COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Baris Holdings, which supplies fire protection and thermal insulation systems, reported a fall from £9,000 pre-tax profit to £1.5m taxable loss in the six months to 31 August as group turnover declined sharply from £8.1m to £5.4m. Loss per share was 20.5p compared with earnings per share of 0.1p previously. No dividend was declared.

Haemocell deepened taxable losses from £1.1m to £2.4m for the year to 31 August. Turnover dwindled from £1.1m to £212,000. Lps worsened to 10.9p (10.1p). No dividend.

Intercare, the healthcare group, almost halved pre-tax profits from £4.3m to £2.3m for the year to 31 October Turnover rose to £44.3m (£39m). Earnings per share fell to 5.5p (10.5p). A 2.8p final dividend keeps the total payout unchanged at 3.5p.

Ensor Holdings, supplier of building materials and products, achieved £176,000 pre-tax profit (loss £32,000) in the six months to 30 September. Turnover grew from £6.9m to £7.4m. Earnings per share are 0.6p (LPS 0.1p). No dividend.

Year to 30 September Chiltern Radio, the independent radio broadcaster, turned around from a £246,000 taxable loss to £514,000 pre-tax profit, helped by a 9 per cent rise in turnover to £6.2m (£5.7m). Eps recovered to 5.4p (LPS 3.4p). Total payout per share of 1p.

Chemex International, which provides chemical analytical services, returned £135,000 pre-tax profits (loss £13,000) following a 23 per cent jump in turnover to £1.6m (£1.3m). Eps were 0.33p against lps of 0.03p last time. Total dividend is 0.1p.