Sector: Health Care Equipment & Services

The board approved an increase of 5% in the interim dividend to 24.50 pence per share
(1H 2018/19: 23.25 pence per share). The interim dividend will be paid to shareholders on 4^thFebruary 2020, with an ex dividend date of 28^th November 2019.

Helical follows a progressive dividend policy of increasing its dividends whilst retaining the majority of funds generated for investment to grow the business. As the Group completes and lets its current development programme, it expects to be able to reflect the growth in earnings in increased dividends paid to Shareholders. The Company has proposed an interim dividend of 2.70p, an increase of 3.8% on the previous period (2018: 2.60p).

As expected, the Royal Mail Board has declared an interim dividend of 7.5 pence per share, down from 8.0 pence per share.

The Countryside Properties Plc Board recommends a final dividend of 10.3 pence per share. This reflects the Board's decision to change the dividend policy to a 40% pay-out ratio of adjusted earnings (from 30% previously) as announced at their half-year results in May. Subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") on 23 January 2020, the dividend will be paid on 7 February 2020 to shareholders registered at 20 December 2019. Together with the interim dividend of 6.0 pence per share, this will give a total dividend of 16.3 pence per share.

The Severn Trent Board has declared an interim ordinary dividend of 40.03p per share (2018/19: 37.35p per share), which will be paid on 3 January 2020 to shareholders on the register at 29 November 2019.

During the period ended 30 September 2019, Syncona declared and paid a dividend of 2.3p per share amounting to £15,208,113 (September 2018: £15,178,477) relating to the year ended March 2019 (March 2018). The dividend was comprised of £13,246,248 cash (September 2018: £12,157,469) and a scrip dividend of £1,961,865 (September 2018: £3,021,008). The Directors believe that it is no longer appropriate for the Group to pay a dividend.

An interim dividend number 35, being a gross dividend of 11 pence (2018: 11 pence) per ordinary share has been declared by the Investec Board from income reserves in respect of the six months ended 30 September 2019 payable to shareholders recorded in the shareholders' register of the company at the close of business on Friday, 06 December 2019.

Euromoney's dividend policy targets a dividend pay-out ratio of approximately 40% of adjusted diluted earnings per share, with the half year dividend based on 33% of the previous year's total dividend, subject to the capital needs of the Group. The Directors are recommending a final dividend of 22.3 pence per share, which is subject to Shareholder approval at our AGM on 28 January 2020 and, if approved, will be paid on 13 February 2020 to shareholders on the register at the close of business on 29 November 2019. Together with the interim dividend, this makes a total dividend for the year ended 30 September 2019 of 33.1 pence per share, a 2% increase on the 32.5 pence dividend for the year ended 30 September 2018.

CMC Markets are confident that maintaining the dividend policy at 50% of profit after tax should provide more stable and sustainable shareholder distributions going forward. The Board has declared an interim dividend of 2.85 pence per share (2019: 1.35 pence per share), with a view to paying a final dividend in line with the Group's policy. The interim dividend will be paid on 20 December 2019 to those members on the register at the close of business on 29 November 2019.

For H1 19/20, the Mitie Group Board has declared a dividend of 1.33p in line with last year and their stated policy of paying one third of the previous year's total dividend as an interim dividend.