FTSE 250 movers: ITV surges on Sky Talk; ME Group tanks
By Frank Prenesti
Date: Friday 07 Nov 2025
(Sharecast News) - FTSE 250 21,766.65 -0.63%
ITV on Friday confirmed it was in preliminary discussions regarding a possible sale of its broadcasting business to Comcast-owned Sky for an enterprise value of £1.6bn, sending shares in the company surging by a fifth.
It added that there could be no certainty on the terms of any potential sale of the business - which contains its TV channels and ITVX streaming service - or whether any transaction will take place.
ITV's largest single shareholder, Liberty Global, which jointly owns Virgin Media O2 with Spanish telecoms operator Telefónica, last month halved its 10% stake in ITV.
The UK broadcaster's value has slumped in recent years as streaming services such as Netflix have grabbed market share from traditional TV operators. ITV on Thursday said it was cutting £35m from its budgets amid a weak macroeconomic environment and advertiser uncertainty ahead of the government's Budget later this month.
Shares in Oxford Nanopore Technologies jumped on Friday after the company revealed that annual revenue growth would be at the top end of forecasts.
In a short statement to the market, the company said that it was having to postpone its planned virtual investor seminar event on 14 November pending the appointment of a new chief executive.
Oxford Nanopore, which develops DNA and RNA sequencing technology, said its CEO succession process is "actively underway" following the resignation of co-founder Gordon Sanghera in August after two decades in the role. Sanghera is expected to officially step down as CEO at the end of next year.
However, the company still updated the market on expectations for the 2025 financial year, saying it now expects constant-currency revenue growth to be at the "top end of its previously stated guidance range of 20-23%".
All other financial metrics are tracking in line with expectations, the company said.
ME Group's share price tanked on Friday after the vending machine and self-service launderette company reported a softening in demand for laundry services in the second half, while photobooth sales were lower than last year.
Meanwhile, the company, which in June confirmed that it was "exploring strategic options to enhance shareholder value" including a potential sale, said the process was still ongoing, but didn't give any more details.
Total revenues for the fiscal year to 31 October are expected to be between £311m and £318m, with pre-tax profits tipped to be a record £76m to £79m. That's up from £307.9m and £73.4m the previous year, respectively.
The Wash.ME laundry service, the company's fastest growing business, delivered 10% revenue growth over the year, though the unseasonably warm weather had "some impact" on demand during the second half.
The company was still able to install a record 1,145 net machines during the period, representing a 27.2% increase over last year.
Photo.ME revenues fell 4%, reflecting the ending of a UK contract the previous year and a printer supplier issue in the first half. Meanwhile, in Germany, regulatory changes have meant that passport photos need to be taken in the citizens' office or by certified photographers, which hit revenues in the second half.
"As the group enters its new financial year, the board remains focused on delivering the group's long-term strategy to grow its core laundry and photobooth activities, leveraging its key strengths and significant competitive advantages," ME Group said in a statement.
"Whilst the macro-economic backdrop is still uncertain, the group remains well-positioned to deliver continued revenue and profit growth in the year ahead."
FTSE 250 - Risers
ITV (ITV) 78.30p 15.66%
Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) 144.60p 8.15%
Anglo-Eastern Plantations (AEP) 1,305.00p 2.35%
Ithaca Energy (ITH) 230.00p 1.77%
Bridgepoint Group (Reg S) (BPT) 294.20p 1.59%
TBC Bank Group (TBCG) 3,845.00p 1.59%
Syncona Limited NPV (SYNC) 100.40p 1.41%
Johnson Service Group (JSG) 134.80p 1.35%
Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) 407.80p 1.24%
Frasers Group (FRAS) 698.00p 1.16%
FTSE 250 - Fallers
Me Group International (MEGP) 175.00p -7.70%
Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) 267.50p -6.96%
Trainline (TRN) 258.80p -3.86%
Ocado Group (OCDO) 192.05p -3.59%
Vietnam Enterprise Investments (DI) (VEIL) 730.00p -3.05%
Trustpilot Group (TRST) 184.90p -2.99%
THG (THG) 43.50p -2.95%
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust (FGT) 809.00p -2.76%
Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 235.00p -2.69%
Volution Group (FAN) 617.00p -2.68%
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