Company News in Brief

Year ended 31 December

Headlam Group, the textiles supplier, has bought Shulman, a Glasgow floor coverings company, for about pounds 2.1m. It will finance the deal partly through a one-for-four rights issue at 92p per share to raise pounds 5.1m. Headlam improved pre-tax profits to pounds 1.1m ( pounds 304,000) on sales of pounds 58.8m ( pounds 21.7m). Earnings per share 3.85p (2.21p). Total dividend 2.6p (2.4p).

City Centre Restaurants lifted pre- tax profits to pounds 11.3m ( pounds 9.1m) on higher turnover of pounds 89.6m ( pounds 79.8m). Earnings per share grew to 4.14p (3.79p). Total dividend is 1.57p (1.46p).

Epwin Group increased pre-tax profits to pounds 3.1m ( pounds 2.9m). Earnings per share 11.8p (12.3p). Total divdiend is 6.8p (6.6p).

FBD Holdings improved pre-tax profits to Ir pounds 11.5m (Ir pounds 9.3m). Earnings per share 17.5p (13p). Final dividend is 2.5p, making 4.5p (3.6p).

Frost Group, the petrol retailer, saw pre-tax profits rise to pounds 5.75m ( pounds 2.5m). Earnings per share 7.9p (4.4p). Final dividend is 6.6p, making 12.1p.

Independent Newspapers, the Dublin printer and publisher, doubled pre-tax profits to Ir pounds 16m (Ir pounds 8m). Earnings per share 32.4p (18.8p). Total dividend is 15.5p (14p).

Ipeco Holdings, the engineering group, eased to pounds 3.3m ( pounds 3.4m) pre-tax profit. Earnings per share are 7.72p (8.18p). Total dividend 3.6p (3.4p).

Metsec pre-tax losses rose to pounds 731,000 ( pounds 257,000). No dividend (6.4p).

Norish achieved pounds 2.3m ( pounds 2.2m). Earnings per share 20.7p (17.1p). Total dividend held at 11.47p.

James Wilkes, the engineer, slumped to pounds 1.6m taxable loss (profit pounds 1.9m). Loss per share is 7.2p (earnings 4.6p). Total dividend 3.5p (10p).