COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Dencora, the property investment and building company, increased taxable profits from £1.58m to £2.12m for the year to 31 December. Earnings per share were 6.1p, up from 3.7p. The dividend is raised from 3.3p to 3.7p.

Bentalls, the department stores and property group, made £2.05m before tax in the year to 31 January, against £1.75m in 1993/4. Earnings per share climbed from 2.25p to 9.73p. Total dividend is up from 2p to 2.15p.

Air London, the charter broking company, lifted taxable profits from £300,000 to £380,000 in the half-year to 31 January. Earnings per share were 2.8p, against 2.2p. Interim dividend is held at 1.6p.

Bisichi Mining, which is involved in investment and mining finance, made £334,000 before tax in 1994, up from £40,000 in the year before. Earnings per share were 3.08p, compared with losses of 0.04p. Dividend is 0.71p, up from 0.68p.

Thomas Jourdan, maker of consumer products, fell from profits of £107,000 to losses of £3.49m in the year to 31 December. Loss per share was 19.4p. Dividend is 1.25p, up from 1p.

Lionheart, maker of retail display systems, lost £6.16m in 1994 compared with the £1.77m profit achieved the year before. Loss per share was 3.37p, against earnings of 0.49p. There is no dividend.

Shiloh, healthcare and protective clothing group, saw pre-tax profits fall from £1.13m to £584,000 in the 12 months to 31 March. Earnings per share fell from 15.15p to 4.55p. Dividend is lifted from 3.5p to 3.75p.

Sentry Farming, which carries out farm advisory work, increased profits from £786,000 to £977,000 in the year to 31 December. Earnings per share climbed from 11.1p to 15.5p. Dividend is lifted from 2.25p to 3.4p.