Cooker maker Aga moved back into profit and resumed dividend payments in the half-year to June as revenues increased by 5%. Operating profits came in £800,000 against a loss of £1.7m.

The order intake remains up indicating improvements seen so far this year and should continue through the second half, Aga said. Pre-tax profits were £16.4m after a big pension credit. The proposed dividend is 0.7p.

Central Europe-focused property group Ablon made a profit of €5.3m in the six months to June as gross sales rose 56% to €14.4m. The group received €5.3m from the sale of 37 units at the Viva Residence project in Prague. Adjusted net asset value per share was little changed from end December at €2.69.

Beowulf Mining expects to announce the results of its Kallak drilling programme "in due course", while it remains on schedule to commence drilling at Ruoutevare this year. Regulatory approval to start work on the recently acquired permits at Parkijaure, just south of Kallak, is expected this quarter. Losses for the half year were £222,000.

Oil group Aminex posted an increased interim loss of $2.49m ($1.15m)as oil production fell to 16,000 bbl (2009: 24,000 bbl) and gas production dropped to 133,000 Mcf. Chairman Brian Hall said: The recently-drilled first well to test a deep Wilcox prospect in our Shoats Creek property, Louisiana, based on new 3D seismic data, is potentially a major step forward in our US activities. A test result will be available shortly."

Bioplastics group Biome cut losses as like-for-like revenues increased 40% to £6.7m in the half year to June. The loss before tax reduced to £1.7m (2009: loss £2.7m). Biome saw 34% growth in lfl bioplastics division sales and 53% growth in sales made by Biome Bioplastics, the UK bioplastics business.

Bus operator Rotala warned it faces a much tougher second half as margins come under pressure. "Corrective actions on contract prices and fare levels will take time to have effect and so will be of benefit only in the following year", it added. Revenue in the six months to Mat 2010 was up by 23% to £22.5m (2009: £18.3m). Profit before tax increased by 5% to £805,000. The company will pay an interim dividend of 0.3p per share.

London & Associated Properties, the shopping centre owner, saw a small decline in profit before tax in the first half of the year to £5.65m from £6.58m the year before. Revenue edged higher to £8.31m from £8.27m the year before. The interim dividend has been held at 0.75p.

"Our interest rate swaps had an adverse effect on our net assets as at 30 June 2010. Although our net assets were £53.3m, this figure includes a liability of £14.8 million for marking to market our interest rate swaps ... Since we use our swaps to regulate cash flow and do not trade them, we believe it is more appropriate to report our net asset values under the EPRA accounting standard which does not take into the accounts interest rate derivatives or deferred tax. Under EPRA, our net assets are £72.2m, the company said.

Brownfield land developer Property Recycling was thanking its lucky stars that it had reduced its cost base in expectation of an "extended period of tough times" as it crept back into profit at the operating level in the first half of 2010.

"Much of the property sector faces a prolonged period of difficult financing which will delay the realisation of development assets," the company warned after announcing figures that showed revenue in the first half of the year grew to £0.67m from £0.44m in the first half of last year.

Operating profit was £0.21m, compared to a loss of £0.01m the year before. The company has not declared a dividend.

Related share prices
Aga Rangemaster Group (AGA) share price
Aminex (AEX) share price
London & Associated Properties (LAS) share price
Beowulf Mining (BEM) share price
Rotala (ROL) share price
Property Recycling Group (PROP) share price
Ablon Group Ltd. (ABL) share price
Biome Technologies (BIOM) share price