News in Brief

Year ended 31 December

Portmeirion Potteries, the tableware manufacturer, increased pre-tax profits to pounds 3.7m (pounds 2.6m). Earnings per share are 22.7p (16.7p). Final dividend is 5.5p, making 7.75p (7.35p).

Caverdale Group deepened pre-tax losses from pounds 244,000 to pounds 950,000. Loss per share is 0.94p (1p). No dividend.

Garton Engineering, the industrial metal manufacturer, made pounds 255,000 (pounds 1.4m) pre-tax profit. Earnings per share dropped to 4.83p (25.8p). Final dividend is 3p, making 4p (7p).

Microvitec, maker of products related to the application of micro electronics, reduced pre-tax losses to pounds 2.1m (loss pounds 3.85m). Loss per share is 3.4p (loss 5.3p). No dividend.

Moorfield Estates deepened pre-tax losses to pounds 2.2m in the 14 months to 31 December (loss pounds 1.2m year to 30 October). Loss per share worsened to 20.4p (11.4p). Final dividend is 0.1p.

Six months to 31 January

China and Eastern Investment Co returned pounds 449,000 (pounds 283,000) pre-tax profit. Loss per share is 0.022p (0.014p). No dividend (0.01p).

UDO reduced pre-tax profits from pounds 2.7m to pounds 1.4m. Earnings per share were cut to 3.22p (6.23p), but the interim dividend was held at 2.07p (1.94p).

Breedon, the building contractor, dropped to pounds 1.8m ( pounds 2.8m) pre-tax profit. Earnings per share fell to 4.41p (6.85p). Final dividend is 2.85p, making 4.6p (same).

Others

GR Holdings slumped to a pounds 125,000 pre-tax loss (profit pounds 414,000) in the six months to 31 December. The loss per share is 1.3p (earnings 1.5p).

Lec Refrigeration incurred a pounds 2.9m pre-tax loss (profit pounds 1.2m) in the year to 31 December. Loss per share is 31.9p (earnings 13.3p). Final dividend is 5p, making 9p (14.5p).