Recent articles for private investors with a focus on dividend announcements
Photo-me increases its 2015 full year dividend by 30%
For the first time in five years, Revenue is up 0.9% at CC but 5% lower at £177.2m as reported
Chemring holds its 2015 full year dividend at last years level
Continuing operations
2015
2014
Revenue
£161.7m
£208.8m
Underlying operating profit
£5.5m
£22.4m
Underlying (loss)/profit before tax
£(1.3)m
£13.4m
Net debt at 30 April
£148.5m
£229.2m
Net debt at 31 October
£135.6m
Underlying (loss)/earnings per share
(0.5)p
5.4p
Dividend per share
2.4p
2.4p
Total operating (loss)/profit
£(8.3)m
£14.1m
(Loss)/profit before tax
£(15.1)m
£5.1m
Total (loss)/earnings per share
(5.6)p
2.4p
WS Atkins increases its 2015 full year dividend by 8.1%
HIGHLIGHTS
Financial highlights
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Organic, constant currency revenue up 4.6%
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Underlying operating profit up 15.2%, improved margin of 7.6%
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Underlying diluted EPS up 13.3%, full year dividend up 8.1%
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Strong operating cash flow up 40.2% to £133.9m and year end net funds of £179.3m
Operational highlights
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Strong performance in Middle East, Asia Pacific and Energy
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North American performance improving, UK and Europe mixed
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Additional skills, clients and geographic exposure added with the acquisitions of Houston Offshore Engineering, Nuclear Safety Associates and Terramar
Halma increases its 2015 full year dividend by 7%
Organic constant currencyrevenue growth in all four sectors. Strong profit growth in Process Safety, Infrastructure Safety and Medical; Environmental & Analysis restructuring now complete with improved profitability in the second half of the year.
First Group 2015 full year results
Overall trading for the Group in line with management’s expectations
First Student and UK Bus transformations delivered margin improvements, and First Transit and UK Rail outperformance offset reduced Greyhound demand
Secured First Great Western until at least March 2019 and an additional year operating First TransPennine Express
Further strong progress in non-rail businesses expected in the year ahead led by momentum in transformations of First Student and UK Bus, largely offsetting substantially lower UK Rail earnings
Improved financial performance in the year demonstrates our multi-year transformation programme is making progress
Wolfhart Hauser appointed to succeed John McFarlane as Chairman. Group Finance Director Chris Surch to retire in January 2016
London Metric property maintains its 2015 final dividend and pays a special
Strong portfolio performance drives reported profits to £159.5 million
OPG power ventures 2015 final results
OPG Power Ventures PLC, the developer and operator of power generation plants in India, announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31st March 2015.
Shaftesbury increases its 2015 interim dividend by 5%
Shaftesbury PLC today announces its results for the six months ended 31 March 2015.
HICL Infrastructure increases its 2015 full year dividend by 2.8%
A strong set of results, driven by good operational performance of the portfolio
Daily Mail and General Trust increases its 2015 interim dividend by 5%
Half Year Financial Highlights:
United Utilities increases its 2015 full year dividend by 4.6%
Step change in performance in 2010-15 regulatory period delivers benefits for all stakeholders
National grid increases its 2015 full year dividend by 2%
Steve Holliday, Chief Executive, said: "National Grid delivered another successful year. Overall, our businesses achieved a strong operating performance and we developed new strategic growth opportunities in transmission and interconnection. We invested around £3.5bn in essential infrastructure during another year of strong network reliability, safety and resilience. Effective regulation continues to drive efficient investment. In the UK, for example, savings generated in the first two years of the RIIO price controls will reduce future customer bills by around £200m."
Edinburgh Investment trust final dividend payment
DividendIncome from the portfolio during the year was £56.0 million (2014: £55.4 million). Of this £7.0 million, which is equal to 3.6p per share (2014: £3.75 million; 1.9p), was from special dividends. Theoretically special dividends are non-recurring, however, the Company has received a good flow of these dividends over the past couple of years and company results announced to date indicate that there will be more special dividends receivable for the year to 31 March 2016. The Board remains alert to the income requirement of the Company, and during the year reviewed the situation on a regular basis with the portfolio manager.The Board is recommending a final dividend of 8.6p per share which, if approved at the AGM, will be paid on 31st July 2015 to shareholders on the Company's register on 12th June 2015. This increases the total dividend to 23.85p for the year, an increase of 1.5% on last year's total dividend of 23.5p. The annual increase in the Retail Prices Index was 0.9% and demonstrates the Company's commitment to its long term objective of providing income growth which exceeds the rate of inflation.The Board understands the importance of a consistent stream of dividend income to shareholders, and as a result has raised slightly the second and third interim dividends to 5.1p and 5.15p respectively. It is the intention of the Board to move to a more even distribution of dividends during the coming years,but highlights that this will take time to achieve if a reduction in a future final dividend is to be avoided.
Pennon increases its 2015 full year dividend by 4.3%
DIVIDENDS
The Board has recommended a final dividend of 21.82p, up 4.3%, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 30 July 2015. Together with the interim dividend of 9.98p, this will result in a total dividend for the year of 31.80p, an increase of 4.9%(1). This is in line with the previously announced sector leading policy to grow the Group dividend by 4% above inflation per annum.
The final dividend will be paid on 2 October 2015 to shareholders on the register on 7 August 2015. The Company is also intending to offer a scrip dividend alternative. The final date for the receipt of Forms of Election/Mandate in respect of the scrip dividend alternative for the final dividend will be 14 September 2015.
At the time of the Pre-Close Trading Statement on 23 March 2015, the Board announced a continuation of its current dividend policy of year-on-year growth of 4% above RPI inflation to 2020.
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