Kingspan's share price has been a poor performer in recent years. During 1998 the share price hit a high of more than 440 cents. It has recently traded at 300 cents.

Much of the derating of the share price can be accounted for by the fall from grace of smaller quoted companies generally and a slowdown in Kingspan's rate of profit growth.

Kingspan has denied recent reports that the company hid a £4.2 million (€5.3 million) fine from shareholders. The fine revolved around failed export credit insurance involving a multi-million pound investment in a Canadian food venture in the late 1980s. According to a statement from Kingspan, the settlement did not involve any recourse to Kingspan shareholders and was paid by brothers Eugene and Brendan Murtagh.

The fact that the issues seem to have been resolved should mean that there will be little impact on the Kingspan share price. Nonetheless, it is not the sort of news that the directors and shareholders would have wished to see.