Company News in Brief

British Building and Engineering Appliances, supplier of non- mechanised building equipment, climbed from pounds 397,000 taxable loss to pounds 1.4m pre-tax profit in the six months to 30 September, helped by a sharp increase in turnover from pounds 1.7m to pounds 20.9m. Dividend is 2.5p (nil).

Dunton Group, the brickmaker and civil engineer, achieved pounds 852,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 252,000) in the six months to 30 November. No dividend.

Year ended 31 December

Avonside Group, the builder, fell to pounds 4.6m ( pounds 7.9m) pre-tax. Final is 2.2p, making 4p (nil).

British Mohair eased from pounds 2.6m to pounds 2.1m pre-tax profit. Total dividend is 8.5p (same).

Celestion Industries cut pre-tax profits to pounds 11,000 ( pounds 1.1m). Dividend is 1.4p (1.2p).

Chieftain Group, the insulation and fireproofing specialist, shrank pre-tax profits to pounds 613,000 ( pounds 1.05m). Final dividend is 3p, making 5.1p (4.9p).

S Daniels, supplier of imported ingredients and raw materials to the food industry, cut pre-tax losses from pounds 158,000 to pounds 64,000. Total dividend is held at 0.25p.

Expamet International, supplier of components and services to security and industrial markets, fell to pounds 4.4m ( pounds 7.3m) pre- tax profit. Final dividend is 1.16p, making 3.25p (10.38p).

James Fisher, the ship owner and operator, reported a fall in pre-tax profits to pounds 1.5m ( pounds 2.1m), affected by a pounds 1.1m ( pounds 674,000) interest charge. Final dividend is 0.5p, making 1p (5.5p).

Portals Group, the security and specialised paper maker, edged ahead to pounds 25.5m ( pounds 25.2m) pre- tax profit. Final dividend is 9.5p, making 14.5p (13.8p).

Premier Consolidated Oilfields advanced pre-tax profits to pounds 16.7m in the year to 13 December (nine months pounds 9.3m).

Try Group lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 1.4m ( pounds 960,000). Final dividend is 0.5p, making 1p (6p).