Company News in Brief

Estates & Agency Holdings, the property investment group, reduced pre-tax profits from pounds 1.1m to pounds 708,000 in the year to 30 June. Total income from investment property remained virtually unchanged at pounds 5.05m while interest and operating costs increased from pounds 4m to pounds 4.2m. Earnings per share are 9.64p (16.97p). Total dividend is 7.5p (5p).

Barlo Group, which makes central heating radiators for domestic and commercial use, reported a sharp increase in pre-tax profits from Ir pounds 390,000 to Ir pounds 2.4m for the six months to 31 March. Sales jumped from Ir pounds 15m to Ir pounds 43.4m. EPS Ir1.76p (Ir0.46p). Interim dividend Ir4p (Ir0.035p).

Burtonwood Brewery lifted pre-tax profits to pounds 2m ( pounds 1.5m) in the six months to 30 September. EPS 6p (4.8p). Interim dividend 0.7p (same).

William Cook, the steel castings manufacturer, boosted pre-tax profits from pounds 604,000 to pounds 3.35m in the six months to 30 September. Earnings per share are 10.3p (1.93p). Interim dividend is 2.5p (1.5p).

Aspen Communications has closed its French direct marketing subsidiary, Reponse Financieres. The subsidiary incurred roughly pounds 350,000 losses for the 10 months to 31 October. Closure costs are about pounds 390,000 and will involve the loss of 14 jobs.

EFG, the garden centre and horticultural products group, has announced further sales of its loss-making garden leisure division at Pinchbeck, Lincolnshire, to Gardman for pounds 140,000 cash. Gardman already makes and distributes a wide range of garden products.