Company News in Brief

Year to 31 December

Abbeycrest, silver and gold jewellery maker, achieved higher pre-tax profits of pounds 1.8m ( pounds 1.35m). EPS 5.2p (3.8p). Total dividend held at 3.2p.

Ayrshire Metal, steel profiles maker, sharply increased pre-tax profits to pounds 1.35m ( pounds 209,000). EPS 8.3p (2.1p). Total dividend 1.5p.

Bilston & Battersea Enamels increased taxable losses to pounds 233,000 ( pounds 222,000). LPS 3.5p (4.1p).

BNB Resources, the training group, boosted pre-tax profits to pounds 2.6m ( pounds 712,000). EPS 8.7p (3p). Total dividend 4.9p (4.9p).

Bournemouth Water edged pre-tax profits up to pounds 4.8m ( pounds 4.7m). EPS 285p (469p). Total dividend improved to 120p (86p).

Cattles Holdings, the financial services provider, advanced to pounds 15.8m ( pounds 13.6m) pre-tax profit. EPS 9.8p (9p). Total dividend 3.1p (2.6p).

CIA Group posted higher pre-tax profits of pounds 4.3m ( pounds 3.65m). EPS 18.54p (15.72p). Total dividend 5.14p (4.35p).

Era Group, the stores retailer, incurred pounds 826,000 taxable loss (profit pounds 159,000). LPS 1.31p (loss 0.46p). No dividend.

Frost Group, the petrol retailer, pumped up pre-tax profits to pounds 7.65m ( pounds 5.75m). EPS 9.5p (7.7p). Total dividend 4.9p (3.9p).

Hampshire Water increased pre- tax profits to pounds 1.6m ( pounds 1.3m). EPS 182p (179p). Dividend 76p (36p).

TLS Range, commercial vehicle leasing company, achieved pounds 209,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 190,000). EPS 0.9p (LPS 0.98p). Total dividend 0.5p (0.25p).

Weir Group, the engineer, made pre-tax profits of pounds 37.5m against pounds 39.2m. EPS 17.3 (17.3p). Dividend 6.5p (5.9p).

Wolstenholme Rink, metallic inks maker, rose to pounds 4.4m ( pounds 2.9m) pre- tax profit. EPS 39.6p (23.4p). Total dividend 11.2p (18p).

Six months to 31 December

Dowding & Mills, electrical services provider, lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 3.3m ( pounds 1.8m). EPS 1.37p (0.61p). Dividend 0.94p (0.92p).

John Maunders, the property developer, soared to pounds 3m ( pounds 1.4m) pre- tax profit. EPS 8.18p (1.39p). Dividend 2.45p (2.3p).

MJ Gleeson Group, the building and civil engineer, maintained pre- tax profits at pounds 4m. EPS 27.06p (27.09p). Dividend held at 3.35p.

Others

Manganese Bronze more than doubled pre-tax profit to pounds 1.3m ( pounds 577,000). EPS 5.01p (2.19p) for the six months to 31 January. EPS 5.01p (2.19p). Dividend 1.5p (0.5p).

Campbell & Armstrong, office equipment maker, incurred pounds 300,000 for the nine months to 31 December against pounds 3.9m for the previous 12 months to 31 March. LPS 1.7p (24.6p). No dividend.