Company News in Brief

Bett Brothers, the builder and property investment company, recovered from pounds 9.7m taxable loss to pounds 4.35m pre-tax profit in the year to 31 August on turnover slightly up from pounds 23m to pounds 25.4m. EPS 21.8p (LPS 46.2p). Total dividend 2p (nil).

Forward Group, manufacturer of printed circuit boards, increased pre-tax profits from pounds 491,000 to pounds 930,000 in the six months to 31 July, helped by a jump in turnover from pounds 5.8m to pounds 10.2m. EPS 8p (4.5p). Dividend is 2p (1.3p).

Henderson Strata Investments is to pay 1.4p dividend for the year to 31 October. Net asset value per share is 271p (186.3p).

Six months to 30 September

Grampian TV made pre-tax profits of pounds 1.55m against pounds 1.44m. The dividend was lifted to 1.5p (1.1p).

Hardy Oil & Gas, the oil and gas producer, almost quadrupled pre-tax profits from pounds 527,000 to pounds 2.1m. EPS 3.8p (5p). No dividend.

Thomas Locker, the general engineer, incurred pounds 329,000 taxable loss (profit pounds 188,000). Loss per share is 0.67p (EPS 0.4p). Dividend is 0.2p (0.35p).

Merchant Retail Group, the food retailer, slipped to pounds 31,000 taxable loss (profit pounds 467,000). LPS 0.15p (EPS 0.44p). Dividend is 0.2p (0.35p).

Millwall Holdings, the football club, reduced pre-tax losses from pounds 3.6m to pounds 1.1m for the year to 31 May. LPS 0.49p (2.02p). No dividend.

RPC Group lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 4.2m ( pounds 3.8m). EPS are 5.4p (5.5p). Dividend is 1p.

600 Group, the machine tools firm, deepened pre-tax losses to pounds 1.6m ( pounds 240,000). Loss per share is 3.8p (LPS 1.3p). Dividend is 0.5p (1p).

Yorkshire Waterworks achieved pounds 1.4m ( pounds 1.3m) pre-tax profit. EPS 15.97p (13.9p). Dividend is 3.3p (3.05p).