BRIEFS

Spreading thin

Breads and spreads maker Goodman Fielder is to take a $300 million non-cash impairment charge on its baking division in its 2010-11 results, and has downgraded profit guidance for the year.

SHIP BUILDING

Austal sails south

Austal, which is building 20 ships for the US Navy, has posted a 41 per cent fall in annual profit to $21.89 million, and says adverse market conditions will be "the norm for some years to come".

CLEANING

Spotless down

Spotless Group has reported a net profit of $42.8 million for the 12 months to June 30, compared with $43 million a year earlier but second half results show improvement.