Booker increases its full year dividend by 25.6%

DividendMax Ltd.

Booker increases its full year dividend by 25.6%

Financial Highlights

Total sales £5.0bn, +5.0%. Non tobacco sales +6.3% and tobacco sales +2.2%

Booker like-for-like total sales -1.9%. Non tobacco sales -0.3% and tobacco sales -5.2%

Like-for-like sales to caterers +0.6% including Classic (+1.9% excluding Classic); and to retailers -2.2%

Operating profit (before exceptionals) £155.1m, +11%

Profit after tax (post exceptionals) £127.8m, +9%

Basic earnings per share up 0.51 pence to 7.24 pence

Net cash £127.4m (2015: £147.0m)

Final dividend of 4.03 pence per share, taking the total dividend to 4.60 pence per share (2015: 3.66 pence per share)

Proposed return of capital of 3.20 pence per share (2015: 3.50 pence per share)

Total return to shareholders of 7.80 pence per share (2015: 7.16 pence per share), +9%

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