Round-up: DCC, Grafton, Printing

10th Nov 2009 09:57

Irish industrial conglomerate DCC has agreed to buy Shell Direct Austria for €18.3m. SDA sells approximately 630m litres of transport fuels and heating oils to domestic, commercial, agricultural and industrial customers throughout Austria. DCC also upgraded its expectations for the full year. Both operating profit and adjusted earnings per share, on a constant currency basis, for the year to 31 March 2010 will be broadly in line with last year, which is a modest improvement in its stance from July.Profits came it at €44.3m in the half year to September on sales of €2.8bn, down 11.6%. Revenue declined by 4.3% on a constant currency basis as a result of lower underlying oil prices compared to the prior year, despite a 15% increase in sales volumes in DCC Energy. Operating profit fell by 6.7% to €56.6m. The dividend rises by 5% to 23.74c. Building materials group Grafton's sales improved to €522m in the third quarter, up from €470m in quarter one and €520m in quarter two. Group turnover for the month of October was €174m, it added.Group turnover for the nine months to the end of October was €1.69bn down €661m or 28% on the €2.35bn in the same period last year. Like for like sales per working day in the Group's UK businesses in October were down 4% on a constant currency basis compared to minus 18% in the first half. In Ireland, like for like sales per working day in October were down 30% compared to minus 37% for the six months to 30th June 2009.Printer franchise operator Printing.com is determined to increase the number of outlets to 300, from 290, despite profits dropping to £0.87m from £1.02m in the six months to September. Total retail sales increased marginally by 0.1% to £13.18m (2008: £13.17m), while turnover decreased by 0.7% to £7.13m (2008: £7.18m)."Notwithstanding the difficult trading conditions, during the period, your Company was able to record a net increase of seven outlets, across the UK and Ireland. Overall, our objective remains the expansion of the network to a level in excess of 300 outlets by the close of the current fiscal year, " it said. The interim dividend is held at 1.05p.