Company News in Brief

Aitken Hume International, the private banking firm with operations in the Channel Islands and funds under management in the US, almost doubled pre-tax profits from pounds 871,000 to pounds 1.6m for the six months to 30 September, helped by exceptional profits of pounds 713,000. In March it sold AH Overseas Investments, its wholly owned US subsidiary, to a life insurance company for dollars 40m. Earnings per share are 3.08p (0.83p). There is no dividend.

Critchley Group, the electrical cable accessories manufacturer, lifted pre-tax profits from pounds 1.3m to pounds 1.6m in the six months to 30 September on turnover up from pounds 11.2m to pounds 13.7m. Earnings per share are 9p (8.4p). Dividend is 2.6p.

Cullen's Holdings, the groceries, wines and spirits retailer, has delivered pounds 18,000 pre-tax profits for the six months to 31 August against pounds 16,000 taxable loss for the comparable half year. Sales improved from pounds 1.7m to pounds 2m. Earnings per share are 0.1p (loss 0.1p). There is no dividend.

Fenner, which makes and distributes mechanical and electronic power transmission equipment, revealed a sharp decline in pre-tax profits from pounds 35.5m to pounds 315,000 for the year to 31 August. Turnover rose from pounds 196.5m to pounds 201.5m. Loss per share is 7.86p (0.01p). No dividend (4.2p).

Renold, the engineering firm, advanced pre-tax profits threefold from pounds 800,000 to pounds 2.4m in the six months to 30 September. Turnover grew from pounds 58.4m to pounds 65.4m. Earnings per share improved from 0.7p to 2.9p. Interim dividend is 0.7p (nil).