Company News in Brief

McKechnie, plastics and metal components maker, earned pre-tax profits for the year to the end of July of pounds 35.3m, up from pounds 24.5m. Earnings per share 27.1p (21.4p). Dividend held at 14.75p.

Boxmore International, maker of packaging products, increased profits before tax by 38 per cent to pounds 3.75m in the half- year to 30 June. Earnings per share rose from 9.4p to 10.9p. Interim dividend 1.38p (1.25p).

Blacks Leisure, retailer of leisure and sports equipment, lost pounds 53,000 in the half-year to 26 August against a taxable profit of pounds 638,000.

Loss per share 0.62p (earnings 1.86p). Interim dividend held at 0.75p.

UDO Holdings, which sells drawing office materials, raised taxable profits from pounds 3.7m to pounds 4.9m in the year to 31 July. Earnings per share 11.85p (8.99p). Final dividend is 5.78p, up from 5.13p.

Sunset & Vine, producer of television programmes, made pounds 1.02m ( pounds 108,000)in year to 30 June. Earnings per share 12.1p (1.3p). Dividend is 4p (3.5p).