COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust, the investment trust, is to maintain the dividend at 4.6p for the year ended 31 December. Pre-tax revenue amounted to £2.9m (£3.1m). EPS 4.13p (4.36p). Net asset value per share slipped to 176.7p (188.6p).

LPA Industries, which makes industrial electrical accessories, fell to £20,000 (£66,000) pre-tax profit for the year to 30 September. Turnover edged up from £5.2m to £5.4m. Earnings per share declined to 0.3p (0.44p). The final dividend is 0.8p, making atotal of 1.6p.

PWS Holdings, the insurance broker, incurred £1.1m taxable loss (profit £2.4m) for the year to 30 September. Turnover dropped to £12m (£14m). Loss per share was 3.3p (EPS 6.8p). Final divided is 0.1p, making 0.6p.

Selective Assets Trust, the investment trust, is to pay a higher dividend of 1.6p (1.45p) for the year ended 31 December. Pre-tax revenue was £166,000 (£1.4m). Earnings per share were 0.55p (3.27p). Net asset value fell to 164.99p (204.17p).