Company News in Brief

Dobson Park, the electronics, mining equipment and toys manufacturer, slumped from pounds 6.2m pre-tax profit into pounds 715,000 taxable loss. It was hit by a pounds 4.35m exceptional charge for the loss on disposal of Power Tools and Revere Aerospace, two loss-making businesses, and a 35 per cent decline in turnover to pounds 71.8m in the six months to 3 April. Loss per share is 1.12p (EPS 3.32p). Dividend is cut to 1.2p (1.9p).

Jackson Group, the construction and industrial services company, made pounds 166,000 pre-tax profit (loss pounds 1.5m) for the year ended 31 December on turnover of pounds 57.6m ( pounds 59.5m). Earnings per share recovered to 1.7p (loss 4.9p). Total dividend is 1.5p (1p).

J Smart & Co, the property developer, reported a fall in pre-tax profit to pounds 1m ( pounds 1.6m) in the six months to 31 January. EPS slipped to 6.91p (10.5p). Interim dividend is held at 2.3p.

Year to 31 March

City of London PR achieved pre-tax profits of pounds 585,000 ( pounds 521,000). Earnings per share are 5.46p (4.78p). Final dividend is 2.35p, making 3.5p (3.1p).

Mid Kent Holdings, the water supplier, announced lower pre-tax profits of pounds 6.2m ( pounds 7.2m). Earnings per share eased to 26.5p (31.7p). Final dividend is 5.75p, making 10.5p (9.5p).

Southnews, local newspaper publisher, lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 1.6m ( pounds 899,000). Earnings per share 5.26p (3.93p). Total dividend is 2.1p (1.5p).

Six months to 31 March

Apollo Metals, the processed aluminium supplier, fell to pounds 588,000 ( pounds 711,000) pre-tax profit. Earnings per share are 3p (3.5p). Interim dividend is 1.2p (1.15p).

Davenport Vernon, the motor dealer, lifted pre-tax profits from pounds 805,000 to pounds 895,000. Earnings per share 4.4p (4.1p). Dividend held at 1.5p.