Company News in Brief

Interim results to 30 June

MacFarlane, the packaging group, made taxable profits of pounds 7.1m, compared with pounds 5.35m. Earnings per share were 6.1p, up from 4.7p. Dividend is 1.7p (1.4p).

Dixon Motor, the car dealer, made taxable profits of pounds 3.4m, compared with pounds 642,000. Earnings per share were 5.8p (4.2p). The interim dividend is 1.25p, up from 0.75p.

Astec (BSR), the maker of power conversion equipment 49 per cent owned by the US electrical firm Emerson, made first-half pre-tax profits of pounds 6.3m, up from pounds 3.7m. Earnings per share were 2.03p (1.2p). Dividend 0.4p (0.25p).

Clondalkin, the Irish print and packaging group, made taxable profits of Ir pounds 6.2m, up from Ir pounds 4.6m. Earnings per share were 10.6p (8p). Dividend is 2.01p (1.8p).

Verity Group, the electronics concern formerly called Wharfedale, made pre-tax profits of pounds 1.01m, compared with a taxable loss of pounds 4.3m. Earnings per share were 0.4p against losses per share last time of 5p. No dividend.

Guinness Peat, the financial services group, made interim pre-tax profits of pounds 4.97m ( pounds 6.75m). Earnings were 1.1p (0.76p) but there is no dividend.

Other news

Lombard Insurance, the insurance underwriter, made pre-tax profits of pounds 9.1m for the year to 30 June. When it floated in May it forecast it would make pounds 8.65m. Pro forma earnings per share were 18.1p against a forecast 17.1p. The dividend is 1.58p.

Buckingham International, the hotels and nursing home operator, reduced pre-tax losses to pounds 904,000 in the half-year to 30 April. It lost pounds 62.4m previously. Loss per share was 0.8p (51.9p). No dividend.

Cathay International, the property company, made taxable profits of pounds 469,000 for the year to 31 March, against pounds 264,000 last time. However, it made a loss per share of 0.1p, compared with earnings last time of 0.01p. No dividend.