Dewhurst Share News (DWHT)

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Dewhurst Plc (DWHT.LN), a manufacturer of electrical components and control equipment, announced Wednesday it made a pretax profit of GBP2,182,000 for the 6 months ended March 31, compared with GBP2,129,000. MAIN FACTS: -Revenue: GBP17,843,000 (2009: GBP17,928,000) -Operating profit: GBP2,206,000 (2009: GBP2,135,000) -EPS: 17.94 pence (2009: 17.48 pence) -Dividends per share: 2.12 pence (2009: 2.02 pence) -In the U.K. the company has already seen some nervousness from local authorities and other public sector bodies about their budgets and as a result a hesitation in placing orders. -The company knows a squeeze on U.K. public sector spending is imminent and now expect that this is likely to have some impact on the Group in the second half of the financial year. -It is unlikely that the private sector will pick up the slack immediately. -Overseas it is less dependent on the public sector and would expect demand to gradually recover. -However this will depend on market economic conditions and confidence. -As happened last year, the company made some modest gains in the first half from favorable exchange rate movements. -Again, as last year, some of these movements have been partially unwound in the last two months since the half year end. -It has been looking for some time for new premises for its headquarters and Hounslow factory. -No contracts have been signed, but it has located premises nearby that it hopes will prove suitable. -If the company goes ahead, refurbishment will be necessary, so this is not likely to have a material effect on this year's results. -Shares closed Tuesday at 260 pence. -By Zechariah Hemans, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9411; zechariah.hemans@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 09, 2010 02:52 ET (06:52 GMT)