Company News in Brief

Six months to 31 March

Southern Radio, the independent radio broadcaster, announced higher pre-tax profits of pounds 263,000 (pounds 165,000). Earnings per share rose to 0.62p (0.49p). Dividend is 0.3p (nil).

Warner Estate Holdings, the property investor, made pounds 3.7m (pounds 4.1m) pre-tax profit. Earnings per share eased to 5.43p (6.08p). Dividend is 3.65p (3.5p)

Year to 28 February

Airflow Streamlines, the car and truck dealer, boosted pre-tax profits from pounds 87,000 to pounds 1.5m. Earnings per share 10.38p (loss 0.07p). Final dividend is 2p, making 3p (0.1p).

Westbury, the house builder, has sharply reduced pre-tax losses from pounds 15.1m to pounds 2.2m. Loss per share was cut to 0.3p (17.4p). Final dividend is 3.25p, making 5p (9p).

Year to 31 March

Merchant Retail Group, the food retailer, declined from pounds 1.7m to pounds 1.1m pre-tax profit, despite a 9.4 per cent rise in sales to pounds 185.9m. Earnings per share fell to 0.84p (1.24p). Final dividend is 0.75p, making 1.1p (same).

York Waterworks lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 2.3m (pounds 2.1m). Earnings per share are 24.2p (20.7p). Final dividend is 6.2p, making 9.25p (8.5p).

Drayton Blue Chip Trust is paying a final dividend of 5.5p, making a total unchanged at 8.4p. Net asset value per share is 81.8p (60.5p).

Drayton English and Intl Trust is to pay a final dividend of 0.6p, making a total of 1.2p (same). Net asset value per share is 75.5p (66p).

New Throgmorton Trust declared a 2.25p final dividend to maintain the total at 6.75p. Net asset value per share grew to 133.9p (104.8p).

Others

Starmin, the building materials supplier and engineer, slumped to pounds 8.1m taxable loss (profit pounds 1.9m) for year ended 31 December. Loss per share is 2.5p (eps 0.5p). Final dividend is 0.2p, making 0.3p (same).

Martin Currie European IT lifted the total dividend from 0.2p to 0.29p for year to 30 April. Net asset value per share rose to 92.5p (85.5p).