Company News in Brief

Year ended 31 December

Gowrings, the motor trader and leisure group, turned around pounds 953,000 taxable loss to make pounds 100,000 pre-tax profit. Trading profits from motor sales rose 35 per cent, while leisure activities made pounds 318,000 profit against pounds 236,000 loss previously. Group sales increased to pounds 51.9m (pounds 48.1m). Earnings per share were 0.61p (loss 10.6p). Final dividend is 1p, making 2p (same).

Anglo Eastern Plantations, which operates rubber, cocoa and palm oil estates in Indonesia, almost tripled pre-tax profits from pounds 471,000 to pounds 1.3m. Turnover increased to pounds 4.9m (pounds 3.4m). Earnings per share were 3.4p (1.1p). Final dividend is 1.29p, making 1.79p.

Golden Vale, the dairy products producer and supplier, achieved higher pre-tax profits of Ir pounds 16.7m (Ir pounds 14.7m). The rise was aided by a sharp reduction in borrowings from Ir pounds 20.6m to Ir pounds 7.5m at the year-end, which cut the interest charge by 23 per cent to Ir pounds 2.1m. Turnover rose to Ir pounds 298m (Ir pounds 295.5m). Earnings per share are 9.2p (8.54p). Final dividend is 1.13p, making 1.63p (1.36p).