COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Biocure Holdings reduced taxable losses from £496,000 to £148,000 in the six months to 31 December. Lps 0.41p (1.47p).

Year ended 31 January

Alliance Trust is paying a total dividend of 50p (47p). NAV per share is £18.77.

Edinburgh Fund Mgrs rose to £13.7m (£9.8m) pre-tax profit. Total dividend 24p (22p).

Year ended 31 December

Bunzl incurred £4.9m taxable loss (profit £55.8m). Lps 8p (Eps 8.3p). Final dividend is 3.2p, making 5p (4.1p).

Dares Estates reduced taxable losses to £202,000 (£369,000). Lps 0.58p (0.69p). No dividend.

Edinburgh Oil & Gas lifted pre-tax profits to £185,000 (£161,000). Eps 0.6p (0.93p).

Erith boosted pre-tax profits to £2.5m (£1.1m). Eps 3.88p. Total dividend is 2.25p (1p).

John Mansfield made £250,000 pre-tax profit (loss £90,000). Eps 0.44p (Lps 0.3p).

Law Debenture is paying 20.5p (19.25p) total dividend.

Metalrax rose to £9.2m (£8m) pre-tax profit. Eps 6.72p (5.91p). Total dividend 4p (3.64p).

Newport made £100,000 pre-tax profit. Maiden dividend is 0.5p.

TDS Circuits reduced taxable losses to £429,000 (£496,000). Lps 7.48p (8.29p). No dividend.

VCI fell to £5.8m (£7.8m) pre-tax profit. Eps 16.2p (63.2p). Total dividend is 4.2p.