EARNINGS AND TRADING: Quantum Blockchain celebrates US patent progress
The following is a round-up of earnings and trading updates by London-listed companies, issued on Wednesday, Thursday and Monday, and not separately reported by Alliance News:
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Octopus AIM VCT 2 PLC - venture capital trust - Reports on Wednesday a net asset value per share of 31.8p as at May 31, down from 37.9p one year prior. Net assets totalled £70,323, down from £80,772. NAV total return is plus 0.8% for the six months ended May 31, compared with minus 2.0% for the first half of the prior year. Says this compares with a 9.7% increase in the FTSE AIM All Share and an 8.8% increase in the FTSE All Share index. Declares interim dividend of 1.1p per share, down from 1.8p. Chair Andy Raynor notes that "major UK and world events...have materially affected global markets and the specific taxation and investment parameters within which the company operates". Says that "this wider short term market volatility and the tax efficient structure offered by the VCT highlight the attraction and potential of investing patient capital in a growth market such as AIM".
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BlackRock Energy & Resources Income Trust PLC - London-based investor in energy and mining - Reports NAV per share on Thursday of 204.93p as of May 31, up 25% from 164.30p at November 30. NAV per share performance for the six months to May 31 is plus 26.7%, compared with plus 36.8% from the reference index, which is a blend of the MSCI ACWI Select Metals & Mining Producers Ex Gold and Silver IM, the MSCI World Energy Index, and the S&P Global Clean Energy Transition Index. Post-tax profit decreases 13% to £2.1 million from £2.4 million. Revenue earnings per share are unchanged at 2.00p. Dividends for the half-year total 3.30p per share, up 47% from 2.25p. "As the global economy navigates a complex landscape of geopolitical uncertainty and the need for energy security (and energy independence) becomes an increasingly urgent concern for governments globally, the company's flexibility...is a significant advantage," Chair Adrian Brown says. Looking ahead, he says the firm expects "increased investment into conventional and renewable energy assets," adding: "With global gross domestic product (GDP) growth increasingly driven by materials-intensive trends such as AI infrastructure, electrification and increased use of renewables and battery storage, the portfolio is well-positioned to benefit from these long-term demand drivers alongside constrained supply."
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Ashoka WhiteOak Emerging Markets Trust PLC - investment firm seeking long-term capital appreciation through multi-cap portfolio of global equities - Says on Monday that its fund was up 24.49% in the second quarter of 2026, outperforming its benchmark, the MSCI EM index, which rose 23.3%. Ashoka says key contributors include SK Hynix, whose stock more than tripled, while detractors included Tencent, down 11%.
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Literacy Capital PLC - investment trust focused on UK-based private businesses - Says on Monday that its NAV per share is 472.6p as at June 30, down 1.8% from 481.3p at March 31. Says its largest holding, RCI Group, was also its largest positive contributor, having completed a bolt-on acquisition and traded in line with expectations in its first quarter. Oxygen Activeplay was a main detractor, due to "record-breaking weather, both in terms of high temperatures and low rainfall," in the UK during the quarter ended June 30. Literacy says its most recent investments, Red Sky and Trinitatum, have continued to demonstrate strong momentum. Adds that inflows have exceeded the amount invested during its second quarter, similarly to the first quarter, and that it has received £20.6 million in cash proceeds. Expects "certain portfolio companies" to continue prioritising bolt-on acquisitions in 2026, which it anticipates "will generate high returns on invested capital and accelerate their eventual sale."
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Quantum Blockchain Technologies PLC - London-based blockchain research and development - Receives formal approval from the US Patent & Trademark Office for its patent application titled 'Message Scheduling for Cryptographic Hashing', also known as ASIC Ultra Boost. Says it expects ASIC Ultra Boost to improve the algorithmic efficiency of bitcoin mining by eliminating the redundant computations within the SHA256 message schedule specific to bitcoin mining. Notes that this approval is not a final grant of patent rights, although Quantum expects this "in due course". Chief Executive & Executive Chair Francesco Gardin comments: "This patent represents a further step in the company's strategy of building a focused portfolio of intellectual property around the efficiency of cryptographic hashing hardware used in bitcoin mining...We believe the process covered by the patent may be of interest to established ASIC manufacturers seeking to enhance the efficiency of their hardware, and the company intends to explore appropriate opportunities to monetise this and other patents in its portfolio, whether through licensing or other commercial arrangements. To support this work, the company is actively seeking to engage suitable persons within the semiconductor sector to advise on strategies for monetising the patent and to assist with this process."
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GRIT Investment Trust PLC - invests in small and mid-cap natural resources and mining companies - Announces on Monday the signing of non-binding heads of terms to acquire Planet Scan AG, a Swiss developer of mining assets in Turkey including the Corum Copper Project, in a reverse takeover. The parties have agreed an eight-week exclusivity period, which provides that should either withdraw, they will bear the other's transaction costs, provided that no demonstrably material adverse matter arises during the due diligence process. Notes that there is no guarantee that the RTO will proceed, but expects the HoT to "lead to binding agreements in due course". GRIT shares remain suspended, but it is in the process of completing its audited accounts for the period ended March 31.
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