Thomas Cook's chief executive, Manny Fontenla-Novoa, has splashed out nearly £100,000 on shares in the travel firm.

The Spanish-born businessman took 44,819 shares at 221.5p a time and now has 687,172.

His purchase of shares comes soon after Thomas Cook beat expectations with its results for the year to September 30, with an adjusted pre-tax profit of £308.2m, down slightly from £309.3m the previous year, as revenues climbed to £9.27bn from £8.75bn.

Thomas Cook managed to weather the downturn by lifting ticket prices and reducing capacity. Thomas Cook also benefited from holidaymakers steering clear of the strong euro by heading to more exotic locations such as Turkey and Egypt.

Shares in the company have been steady since Fontenla-Novoa's last purchase, when he took 90,907 shares at 218.5p a time, but he has seen good gains on the 311,793 shares he took at 192.5p in January in the depths of the downturn.

Fontenla-Novoa, who moved to London from Spain at the age of 11, has been chief executive of the company since July 2007.


Top Director Buys

Thomas Cook Group (TCG)
Director name: Mr Manny Fontela-Novoa
Amount purchased: 44,819 @ 221.56p
Value: £99,301

RCG Holdings (RCG)
Director name: Dr Raymond Chu
Amount purchased: 60,000 @ 88.14p
Value: £52,884

UK Select Trust Ltd. (UKT)
Director name: Mr David Warr
Amount purchased: 30,000 @ 129.05p
Value: £38,715

BlackRock Smaller Companies Trust (BRSC)
Director name: Mr Robert Sinclair Robertson
Amount purchased: 10,000 @ 285.95p
Value: £28,595


Top Director Sells

May Gurney Integrated Services (MAYG)
Director name: Mr Michael Dunn
Amount sold: 950,000 @ 240.00p
Value: £2,280,000

May Gurney Integrated Services (MAYG)
Director name: Mr Ian Findlater
Amount sold: 700,000 @ 240.00p
Value: £1,680,000

Education Development International (EDD)
Director name: Mr Nigel M Snook
Amount sold: 1,000,000 @ 135.00p
Value: £1,350,000

Education Development International (EDD)
Director name: Mr Barrie Clark
Amount sold: 350,000 @ 135.00p
Value: £472,500

May Gurney Integrated Services (MAYG)
Director name: Mr Timothy Ross
Amount sold: 163,375 @ 240.00p
Value: £392,100

Jardine Matheson (Singapore) (JAR)
Director name: Mr Simon L Keswick
Amount sold: 6,000 @ $30.00
Value: $180,000

Education Development International (EDD)
Director name: Dr Dr Jenifer Mary Moody
Amount sold: 67,312 @ 135.00p
Value: £90,871

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May Gurney Integrated Services (MAYG) share price
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