Contrary to expectations of pre-tax profits of 29m euros (£17.4m), the company recorded a profit yesterday of 28.3m for the year to 31 March, leading to a scaling back of 2002 predictions to 30.3m euros.Its personal-care division has undergone a thorough shake-up, including replacing some underperforming manager The overhaul created a one-off charge of 6.4m euros. Investors will hope this will inject energy into the business. This was the case with IWP's successful restructuring of its household products arm, which features brands such as Wet Ones and Bloo detergent.The company generates just half of its turnover in the UK, with the rest mainly coming from continental Europe. The strategy to develop the business in emerging markets such as Poland could answer the ever-increasing pressure on margins in more developed economies. But these ventures have yet to prove themselves.IWP shares closed up 2.5p at 107.5p, giving a forward p/e of 5.5 on expected earnings per share of 30.7 cents (18.45p). Though that looks cheap against multiples of 20 elsewhere in the sector, it reflects concern that the stock is ex-growth for now.. Nick Hornby was born in Redhill, Surrey, in 1957.

After studying English at Jesus College, Cambridge, he taught the subject at a local comprehensive. In 1992, he published Fever Pitch, a novel about the life and loves of an obsessive Arsenal fan, which became a publishing sensation. It was followed, in 1995, by High Fidelity, a novel about Hornby's other great passion, pop music, and then, in 1998, his third bestseller, About a Boy. He has an eight-year-old autistic son, Danny, with his ex-wife, Virginia Bovell. Last year, Hornby edited Speaking with the Angel, an anthology of new stories by Helen Fielding, Zadie Smith, Dave Eggers, Colin Firth and others, the proceeds from which were donated to the TreeHouse Trust, a school for autistic children, which his son attends. Hornby lives around the corner from Arsenal's Highbury stadium, in north London.

His latest book, How to Be Good, published by Penguin, is out tomorrow.What was the highlight of your career before Fever Pitch? K Pullen, ElySelling my first piece of fiction ­ to Morning Story, on Radio 4, in 1989 ­ felt pretty good and was a much-needed confidence boost. Other than that, probably dressing up as Pepsi or Shirley, I can't remember which, for an end-of-term school concert when I was a teacher. The crowd went wild.Have you ever found anything in a review of one of your books that's benefited you?D M Lowe, Plymouth No ­ that's why I stopped reading them Even the good ones. The vast majority of them are plot and career summaries with some adjectives attached. I wrote the plot, so I don't need that bit, and usually you can guess the adjectives from the name of the reviewer. I've forced myself to read one this time around, because it was written by someone who I think is great, and whose book has influenced me in my writing.