COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Acatos & Hutcheson fell to pounds 4m (pounds 5.6m) pre-tax profit in six months to 3 April. Dividend 3.5p.

Parkside Intl pre-tax profits up to pounds 2.6m (pounds 1.8m) in year to 28 February. Total dividend is 3p.

Premier Health made pounds 599,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 2.9m) for year ended 31 December. EPS 0.21p (LPS 0.99p).

Smart & Co pre-tax profit pounds 1.2m (pounds 790,000) in six months to 31 January. Dividend 2.4p (2.3p).

Year to 31 March:

Atkins Group pounds 352,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 252,000). Total dividend 8.1p.

Bristol Evening Post rose to pounds 7.6 (pounds 5.1m) pre-tax profit. Total dividend 12.75p (12.25p).

Channel Holdings edged ahead to pounds 1.8m (pounds 1.7m). Total dividend is 1.3p (1.2p).

Foward Group lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 3.7m (pounds 2m). Total dividend is 6p (5p).

Policy Portfolio lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 847,000 (pounds 839,000). Total dividend is 6p (4.5p).

Smith Estates boosted pre-tax profits to pounds 2.8m (pounds 1.6m). Total dividend is 5.1p (4.65p).

Southnews's pre-tax profits rose sharply to pounds 3.2m (pounds 1.7m). Total dividend is 4.45p (2.95p).

Six months to 31 March

Morland & Co rose to pounds 4.7m (pounds 4m) pre-tax profit. Dividend is 3.37p (3.06p).

SEC fell to pounds 463,000 (pounds 562,000). Dividend is held at 1.5p.

SEP Industrial surged to pounds 2.7m (pounds 2m) pre-tax profit. Dividend is 0.6p (0.45p).