Company News in Brief

Year ended 31 December

BLP Group, laminates and veneers maker, achieved pounds 2.4m pre-tax profit (loss pounds 605,000) on pounds 27.9m ( pounds 23.1m) sales. EPS 28.2p (LPS 15.3p). Final dividend 1p.

British Fittings Group, plumbing equipment distributor and plant maintenance engineer, recovered to a pounds 1.4m pre-tax profit (loss pounds 3.4m) despite showing a decline in turnover. EPS 3.19p (LPS 13.59p). Total dividend 2p (1.5p).

Gaskell, carpets maker, increased pre-tax profits to pounds 403,000 ( pounds 131,000). EPS 5.3p (1.6p). Total dividend held at 4.25p.

Great Southern Group carried pre- tax profits higher from pounds 5.2m to pounds 6.2m. EPS 30.4p (24p). Total dividend 12.2p (11p).

Hogg Group, insurance broker and Lloyd's underwriting agent, reported a sharp decline in pre-tax profits from pounds 13.4m to pounds 1.05m on turnover up from pounds 117.5m to pounds 122.3m. Loss per share is 3.91p (EPS 11.32p). Total dividend 5.65p (8.15p).

LEC Refrigeration reduced taxable losses from pounds 2.9m to pounds 838,000. Loss per share was cut to 7.03p (31.98p). Total dividend held at 9p.

Mayflower Corporation, vehicle bodies manufacturer, jumped from pounds 1.7m to pounds 5.4m pre-tax profit on improved turnover of pounds 74.6m ( pounds 64.05m). EPS 2.59p (1.25p). Total dividend 1.35p (1.25p).

Moorfield Estates reduced taxable losses from pounds 2m to pounds 494,000. Loss per share cut to 2.9p (18.3p).

Princedale, marketing and design consultancy, rose to pounds 740,000 ( pounds 254,000) pre-tax profit. EPS 1.9p (1p). Dividend 0.25p.

Roskel, partition systems installation group, reduced taxable losses to pounds 699,000 ( pounds 1.2m). Loss per share 6.36p (5.46p). Total dividend held at 4.3p.

Alexander Russell, minerals and aggregates extractor, made pounds 1.7m pre-tax profit (loss pounds 1.9m). EPS 2.69p (LPS 11.86p). Total dividend 1.75p (1p).

Senior Engineering made pounds 24,000 ( pounds 6,000) pre-tax profit. EPS 7.14p (0.98p). Total dividend rose to 3.36p (3.15p).

Spirax-Sarco Engineering rose to pounds 26.7m ( pounds 23.1m) pre-tax profit on pounds 192.5m ( pounds 154.2m) turnover. EPS 21.6p (16.9p). Total dividend 9.9p (9.3p).

Waterford Foods increased pre-tax profits to Ir pounds 24.5m (Ir pounds 18.7m). Sales rose to Ir pounds 693.7m (Ir pounds 551.5m). EPS 11.1p (9.07p). Total dividend 2.83p (2.73p).

Six months to 31 January

Bridport Gundry reduced taxable losses from pounds 439,000 to pounds 220,000. Loss per share was cut to 2.44p (4.63p). Dividend 1.25p (1.5p).

Pressac Holdings, lighting products and distributor of electronic components, lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 684,000 ( pounds 619,000). EPS 1.71p (1.55p). Dividend held at 0.75p.