1.   As private firms, his companies report only to Companies House and Mr Branson himself.

2.   Both companies reported strong financial results for their most recent quarter.

3.   Otherwise, the company would have reported a small profit.

4.   Technology companies generally were down as several large companies reported disappointing earnings.

5.   The broader Market also rose as some companies reported stronger earnings than expected.

6.   The company reported its first profit last year and sales have risen sharply.

7.   The company reported little progress and said talks are set to resume this morning.

8.   The company will report fiscal second-quarter results on Tuesday.

9.   There are no current rules covering this situation, and companies report it in different ways.

10.   Companies report to their shareholders annually.