Hellaby Holdings, the diversified investment company, posted a 21 percent drop in first-half profit on weaker earnings from its shoe stores and higher corporate costs, and forecast a decline in annual profit. Profit fell to $6.2 million in the six months ended Dec 31, from $7.8 million a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Sales rose 1 …

The government’s decision to go-ahead with a deal offering land and regulatory concessions to SkyCity Entertainment Group for a $350 million convention centre was tainted by sloppy processes, though the final sign-off was probably alright, according to the Auditor-General’s probe. That’s despite finding there were inappropriate meetings between Ministers and officials and a process that treated the SkyCity bid differently …

Ebos Group, the healthcare and animal care products company, lifted first-half profit by 29 percent on the contribution of its Masterpet business, acquired a year earlier. The first-half dividend has been bumped up 30 percent. Profit was $14.6 million, or 29 cents a share, in the six months ended Dec. 31, from $11.6 million, or 22 cents, a year earlier, …