Company News in Brief

Bennett & Fountain Group, the wholesaler and retailer of electrical appliances, fell from pounds 2.3m pre-tax profit last year to pounds 3.55m taxable loss. No dividend.

Hopkinsons Group, the gas and drinks-dispensing industry valves maker, slumped to pounds 1.3m ( pounds 3m) pre-tax profit. Interim dividend is cut to 0.9p (1.2p).

SWP Group, which makes components for the construction industry, slumped to pounds 30,000 ( pounds 826,000) pre-tax profit in the year to 30 June on turnover of pounds 7.7m ( pounds 10.3m). No dividend (0.6p).

DY Davies, the architects, deepened pre-tax losses from pounds 543,000 to pounds 1.7m in the year to 30 April. No dividend.

Tor Investment Trust declared a final dividend of 10p for the year to 31 July.

Baillie Gifford Japan Trust's net asset value per share declined sharply from 596.2p to 436.9p in the year ended 31 August.

EFM Dragon Trust has maintained the final payout at 0.06p for the year to 31 August. Net asset value at the end of August was 12.03p (11.75p).

Half-year to 30 June

Appleyard Group, the vehicle retailer and hirer, lifted pre-tax profits 16.6 per cent to pounds 1.75m ( pounds 1.5m), helped by a 9 per cent reduction in staff levels and lower interest charge. The interim dividend is held at 2.6p.

Norman Hay Group, the metal finishing and pollution control equipment maker, incurred pounds 263,000 pre-tax loss (profit pounds 56,000). No dividend (0.5p).

A&C Black, the publisher, increased pre-tax profits from pounds 154,000 to pounds 254,000. Interim dividend is held at 4.25p.

Sentry Farming Group lowered pre-tax losses to pounds 286,000 (loss pounds 361,000). No dividend.

Whatman, maker of filtration and purification systems, reported slightly higher pre-tax profits of pounds 4.5m ( pounds 4.4m). Interim dividend is raised to 3.1p (2.9p).

Atlas Converting Equipment, the engineer, fell to pounds 2.3m ( pounds 3.1m) pre-tax profit. Interim dividend is held at 7p.

Caverdale Group, the motor and engineering trade consumables company, dived to pounds 272,000 pre- tax loss (profit pounds 234,000) on reduced sales of pounds 4.8m ( pounds 5.5m). No dividend.

Lambert Howarth, the footwear maker and importer, fell to pounds 1.3m ( pounds 1.5m) pre-tax profit. Interim dividend is raised to 4.25p (4p).

Murray Ventures has maintained the final payout at 6.9p for the year to 31 July. Net asset value per share 286.2p (305.8p).

Era Group, the supplier and retailer, deepened pre-tax losses from pounds 951,000 to pounds 1.65m despite a slight improvement in turnover to pounds 29.3 ( pounds 28.7m). No dividend.

Telemetrix, maker and supplier of electronic equipment, fell to pounds 673,000 ( pounds 2.5m) pre-tax profit. No dividend.

Antofagasta Holdings, the Chilean-based mining and finance group, eased to pounds 8.9m ( pounds 9.6m) pre-tax profit. Interim dividend is held at 6p.

Highcroft Investment Trust, the financial trust that holds both property and securities, lifted pre- tax income from pounds 420,000 to pounds 464,000. Interim dividend is 1.8p (1.65p).

Hampden Group, which operates DIY stores in Northern Ireland, achieved pounds 202,000 ( pounds 175,000) pre- tax profit. Interim dividend is held at 0.2p.

More O'Ferral, the outdoor poster sites operator, advanced to pounds 936,000 ( pounds 812,000) pre-tax profit. Interim dividend is held at 3.2p.

Kinta Kellas, the finance and property developer, fell to pounds 12.6m ( pounds 14.4m) pre-tax profit. No dividend.