' RECOVERY IN CEMENT INDUSTRY.
Not the leaSt interesting leatUre during the past week has
been the the_ reports of the AssOCiated. Portland:Cement Coinpany and the British Portland Cement Company. After an interval of some tWo years,, the Ordinary Shares of the first-named company are now. back again in the dividend paying list, the distribution-for the: last year being..6 per cent. In 1920, 10 percent. was paid' on- the sharei; but' that' had fallen to 5 per cent. in the years 1921 and 1922. since when (until just now) the dividend has been passed. Moreover, the present resumption is the more reassuring because, a year ago. the Chairman explained very fully at the Annual Meeting that money was being spent for modernizing the works without increasing the capital. The favourable view which he then took of the trade outlook has been confirmed by the Report just issued. In the case of the British Portland Cement Company, the dividend statement is also a good one, the payment having been increased from 10 to 15 per cent.
*
Previous page
