COURTS, the furniture retailer which has a store in west Dublin, added 20 per cent - or £45 million - to its £239 million sterling market value today after announcing a dramatic 142 per cent surge in its underlying profits at the half way stage.

The company made £9.6 million for the six months to September 29th compared with the £3.9 million it made in the comparable period in 1995 before including the £4.8 million profit from the sale of a subsidiary last year.