Company News in Brief

Year to 30 June

William Sinclair, horticultural and household products maker, improved pre-tax profits to pounds 3.8m ( pounds 3m). Lower sales in the UK were offset by higher export volumes. Turnover rose to pounds 38.5m ( pounds 36.5m). EPS 12.2p (8.3p). Final dividend is 5.3p, making 7p.

Town Center Securities, the property firm, increased pre-tax profits from pounds 7.25m to pounds 8m. Turnover edged ahead to pounds 18.2m ( pounds 16.9m). EPS 5.59p (5.12p). Final dividend is 2.3p, making 3.4p (3.1p).

Six months to 30 June

Boxmore International, the packaging products maker, showed a 33 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to pounds 2.7m ( pounds 2m). The cartons division of the packaging group achieved 40 per cent growth and pushed total group sales to pounds 17m ( pounds 15.8m). There was a foreign exchange gain of pounds 323,000. EPS 9.4p (7.3p). Dividend is raised to 1.25p.

Derwent Valley Holdings, the property investor and developer, virtually doubled pre-tax profits from pounds 603,000 to pounds 1.1m. An improvement in income from investment properties, lower operating costs and a 15 per cent cut in interest charges aided the sharp rise in profits. It said demand for space remained low but there was an increased level of activity within the investment sector. EPS 9.9p (5.2p). Dividend is 3.05p (2.9p).

Ross Group, the electronics products maker, importer and warehouse services provider, reported a 55 per cent drop in pre-tax profits from pounds 1.35m to pounds 602,000, hit by restructuring costs. Ross said delays in obtaining a big engineering contract will mean lower than expected profits for the full year. Turnover rose to pounds 27.3m ( pounds 23.5m). EPS 0.29p (0.73p). Dividend is held at 0.2p.