PRESS DIGEST - Financial Times - Feb 19 =8

ACQUISITIONS BUOY LOW & BONAR

Low & Bonar (LWB.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the floor and fibres manufacturer, announced near-double full-year profits after its acquisition strategy shielded it from a downturn in the construction materials sector. In the year to November 30, pre-tax profits increased 95 percent to 19.1 million pounds. Revenues rose 39 percent to 311.8 million pounds with the integration of Geotipptex, a Hungarian permeable fabrics maker, and Colbond, a Dutch manufacturer of non-woven textiles. The shares closed up 7.75 pence at 98.75 pence.

SPEEDY HIRE TO MEET ESTIMATES

Speedy Hire (SDY.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said it remained on track to meet full-year expectations, pointing to good trading in the nine months to the end of December. The tool and equipment hire group said the equipment division had grown 30 percent and the tool business had grown 47 percent during the period. Trading since Christmas had "started well" and the outlook was positive, it added. Fears over the company's exposure to sectors that will suffer in a downturn have seen Speedy Hire shares fall by a third since September. The shares rallied 29.5 pence to 811 pence on the announcement.

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants