Company News in Brief

Dunkeld Group, which makes and distributes clothes, made pre-tax profits of pounds 2.45m in the year to 30 November, a sharp turnaround from a pounds 17.5m loss previously.

Year ended 31 December

Aberdeen Petroleum sharply increased pre-tax profits from pounds 78,000 to pounds 355,000 with the aid of a pounds 201,000 exceptional credit arising from the disposal of some of the group's investments. The company still wants to buy Brabant Resources, in which it has a 9.99 per cent stake. Yesterday it posted a final offer to Brabant's shareholders. No dividend.

Murray International Trust is paying a final dividend of 3.5p (3.4p), making 11.4p (10.9p). Net asset value per share at 31 December improved to 293.3p (253.7p).

Hotspur Investment's net asset value per share improved to 354.7p (310.5p) at 31 December. It held the final dividend at 6.6p.

Smaller Companies Investment Trust is paying 1.4p final dividend, making a total of 2.6p (2.5p). Net asset value per share at 31 December was 84.07p (82.86p).

Six months to 30 November

Frank Usher, the dress and special occasion wear manufacturer, lifted pre-tax profits by 44 per cent to pounds 843,000 (pounds 585,000), helped by a rise in turnover to pounds 9.2m (pounds 7.6m). The dividend is 2.5p (2p).

Honeysuckle Group, the women's clothing distributor, achieved higher pre-tax profits of pounds 601,000 (pounds 589,000) despite a 20 per cent decline in sales to pounds 8.8m (pounds 11.1m). Dividend is 0.75p.

Flogas, the liquefied petroleum gas supplier, achieved Ir pounds 3.2m (Ir pounds 2.9m) pre-tax profit. Dividend is held at 2.94p.

Roxspur incurred a pounds 343,000 pre- tax loss (pounds 1,000 profit), hurt by a pounds 289,000 exceptional charge. There is no dividend.

Six months to 31 December

Macro 4, the systems software company, advanced to pounds 4.9m (pounds 3.8m). The dividend is 6.27p (5.14p).

Bellwinch, the property builder and developer, cut taxable losses to pounds 97,000 (pounds 385,000), helped by a sharp reduction in interest charges from pounds 500,000 to pounds 63,000.