Company News in Brief

Year to 31 March

Baring Stratton Investment Trust is paying a total of 2.29p (1.7p) dividend. Net asset value per share is 215p (183p).

Hartlepools Water Company maintained pre-tax profits at pounds 1.2m. Earnings per share 126p (117p). Final dividend is 33p, making 55p (50p).

Six months to 31 March

Concentric, the industrial products maker, lifted pre-tax profits from pounds 3.5m to pounds 4.35m. Earnings per share rose to 5.63p (5.38p). Dividend is held at 1.77p.

Diploma, the electronic components supplier and steel stockholder, boosted pre-tax profits from pounds 2.5m to pounds 8.1m. Turnover rose 19.5 per cent to pounds 74m. Earnings per share are 10.7p (7.3p). Dividend is 3.5p (2.75p).

H Young Holdings, involved in the distribution services, increased pre- tax profits to pounds 532,000 ( pounds 427,000). Earnings per share are 2.15p (1.72p). Interim dividend is held at 2p.

Other

Archimedes I T maintained the dividend at 9p for the six months to 30 April. Net asset value per share is 545.47p (469.55p).

Elswick, the engineer, print and packaging group, climbed to pounds 1.5m pre-tax profit (loss pounds 1.5m) for the year to 31 January. Earnings per share were 0.78p (loss 0.82p). Final dividend is 0.15p, making 0.3p (0.22p).

Fenner, the engineer, fell to pounds 105,000 ( pounds 2.3m) pre-tax profit for the half to 28 February. Loss per share is 5.24p (loss 0.41p). No dividend (1.7p).

Narborough Plantations, the natural rubber and palm oil producer, made pounds 102,000 pre-tax profit for six months to 31 December. Earnings per share are 0.76p (1.32p). Dividend is 0.5p.