PURI.L Share News (PURI)

Carr's Milling Industries has seen its pre-tax profit for the year increase 27.4% to £9m, from £7m in 2009. The food and engineering group announced strong trading in most divisions with diluted earnings per share also rising to 64.1p at 28 August from 50.3p previously. Net debt decreased by 19.7% to £15.5m, from £19.3m.The group saw rising sales in agricultural trading, and increased demand in engineering markets, although the food division continued to struggle as twheat prices soared more than 60% in the last two months of the financial year."[Food] Markets continue to be extremely challenging as we contend with significantly higher raw material prices and industry over-capacity", the firm says. Germ killing technology developer PuriCore announced a 4.9% rise in sales from $10.6m to $11.1m in the third quarter, despite an 18.4% decrease in sales in its Food Safety division.Food Safety sales of $4.8m, compared with $5.8m previously were a result of "the overall economic downturn and the delay of one significant contract", the group says. Overall sales, however, were boosted by a 34% increase in Endoscopy sales that stood at $6.2m, from $4.6m.Revenues grew $0.5m higher to $30.4m, and the group's gross profit margin for the nine months exceeded 32%, and is expected to remain at these levels for the rest of the year.Tantalum miner Noventa lost $4m in the third quarter compared with a $1.9m deficit a year ago, though the loss for the nine months has narrowed slightly to $7.1m.Demand for the rare metal, used in mobile phones, computers and laboratory equipment is on the up. The spot price for 30% tantalum concentrate leapt from $37 per lb at the start of 2010 to $92 today. Lottery management and online gaming specialist The Weather Lottery has signed a contract with football club West Ham United, to raise funds for the club by offering its 'FC Lotto' platform. The group's political lottery division has also secured a contract to manage the new lottery being offered to all Liberal Democrats in the western counties.