Company News in Brief

Year to 31 March

Booth Industries, the engineering group, slumped to pounds 576,000 taxable loss (profit pounds 677,000). Total dividend is 0.7p (0.32p).

Cambridge Water Company increased pre-tax profits from pounds 2.2m to pounds 2.9m. Earnings per share 726p (535p). Total dividend is 170p (115p).

Hobson, which makes toiletries and homecare products, achieved pounds 140,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 210,000). Earnings per share were 0.2p (loss 0.41p). No dividend.

Northern Investors Company announced lower pre-tax profits of pounds 284,000 ( pounds 446,000). Earnings per share 5.6p (8.3p). Final dividend is 3.5p, making 5.5p (8.5p).

Total Systems, computer software supplier, advanced to pounds 833,000 ( pounds 757,000) pre-tax profit. Earnings per share improved to 6.08p (5.11p). Total dividend is 3p (2.25p).

Others

Bridgend Group, the wholesale distribution, property and leisure holding company, incurred pounds 3.1m pre-tax loss (profit pounds 900,000) for the year ended 31 December, affected by a pounds 3.4m write-down on property values. Loss per share 11.5p (EPS 2.4p). Total dividend is 0.4p (1.2p).

Electronic Data Processing, which sells, maintains and consults on computers, slipped to pounds 2.3m ( pounds 2.4m) pre- tax profit in the six months to 31 March. Earnings per share 18.1p (18.8p). Interim dividend held at 2p.

John Swan & Sons, the livestock auctioneers and estate agents, pushed pre-tax profits higher from pounds 217,000 to pounds 231,000 in the year to 30 April. Earnings per share are 25.2p (23.9p). Total dividend is 16p (15p).