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NZX-listed Colonial Motor Co has given an upbeat assessment of trading at the end of last year by reporting stronger-than-expected profits.
Its net profit was up 55% to $10.7 million in the six months ended December, when compared with the previous year. Revenue rose nearly 9% to $552.4m.
The board declared an unchanged interim dividend of 15 cents per share to be paid on March 30.
Chair Ashley Waugh said the results beat expectations. “As was often the case, December could be a fickle month to predict, and this year being no exception. Strong new and used car sales elevated December trading, resulting in this further positive impact on the half year.”
He cautioned that erratic vehicle supply and demand was an ongoing hurdle, which could be further compounded by several vehicle model changes this year.
Waugh also said the heavy commercial truck sectors that Southpac Trucks operated in remained subdued, with national volumes down on the previous year.
Perpetual Guardian Group has acquired Trustees Executors, trading as Trustees Corporate Supervision, for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition brings Trustees Executors, including its staff and clients, into Perpetual Guardian Group. Trustees Executors will continue to trade as a distinct company and brand within the group. The transaction does not include Trustees Executors’ registry division, which remains a subsidiary of Trustees Executors Holdings Limited.
The parties are the two longest-serving trustee companies in the country. With this acquisition, Perpetual Guardian Group becomes the largest and most comprehensive fiduciary services group in New Zealand. The group acquired Trustees Executors’ private wealth business in 2024, which was integrated into the wider group of companies.
New Zealand cervical cancer screening device company TruScreen has reported that FY26 sales revenue is expected to be around $2.4 million, down 41% from the $2.8m earlier forecast.
The TruScreen board said the variance was mainly due to delayed payment of a signed sales contract from Uzbekistan and a delay in its validation programme in Zimbabwe which has deferred the anticipated order of 10,000 units until FY27.
Total revenue for FY26 is expected to be $2.7m, a 28% increase on the previous year.
The group expects to report a loss of $2.2m similar to the prior year, reflecting additional market access development costs.
TruScreen markets a cervical cancer testing device that uses opto-electronics technology acquired from the former ASX-listed company Polartechnics.
It raised just over $4m last year at 2.2 cents per share after the board warned it may not survive without more cash. It shares have dropped more than 40% in the past year to now trade at 1.8 cents per share.
Me Today reported revenue of $2.55 million for the 12 months through to December 31, up from $2.15m the previous year. The NZX-listed health and wellness retailer recorded a loss from continuing operations of $902,000, which was an improvement on the $1.48m loss recorded last year. It reported a net profit of $3.22m, which included a gain of $4.1m on the disposal of the King Honey business in July last year. For the 2026 financial year, the business expects full-year gross revenue to exceed $6.5m and an ebitda loss of less than $1.7m. The company said it had an opportunity to expand into Southeast Asia and was in discussions with a local distributor. A launch into Singapore and Malaysia this year was also under consideration, followed by Thailand and Vietnam in 2027.