Company News in Brief

Henry Boot, the property and construction group, managed to increase pre-tax profits from pounds 2.1m to pounds 2.2m in the half-year to 30 June, despite a fall in turnover from pounds 59.1m to pounds 51.1m. It raised the interim dividend to 1.6p (1.5p), but said it was feeling the combined effects of lower inquiry levels and felt the business climate to be too unstable to make a serious forecast.

MY Holdings, the packaging manufacturer, almost quadrupled pre- tax profits from pounds 547,000 to pounds 2m in the year to 31 August, although turnover declined from pounds 35.8m to pounds 34.3m. Final dividend is 0.75p, making a total dividend of 1p (0.5p).

Lowland Investment Company declared a 5.5p final dividend, making a higher total of 8.5p (8.1p) for the year ended 30 September. Pre-tax profits edged ahead to pounds 2.8m ( pounds 2.7m).

Finsbury Trust held the interim dividend at 1.2p for the six months to 30 September. Net asset value per share at the end of the first half stood at 101.55p, down from 119p previously.