LONDON (ShareCast) - Micky Arison, the long-standing Chairman of cruise line operator Carnival Corp., docked a batch of shares earlier this week ahead of its better-than-expected first quarter trading update.

Arison offloaded 525,348 at $40.09 each, reducing his stake to 104.52m shares.

The group on Tuesday reported flat earnings per share (EPS) during the first quarter of its fiscal year.

Net revenue yields during the period fell by 2.1% in comparison with 2013, but were ahead of the company´s guidance for a drop of 3-4%.

Similarly, net cruise costs, excluding fuel per available lower berth day, increased by 3.3% due to higher spending on advertising, which was better than December´s guidance that costs might increase 4.5% to 5.5%.

Advance bookings for the remainder of 2014 are running ahead of last year´s levels, but at lower prices, the company said in the statement.

Panmure on Wednesday reiterated its 'sell' rating on the stock, saying that the company "continues to struggle due to older ships, limited online penetration and controlled distribution".

"With a protracted recovery likely in net revenue yields, better value exits elsewhere in the Travel & Leisure space," it added.


Top Director Buys

Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST)
Director name: Mr Jim Pettigrew
Amount purchased: 25,000 @ 383.04p
Value: £95,760

Oxford Pharmascience Group (OXP)
Director name: Mr David Robert Norwood
Amount purchased: 1,000,000 @ 4.30p
Value: £43,000

Hardy Oil & Gas (HDY)
Director name: Mr Alasdair Locke
Amount purchased: 33,784 @ 74.00p
Value: £25,000

EKF Diagnostics Holdings (EKF)
Director name: Mr Julian Baines
Amount purchased: 71,428 @ 35.00p
Value: £25,000

EKF Diagnostics Holdings (EKF)
Director name: Mr David Evans
Amount purchased: 71,428 @ 35.00p
Value: £25,000

EKF Diagnostics Holdings (EKF)
Director name: Mr Richard Evans
Amount purchased: 52,142 @ 35.00p
Value: £18,250

AstraZeneca (AZN)
Director name: Professor Genevieve Berger
Amount purchased: 460 @ 3,896.00p
Value: £17,922

Japan Residential Investment Co Ltd. (JRIC)
Director name: Mr Richard Crowder
Amount purchased: 30,000 @ 59.00p
Value: £17,700

Norcros (NXR)
Director name: Mr Martin Towers
Amount purchased: 75,000 @ 20.37p
Value: £15,278

Hardy Oil & Gas (HDY)
Director name: Mr Peter J Milne
Amount purchased: 16,892 @ 74.00p
Value: £12,500


Top Director Sells

Carnival (CCL)
Director name: Mr Micky Arison
Amount sold: 525,348 @ 2,430.08p
Value: £12,766,377

Gresham Computing (GHT)
Director name: Mr Chris Errington
Amount sold: 970,000 @ 128.00p
Value: £1,241,600

Goals Soccer Centres (GOAL)
Director name: Mr Morris Payton
Amount sold: 150,000 @ 216.50p
Value: £324,750

Gresham Computing (GHT)
Director name: Mr Rob Grubb
Amount sold: 75,000 @ 128.00p
Value: £96,000

EKF Diagnostics Holdings (EKF)
Director name: Mr Gordon James Hall
Amount sold: 1,439,282 @ 1.00p
Value: £14,393

NR

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