Company News in Brief

Half-year to 30 June

Bostrom, which makes products and components for the engineering and automotive industries, lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 1m ( pounds 796,000). The company said trading conditions had improved, especially in luxury car and 4x4 sports utility vehicle volumes, which have shown growth. EPS 4.3p (3.9p). Dividend is held at 2.5p.

Cattles Holdings, the financial services group, edged pre-tax profits ahead to pounds 6.9m ( pounds 6.6m). EPS 4.25p (4.26p). Dividend is 1.9p (1.6p).

EFT Group, the asset finance company, lifted pre-tax profit to pounds 881,000 ( pounds 706,000). EPS 1.79p (1.49p). Dividend is 0.46p (0.4p).

Gibbs & Dandy, the building, engineering and electrical products distributor, achieved pounds 292,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 92,000) aided by a sharp cut in interest costs to pounds 74,000. EPS 2.5p (loss 1.2p). Dividend is 1p.

Church & Co, the footwear group, more than doubled pre-tax profits to pounds 565,000 (pounds 244,000) despite losses in the US, Canada and France. EPS 2.8p (1.9p). Dividend is held at 3p.

Mallett, antique dealers, recovered from pounds 485,000 taxable loss to make pounds 409,000 pre-tax profit. Turnover grew 71 per cent to pounds 5.1m (pounds 3m). EPS 1.98p (loss 3.51p). Dividend is 0.5p.

Pegasus Group sharply increased pre-tax profits to pounds 1m (pounds 355,000), benefiting from the take-up of new accounting software packages. Turnover rose to pounds 5.3m (pounds 4.2m). EPS 9.4p (3.8p). Dividend is 2p (3.5p).

Year to 30 June

Murray Income Trust is paying 4.15p dividend, making a total of 10.9p (10.6p). Net asset value 317p (260.2p).

Primadona, the investment trust, declared a final dividend of 2.5p to keep the total unchanged at 4.5p. Net asset value 241p (181p).