Company News in Brief

Manchester Ship Canal Company, which operates port facilities, railway and warehouses, advanced to pounds 4.8m ( pounds 7.8m) for the year ended 31 December. No dividend.

Armitage Brothers, the pet products maker, lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 851,000 ( pounds 708,000) in the year to 31 May. Final dividend is 3.4p, making 6p (5.7p).

Batleys, the cash and carry wholesalers, increased pre-tax profits to pounds 8.3m ( pounds 7m) in the year to 2 May. No dividend.

Crown Eyeglass, the spectacles processor and retailer, raised pre- tax profits from pounds 251,000 to pounds 451,000 in the year to 31 March. Final dividend is 4p, making 6p (3.5p).

Crossroads Oil Group fell to pounds 283,000 ( pounds 372,000) pre-tax profit in the year to 31 March. No dividend.

Relyon Group, the bedroom furniture maker, fell to pounds 1.5m ( pounds 1.75m) in the six months to 30 June. Interim dividend is held at 1.75p.

Howard Holdings, the property developer, increased pre-tax losses to pounds 814,000 (loss pounds 495,000) in the year to 30 April. Total dividend is held at 0.5p.

Rexmore, suppliers of upholstery, textiles, timber and related products, fell marginally to pounds 931,000 ( pounds 1m) in the year to 30 March. Final dividend is 1.05p, making 1.75p (2.25p).

Newmarket Venture Capital incurred pre-tax losses of a little over pounds 1m (loss pounds 421,000) in the six months to 30 June. No dividend.

Louis Newmark, the electrical equipment maker, reduced pre- tax losses from pounds 1.1m to pounds 980,000 in the year to 31 March. There is no dividend.

Embassy Property Group deepened pre-tax losses to pounds 2.4m ( pounds 875,000) in the six months to 30 September. No dividend.

Practical Investment Company, the investment trust, is paying a final dividend of 2.2p (1.965p) and a special dividend of 1.01p for the year to 31 May.

Rea Brothers Group, which provides private banking and financial services, saw pre-tax profits reduced to pounds 284,000 ( pounds 402,000) in the six months to 30 June. Interim dividend is held at 0.25p.