Highlights: 13 months to 2 May 2015
• Group like-for-like revenue up 6% (UK & Ireland up 8% and Nordics up 4%)
• Strong profit performance:
- Group pro forma Headline PBT of £381 million (2013/14: £316 million), up 21%
- Group pro forma Headline basic EPS 25.5p (2013/14: 20.5p)
- Total statutory profit of £97 million (2013/14: £48 million) after Non-Headline charges of £188 million (2013/14: £55 million) which include a loss from discontinued operations of £114 million (2013/14: £10 million)
• Strong balance sheet with year end pro forma net debt of £260 million
• Final dividend of 6.0p (2013/14: 4.0p) proposed, taking total dividends for the year to 8.5p (2013/14: 6.0p), up 42% year-on-year
• Integration progressing well, expecting to deliver at least £80 million of synergies by 2016/17, one year ahead of plan
Dividends
The Board declared an interim dividend of 2.5p per share, up from 2.0p per share last year. The interim dividend was paid on 23 January 2015.
We are proposing a final dividend of 6.0p per share, taking the total dividend for the year to 8.5p per share, a 42% increase on the previous year (2013/14: 6.0p). The final dividend is subject to shareholder approval at the Company's forthcoming annual general meeting. The ex-dividend date is 27 August 2015, with a record date of 28 August 2015 and an intended payment date of 25 September 2015.
• Disposals of non-core operations in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal
