Company News in Brief

Dale Electric increased pre-tax profits to pounds 1.8m (restated pounds 269,000) in the year to 30 April. Final dividend is 3.1p, making a total unchanged at 5.1p.

Freeman Group, which provides services to the building industry, made pounds 550,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 62,000) in the six months to 30 June. Dividend is held at 2p.

J Saville Gordon returned to the black with pre-tax profits of pounds 3.8m (loss pounds 2.3m) for the year to 30 April. Final dividend is 1.7p, making 2.2p (same).

Finsbury Smaller Companies Investment Trust's net asset value per share advanced to 115.1p (97.9p) in the half year to 30 June. Interim dividend is held at 1p.

Novo Group sharply increased pre-tax profits to pounds 1.1m for the year to 31 March against pounds 158,000 for the previous 18 months. It is to raise pounds 8.8m in a 16 for three rights issue at 30 per share.

CIA Group, the advertising services concern, turned in pounds 1.9m ( pounds 1.5m) pre-tax profit in the six months to 30 June. Interim dividend is raised to 1.32p (1.15p).

Dunkeld Group reversed taxable losses of pounds 995,000 to report pounds 626,000 pre-tax profit for the six months to 31 May. No divdiend.

William Ransom & Son lifted pre- tax profits to pounds 677,000 ( pounds 402,000) in the year to 31 March. Final dividend is 1.245p, making 1.77p (1.694p).

John I Jacobs, the shipping and shipbroking company, incurred pounds 408,000 pre-tax loss (profit pounds 270,000) in the six months to 30 June. Interim dividend is held aat 0.5p.

Harry Ramsden's, the fish and chips restaurants operator, made pounds 77,000 ( pounds 74,000) pre-tax profit in the six months to 31 March. Interim dividend is 1p.

Henry Ansbacher Holdings, lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 1.9m ( pounds 1.1m) pre-tax profit in the six months to 30 June. No dividend.

Continental Assets Trust's net asset value per share declined from 177.59p to 170.68p for the six months to 30 June. No dividend was delared.

Thornton Asian Emerging Markets Investment Trust's pre-tax prrofits fell to pounds 1.2m ( pounds 1.8m) for the year ended 31 December. It declared a final dividend of 1.8p.