COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Folkes Group, engaged in property, engineering and building products, reported £3m pre-tax profit for year to 31 December (£1.72m loss). Earnings per share 6.39p. Final dividend 0.98p, making a total 1.575p, up from 1.5p.

Yorklyde, maker of cloths, scarves and rugs, increased taxable profits from £3m to £4.1m in the year to 31 January. Earnings per share 27.6p, up from 20.6p. Total dividend up from 6p to 7.25p. Company is also raising £2.3m net through an issue of 1.1 million shares at 245p.

Berkeley Bus Group cut annual losses from £4.2m to £1.2m. Loss per share was 0.9p, down from 12.1p. No dividend.

Usborne, pig producer and grain trader, reduced losses for the six months to 31 December from £8.04m to £438,000. Loss per share was 1.21p, against 8.63p. No interim dividend.

Radiotrust, an investment company, made £56,000 before tax in the year to 31 Janaury, against £37,000 previously. Net asset value at year-end 76.1p, (73.1p).

Magnolia Group, maker and importer of picture frame mouldings, fell from profits of £72,000 to losses of £1.96m in 1994. Loss per share 40.76p, against earnings of 1.08p. Dividend is 0.1p.

William Jacks, car dealers, reported full-year pre-tax profit £795,000 against £383,000. Earnings per share 4.4p compared with 1.44p. Company to pay outstanding preferred dividends.