Company News in Brief

BWD Securities slipped to pounds 1.2m ( pounds 1.4m) pre-tax profit in the six months to 31 May. The result was hit by the cost of preparing for Taurus, the Stock Exchange's paperless share-trading system. Interim dividend is held at 1.3p.

AIM Group lifted pre-tax profits 35.8 per cent to pounds 3.1m in the year to 30 April, helped by its aviation division where operating profits advanced 32.5 per cent. Final dividend is 5p, making 6.5p (5.5p).

Associated British Consultants fell to pounds 41,000 ( pounds 1.1m) pre-tax profit in year to 30 April after making pounds 250,000 operating losses. Final is 2.1p, making 4.3p (6.4p).

S W Wood, which recently withdrew from metal trading to focus on printing and packaging, incurred pounds 15,000 pre-tax loss (profit pounds 55,000) for the year to 31 March. Final dividend 0.25p (0.1p).

Property Security Investment Trust pre-tax profit pounds 6.7m ( pounds 3.1m) in year to March. Final dividend 2.25p, making 3.75p (3.125p).

Holders Technology made pounds 198,000 ( pounds 181,000) pre-tax profit in the six months to 31 May. Interim dividend is held at 2p.

Doeflex lifted pre-tax profits from pounds 580,000 to pounds 876,000 in the six months to 30 June. Interim dividend is 1.6p (1.28p). It has agreed to buy Iridon, a thermoplastics sheet maker, for pounds 1.6m in cash.

Eve Group pre-tax profits pounds 3.3m ( pounds 4.1m) for year to March. Final dividend 7p, making 9.7p (9.2p).

Rubicon Group reversed an pounds 8.9m loss to pounds 822,000 pre-tax profit in the year to 31 May. No dividend.

Hemmingway Properties reduced pre-tax losses from pounds 2.1m to pounds 332,000 in the six months to 30 June. No dividend.

Graham Rintoul Investment Trust's net asset value improved to 133.4p (121.6p) for the year ended 31 December.

City of Oxford Investment Trust declared a 1.2p first dividend for three months to 30 June.

Exmoor Dual Investment Trust declared an unchanged third interim dividend of 2.7p for the 10 months to 31 May. Net asset value fell to 63.2p (93.6p).

Fleming American Investment Trust's net asset value fell to 198.8p (210.2p). Dividend is 0.35p (0.5p) for six months to 30 June.