Travis Perkins Chief celebrates retirement and birthday with share sale

UK builder Travis Perkins on Monday announced that its soon-to-retire former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Geoff Cooper, has sold a number of shares ahead of his official departure on Thursday, his 60th birthday. Cooper, who is staying with the company to remain as a part time senior management adviser for one year, reduced his and his wife's holding in the company by 36,297 shares to 48,579. The stock was sold in three tranches at between 1,909p and 1,959p, generating a total of £702,783. The sales were made last week, when the group posted an increase in annual revenues and profits as demand for housing continued to grow.The company reported adjusted pre-tax profit of £321m in the year through December 2013, up 12.4% on the previous year. Adjusted operating profit jumped 6.7% to £347.6m, while earnings per share increased 14.3% to 104.6p. Total revenue increased by 6.3% to £5.1bn, driven by a 5% rise in like-for-like sales, continued network expansion and one extra trading day in the merchanting and plumbing and heating divisions. Travis explained that although it had a slow start to the year, sales grew from April as the weather improved and confidence in the industry picked up.Top Director BuysThorntons (THT) Director name: Mr Paul N WilkinsonAmount purchased: 50,000 @ 155.00p Value: £77,500New Britain Palm Oil Ltd. (DI) (NBPO) Director name: Mr Alan ChaytorAmount purchased: 10,000 @ 345.00p Value: £34,500Tate & Lyle (TATE) Director name: Sir Peter GershonAmount purchased: 4,700 @ 625.50p Value: £29,398New Britain Palm Oil Ltd. (DI) (NBPO) Director name: Mr Nick ThompsonAmount purchased: 3,000 @ 361.00p Value: £10,830New Britain Palm Oil Ltd. (DI) (NBPO) Director name: Mr Nick ThompsonAmount purchased: 3,000 @ 347.00p Value: £10,410Top Director SellsMondi (MNDI) Director name: Mr David A HathornAmount sold: 66,689 @ 1,083.79p Value: £722,769Mondi (MNDI) Director name: Mr Peter OswaldAmount sold: 66,504 @ 1,083.79p Value: £720,764Travis Perkins (TPK) Director name: Mr Geoff CooperAmount sold: 17,444 @ 1,959.00p Value: £341,728Mondi (MNDI) Director name: Mr Andrew KingAmount sold: 30,000 @ 1,074.37p Value: £322,311Mondi (MNDI) Director name: Mr Andrew KingAmount sold: 29,269 @ 1,083.79p Value: £317,214Travis Perkins (TPK) Director name: Mr Geoff CooperAmount sold: 10,000 @ 1,909.00p Value: £190,900National Express Group (NEX) Director name: Mr Jez K MaidenAmount sold: 62,981 @ 301.75p Value: £190,045Travis Perkins (TPK) Director name: Mr Geoff CooperAmount sold: 8,853 @ 1,922.00p Value: £170,155Mondi (MNDI) Director name: Ms Carol HuntAmount sold: 11,603 @ 1,083.79p Value: £125,752National Express Group (NEX) Director name: Mr Dean K FinchAmount sold: 37,452 @ 301.75p Value: £113,011NR