Company News in Brief

Airtours, the UK's second-biggest tour operator, has bought SAS Leisure in Scandinavia for pounds 74m and also paid pounds 16m for the M/S Southwood cruise ship.

Year ended 31 December

Fitzwilton is paying pounds 41.6m for Wellworth, the Northern Ireland food retailer. Pre-tax profits excluding disposals were Ir pounds 5.4m (loss Ir pounds 2.7m). Total dividend is Ir3.5p.

Toye & Co reduced taxable losses to pounds 511,000 ( pounds 1.45m). LPS cut to 21.41p (51.56p). No dividend.

Folkes Group slumped to pounds 1.7m taxable loss (profit pounds 1m). LPS 4.68p (EPS 1.28p). Total dividend is 1.5p.

Laser-Scan Holdings advanced to pounds 113,000 ( pounds 80,000) pre-tax profit. LPS 0.3p (EPS 0.5p). No dividend.

PCT Group edged up to pounds 1.5m ( pounds 1.4m) pre-tax profit. EPS 11.28p (10.46p). Total dividend is 7.25p.

Year to 31 January

Berry Birch & Noble fell to pounds 670,000 ( pounds 1.1m) pre-tax profit. EPS 7.6p (12.8p). Total dividend is 5.4p.

David Brown lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 10.8m ( pounds 9.3m). EPS held at 14.1p. Total dividend is 6.4p.

Hopkinsons Group slashed pre-tax profits to pounds 642,000 ( pounds 2.7m). EPS 1.17p (1.31p). Total dividend is 1.3p.

Six months to 28 February

Charles Sidney made pounds 1.3m ( pounds 1.2m) pre-tax profit. EPS 3.0p (4p). Dividend is 1.2p.

VTR boosted pre-tax profits to pounds 697,000 ( pounds 202,000). EPS 6p (1.7p). Dividend is 1.45p (1.2p).