Company News in Brief

Year ended 31 December

Britannic Assurance made pounds 27.2m ( pounds 23.7m) after tax. EPS 14.4p (12.6p). Dividend is 12.6p (11.2p).

W Canning slipped to pounds 2.2m ( pounds 2.4m) pre-tax profit. EPS 7.8p (7.2p). Dividend stays at 7.29p.

North Sea Assets achieved pounds 1.95m ( pounds 1.3m) pre-tax profit. EPS 2.76p (2.08p). Dividend is 1.1p.

Michael Page doubled profits from pounds 1.9m to pounds 3.8m. EPS 4.01p (2.04p). Total dividend is 2.1p (1.8p).

Quality Software Products fell to pounds 553,000 ( pounds 1.2m) profit. EPS 6.7p (16.2p). Total dividend 1.25p.

Richardsons Westgarth rose to pounds 2.5m ( pounds 1.9m) profit. EPS 4.9p (4.6p). Total dividend is 3.2p (3p).

TT Group lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 23.9m ( pounds 16.6m) on pounds 357.8m ( pounds 171m) turnover. EPS 19.3p (16.2p). Total dividend is 6.6p (5.8p).

Whatman Group advanced to pounds 10.7m ( pounds 9.7m) pre-tax profit. EPS 28.2p (26.2p). Total dividend is 10.2p (9.5p).

Six months to 31 December

British Building & Engineering pre-tax profit pounds 902,000 ( pounds 1.4m). EPS 5.4p (8.4p). Dividend held at 2.5p.

Burns Stewart Distillers plunged to pounds 1.8m ( pounds 4.3m) pre-tax profit. EPS 2.08p (4.95p). Dividend held at 1.7p.

Ex-Lands almost halved pre-tax profits to pounds 484,000 ( pounds 822,000). EPS 0.68p (1.19p). No dividend.

Ricardo Group boosted pre-tax profits to pounds 2m ( pounds 875,000). EPS 3.9p (1p). Dividend is 2p (1.9p).

Town Centre Securities' pre-tax profit rose to pounds 3.95m ( pounds 3.6m). EPS 2.69p (2.4p). Dividend is 1.1p (1.2p).

Clinton Cards lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 3m ( pounds 2.3m) for year to 31 January. EPS 11.6p (9.76p). Total dividend is 4.71p (4.25p).

Frederick Cooper rose to pounds 2.4m ( pounds 1.8m) pre-tax profit in 26 weeks to 31 January. EPS 2.2p (1.2p). Dividend 0.8p (0.7p).

NFC's pre-tax profit grew to pounds 28.3m ( pounds 19.5m) in 16 weeks to 22 January. EPS 3.6p (2.6p).