CITY WHISPERS: Whiff of change in the air for cannabis firms

Cannabis firms have had a tricky time on the London Stock Exchange.

Most that joined in a flurry in 2021 have seen their share prices tank.

Interesting, then, that Whispers hears a company called Eresos Holdings has appointed advisers to assist with a listing on Aquis Exchange.

Aquis was where most of these stocks were listed before the LSE changed its requirements.

The chief executive of the group is Carl Jat, a seasoned retailer and most recently senior vice president at Claire’s Accessories. It will be chaired by former Tesco F&F international clothing chief, Richard Collins.

Acquired taste: The retail maestros claim their award-winning natural botanical formulas infused with cannabidiol can help improve skincare, health and mental wellbeing, etc

The retail maestros claim their award-winning natural botanical formulas infused with cannabidiol (CBD, the non-psychoactive part of the cannabis plant) can help improve skincare, health and mental wellbeing, etc.

Whether or not you’re a CBD sceptic, considering the dearth of listings at the moment, a float would be a win.

Philip Morris still plowing cash into Vectura

Health experts protested Philip Morris International’s (PMI) takeover of an asthma inhaler maker in 2021 for £1.1 billion. 

The tobacco giant insisted it would allow Vectura to set up a unit that would be part of a business focused on inhaled therapies. 

PMI’s half-year figures show it is still ploughing cash into that business – so much so that its overall health and wellness division, in which Vectura sits, posted a £48 million loss. 

‘Barbenheimer’ spawns cottage industry

This weekend’s release of polar opposites Barbie and Oppenheimer led to this year’s catchiest portmanteau – ‘Barbenheimer’.

It has even spawned a cottage industry combining both – such as a Barbie doll staring up at a pink nuclear explosion cloud.

Mark Brumby, leisure analyst at Langton Capital, could have a good crack at T-shirt designing if he wants a side hustle.

Some of these hybrid pictures on T-shirts ‘look rather good’, he said, though he also put forward his own idea.

‘I’d have thought the obvious one was to have an inanely grinning Ken saying ‘I am become death, the destroyer of worlds’ whilst supping a soda and carrying a surfboard.’

We’ll order ten in all sizes, Mark.

Tough run for GB Group 

It’s been a tough run for identity verification specialist GB Group, one of the few London-listed companies that has not managed to be taken over by a private equity firm after takeover talks fell apart last year.

There was another bump in the road last week. 

Shareholders rebelled in droves at its annual meeting against the executives’ pay packets. 

A stonking 57.5 per cent voted down the pay report after GB Group removed performance conditions to the chief financial officer’s long-term bonus.

Thing is, AIM companies don’t even have to put this to shareholders – but it is rather good practice.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk