More companies have been switching from the Alternative Investment Market to the Main Market. The majority of them have made gains and ten out of the 19 companies that moved since 2023 have joined the FTSE 250 index.
AIM was set up to be a feeder market to the Main Market, and more than 220 companies have made the move – with some subsequently returning to AIM. Since the beginning of 2023, there have been 19 companies that made the move. There were two companies in each of 2023 and 2024, but there has been an acceleration since then.
Airline and tour operator Jet2 has confirmed its plan for the move back to the Main Market, and it is not the only one that is considering this. Serica Energy, the North Sea oil and gas producer, has been planning a move for more than one year.
SigmaRoc returns to acquisition trail
Building materials supplier SigmaRoc (SRC) is expanding in the Baltics through the acquisition of Akcine Bendrove Dolomitas for €110m – funded from the company’s debt facility and by a share issue.
The deal brings a reserve of dolomitic lime, which is used in steel production. Annual production is 3.4 million tonnes and there are 25 years of proven and permitted reserves. Last year’s EBITDA was €18m. This deal could enhance 2027 earnings by 2%.
In the first half of 2026, SigmaRoc revenues grew 2% to £523m. The like-for-like decline was 1%. Volumes are improving. Underlying earnings improved 12% to 5.2p/share. Forecast 2026 pre-tax profit is £173.3m.
IQE to move back to Main Market
Semiconductor wafers manufacturer IQE (IQE) interim revenues recovered, and it plans to move back to the Main Market in the first half of 2027.
In the first half of 2026, revenues rose from £45.3m to £64.6m, and this helped to reduce the loss from £16m to £8.2m. The cash outflow from operating activities was £6.4m. The recent fundraising meant that net cash was £30.2m at the end of June 2026.
Wireless revenues were two-fifths higher. Photonics revenues grew 45% to £38.5m, helped by increased defence demand and growth in data centre business. Longer-term, there will be opportunities with wearable sensing applications, augmented reality and autonomous vehicles.
