Company News in Brief

Year to 30 September

Midlands Radio, the independent radio operator, announced lower pre-tax profits of pounds 679,000 ( pounds 687,000), hit by the lull in the advertising industry. Final is 1p, making 2.5p (same).

Hardys and Hansons, the brewer, pub operator and wines and spirits retailer, fell to pounds 6.7m ( pounds 7m) pre- tax profit. Final is 5.1p, making 7.9p (7.5p).

Sanderson Electronics, the computer services supplier, advanced to pounds 2.8m ( pounds 2.4m). Final is 3.6p, making 9p (8.7p).

Shaftsbury, the property developer, cut pre-tax losses to pounds 4.7m ( pounds 12.8m). No dividend.

Six months to 30 September

Birkby, the building products group, made pounds 202,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 2.1m). Dividend is 1p.

Courts Furnishers, the furniture retailer, moved comfortably ahead to pounds 2.8m ( pounds 2.1m) pre-tax profit. Dividend is held at 1.83p.

Creighton's Naturally, maker of toiletries and fragrances, rose to pounds 617,000 ( pounds 565,000) pre-tax profit. Dividend is 2.1p (2p).

Halma, the security and environmental control group, returned pre-tax profits of pounds 8.1m ( pounds 6.7m). Dividend is 1.036p (0.863p).

Enterprise Computer Holdings, provider of mainframe services, maintained pre-tax losses at pounds 3.4m. No dividend.

Hobson, maker and exporter of homecare products, cut pre-tax losses to pounds 8,000 ( pounds 42,000).

Six months to 31 October

Abtrust New Dawn Investment Trust paid no dividend. Net asset value rose to 155.96p (104.02p).

Brasway, the industrial oil blender and maker of tube and hydrolic hose-end fittings, halved pre-tax profits to pounds 330,000 ( pounds 708,0000). It held the interim dividend at 0.24p.

Reliance Security slipped to pounds 905,000 pre-tax profit ( pounds 1m). Interim dividend is held at 1.1p.

Dartmoor Investment Trust reported a 38 per cent fall in net asset value per share to 74.2p (117.4p). Dividend is 5p (4.8p).

Melville Street Investments has kept the interim dividend unchanged at 1.5p. Net asset value per share is 144p (147p).