COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Cranswick, animal feeds and meat products maker, lifted pre-tax profits from pounds 2.3m to pounds 3m for the year to 31 March. Turnover grew from pounds 106.5m to pounds 115.8m. Earnings per share are 14.6p (12p). Final dividend is 6.2p, making 8.65p (8.25p).

Independent Parts Group, which supplies replacement vehicle parts, achieved pounds 2.2m pre-tax profits on turnover of pounds 14.8m for the year to 31 March. Earnings per share amounted to 10.01p. Total payout is 2.8p. No comparable figures.

Kunick, provider of services for the elderly, leisure services and retailing, announced a 57 per cent increase in pre-tax profits to pounds 7.8m (pounds 5m) in the six months to 31 March. Turnover edged ahead to pounds 50.6m (pounds 47.8m). Earnings per share are 1.75p (1.07p). Dividend is 0.25p.

Lynx Holdings, the communications, computer software and systems group, advanced pre-tax profits to pounds 741,000 (pounds 460,000) in the six months to 31 March as turnover surged to pounds 12.6m (pounds 7.3m). Earnings per share are 1.27p (1.15p). Dividend is 0.4p (0.36p).

Whessoe, the instruments, controls, piping systems and project engineers, incurred pounds 2.3m taxable loss (profit (pounds 1.9m). Turnover slumped to pounds 45.1m (pounds 63.8m). Loss per share is 10.4p (EPS 4.4p). Interim dividend is 1.5p (2.3p).