COMPANY PROFITS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 135, 9 June 1937, Page 14

COMPANY PROFITS

BETTER, BUT BELOW 1928

Profits earned by Australian companies last year were more, than those for 1935, but well below those of 1928. The position is shown in detail by the National Bank of Australasia in analysing the profits of various companies, including .banks, o£&«K?.ig in the Com-monwepjy-i. ;*he .total disclosed net pr&jiv^r the 262 companies aggregated ' £ 17,000,000 for : 1836, a decrease of £4,000,000 as compared with 1928. For last year the return of disclosed net profits on paid-up capital was 8.6 per cent., and on'total shareholders' funds 6.1 per cent., while the corresponding figures for 1928 were 11.1 per cent, and 8.4 per cent, respectively. The increase of £3,671.000 in net recorded profits between the years 1934 and 1936 is accounted for mainly by improved results in banks, manufacturing, mercantile, mining, and transport. The results of the investigation ■' are summarised in the following table:—

The percentage to shareholders' funds was as follows:—Pastoral, 4.08 per cent.; banks, 3.23; essential services, 6.12; finance, 6.9; amusements, 2.29; manufacture, 7,72; mercantile, 6.72; mining, 9.09; and transport, 5.34 per cent.

The experience of New Zealand companies would be more or less similar to those of Australia, except in mining.

192S. 1033. 103fi. Companies. £1,000 £1.000 £1.000 Agri. and pastoral (IS) 1,392 403 590 Bunks (8)' 4,419 1.803 1,934 Essential Services (17) 1.575 1.303 1,291 Finance (41) ........ 1,114 806 991 Amusement (6) 241 90 114 Manufacture (S3) 6,836 5,602 6,liSl Mercantile (62) 2.903 1.740 2,132 Mining (11) 1.8S4 1,383 2.233 Transport (16) 1,042 774 820 Totals (262) 21,108 14.2S3 17,108