted EBITDA margin held steady at 19%, while statutory profit before tax rose to £2.1m from £0.1m. Net cash, excluding lease liabilities, stood at £4.7m at 30 June, up from £4.3m at the end of December. MiniMBA also secured a multi-year agreement with Omnicom during the period.
"This has been another period of momentum for Brave Bison, with net revenue nearly doubling and Adjusted PBT up 120%, both ahead of our July trading update," said Oliver Green, Executive Chairman.
The results land against the backdrop of Brave Bison's pursuit of AIM-listed System1 Group, in which it built a roughly 28% stake during the first half before tabling a firm offer for the remainder at 327p a share on 30 July, a premium to the 242p blended average price it paid for its existing holding. A strengthening core business gives Brave Bison a firmer platform from which to press that consolidation, with the Omnicom tie-up at MiniMBA signalling the group's growing credibility with major advertisers.
Empresaria lifts full-year profit guidance after strong first half
Empresaria Group (AIM:EMR), the international specialist staffing and recruitment company, raised its full-year profit guidance on Wednesday. It now expects adjusted profit before tax for the year ending 31 December to be at least £6.2m, up from the £5.2m minimum flagged in a trading update on 28 July, citing better-than-expected cost discipline and improved management oversight.
Net fee income rose 5% in the six months to 30 June, its first half-year growth since 2022, and 10% on a constant currency, like-for-like basis, with the strongest contributions from Global workforce solutions and Operational outsourcing. Adjusted operating profit jumped 135% to £4m, with all three service lines posting growth, while Specialist recruitment swung back to a £0.2m adjusted operating profit from a £0.3m loss a year earlier. Adjusted profit before tax climbed 256% to £3.2m, and net debt held broadly flat at £17m following April's disposal of Skillhouse Staffing Solutions.
"Our first half year performance provides us with confidence in delivering profitable growth across all parts of the group during the rest of the year," said Nigel Marsh, Chief Executive. The return to net fee income growth after three years of decline marks an inflection point for a business that has spent recent periods restructuring and divesting, and the upgraded guidance suggests that work is now translating into sustained earnings momentum rather than a one-off cost benefit.
TPXimpact secures £24m combined contract wins from UK
Tpximpact Holdings (AIM:TPX), a technology-enabled services group focused on public sector digital transformation, secured a £19m contract uplift and one-year extension with HM Land Registry, pushing the agreement to May 2028. That builds on TPXimpact's original four-year appointment in May 2023 as HMLR's primary digital, data and technology delivery partner, a deal then worth £49m.
TPXimpact separately won a £5m contract with the British Library through its digital experience agency, manifesto, its largest win to date. The initial 30-month contract, with options to extend, covers digital product development and maintenance of the British Library's web estate as part of its Future Web Programme, using an agile delivery model, with a multidisciplinary manifesto team working alongside British Library staff to expand online access to the institution's collections.
Chief executive Björn Conway said the HMLR uplift reflects the strength of the long-running partnership. Together, the two wins total roughly £24m in contract value and reinforce TPXimpact's positioning as a trusted long-term technology partner across UK public institutions, at a time when government digital spending scrutiny remains intense.
4basebio signs marketing deal with viral vector CDMO Genezen
4basebio (AIM:4BB) has signed a non-exclusive Strategic Collaboration and Marketing Agreement with Genezen, a viral vector contract development and manufacturing organisation owned by Ampersand Capital Partners. The AIM-listed company specialises in enzymatically produced, cell-free DNA for genetic medicines, and under the deal Genezen gains access to 4basebio's Research Use Only, High-Quality and GMP-grade hpDNA technology as starting material for drug developers' clinical programmes.
The two companies will also collaborate on commercial activities, including joint sales and technical presentations to prospective customers. 4basebio's enzymatic manufacturing process removes microbial contamination and antibiotic resistance genes from the DNA production chain, which the company says can improve safety profiles and shorten development timelines from sequence design to clinical use. "This partnership reflects our commitment to pairing our proprietary DNA technology with partners who share our dedication to safety, quality, and reliability," said Christine Wolosin, chief commercial officer of 4basebio.
Susan DeCosta added that as the cell and gene therapy field matures, developers need manufacturing solutions designed with later-stage development needs in mind. The tie-up gives 4basebio a route into Genezen's existing CDMO client base without requiring capital investment, extending the commercial reach of its hpDNA platform into viral vector manufacturing pipelines.
AEW UK REIT drops bid pursuit for Alternative Income REIT
Aew Uk Reit (AEWU) will not make a firm offer for Alternative Income REIT after Glenstone, AIRE's largest shareholder, refused to back the proposed tie-up.
The decision to walk away removes one of the two consolidation attempts that had been circling AIRE, leaving the target's board and shareholders to weigh their next move without AEW UK REIT at the table.
Hochschild profit surges thanks to soaring gold price
HOCHSCHILD MINING (LSE:HOC) reported first-half profit before tax more than tripled to $365.8m as higher metal prices offset rising costs and lower output.
The gain highlights how far higher gold and silver prices have insulated the miner's earnings from operational headwinds, with cost inflation and softer production volumes proving secondary to the pricing tailwind over the period.
Applied Nutrition raises expectations after bumper trading
Applied Nutrition (LSE:APN) posted 50% revenue growth in its financial year to June and forecast further gains ahead of current market expectations for the year ahead.
The sports nutrition group's upgraded outlook points to continued momentum in consumer demand for its product range, with management signalling confidence that growth will outpace analyst forecasts already in place for FY27.
Cora Gold extends stream-to-debt swap window to October 2027
Cora Gold (AIM:CORA) has pushed back the deadline for replacing half its $120m gold stream with senior debt as talks with West African banks continue and Mali advances a key permit renewal.
The extended window gives Cora Gold more runway to finalise refinancing terms without the pressure of an imminent deadline, while the pending Malian permit renewal remains a separate but related condition for the project's progress.
Andrada strikes 24 metres at 2% lithium at Namibia project
Andrada Mining (AIM:ATM)'s fourth drill batch at Lithium Ridge deepens the high-grade lithium zone while confirming tin and tantalum credits alongside it.
The multi-commodity result strengthens the case for Lithium Ridge as a polymetallic resource rather than a single-commodity deposit, adding potential byproduct value to the project's economics.
Mila Resources doubles gold resource at Kathleen Valley
Mila Resources (AIM:MILA) upgraded the JORC mineral resource at its Coffey gold deposit to 41,300 ounces, roughly double the estimate from November 2020.
The upgrade materially expands the known resource base at Coffey, giving Mila a larger inventory to advance toward development studies as it builds out its Kathleen Valley portfolio.
Gelion drone battery cells pass QinetiQ testing
Independently built lithium-sulfur pouch cells using Gelion (AIM:GELN)'s NES cathode material completed representative drone mission profiles, including repeated high-power take-off and landing cycles.
The successful testing, carried out independently through QinetiQ, provides third-party validation of Gelion's lithium-sulfur technology for defence and drone applications, a milestone that could support commercial discussions with military and aerospace customers.
Jubilee Metals picks buyer for $35m waste project sale
JUBILEE METALS GROUP (LSE:JLP) has selected a preferred purchaser to acquire its Large Waste Project in Zambia for $35m, redirecting capital toward its core mining and processing operations.
The disposal frees up proceeds Jubilee can channel into its principal operations, sharpening the group's focus on higher-return core assets rather than peripheral waste-processing infrastructure.
Hydrogen Utopia engages InEnTec's Surma for SAF push
Hydrogen Utopia International (AIM:HUI) has engaged with InEnTec's Surma technology as it pushes into sustainable aviation fuel production from waste.
Chief executive Aleksandra Binkowska said bringing Surma's technology and expertise "to the GCC and the UK, converting waste into jet fuel, is nothing short of the fulfilment of a dream I have long held," signalling a strategic shift toward SAF as a growth avenue for the company's waste-to-energy ambitions.
Uru Metals defines high-grade zone at Zeb nickel project
3D geological modelling has identified a well-developed higher-grade PGE mineralisation domain at URU Metals (AIM:URU)'s Zeb Nickel Project in South Africa, setting up the next drilling phase toward a maiden resource.
The refined geological model gives Uru Metals a clearer target for upcoming drilling, sharpening the path toward establishing an initial resource estimate at Zeb.
Cornish Metals secures $210m bond and bridge financing for South Crofty
Cornish Metals, the Cornwall-focused tin developer, raised an oversubscribed $210m senior secured bond alongside up to £52m in bridge facilities as it edges toward a final investment decision on its South Crofty project.
The oversubscription and scale of the package signal strong investor appetite for the project's financing needs, moving Cornish Metals a significant step closer to unlocking construction funding for South Crofty.
Rockhopper reserves upgrade lifts Sea Lion value by $788m
An updated independent report on the Sea Lion field raised the net present value of Rockhopper Exploration (AIM:RKH)'s 35% stake by roughly $788m, driven by an accelerated development plan and higher resource volumes.
The upgrade materially reshapes the valuation case for Rockhopper's Falkland Islands interest, with the accelerated development timeline and expanded resource base together underpinning a substantially larger asset value than previously carried.
