Whitbread increases its 2015 full year dividend by 10%

DividendMax Ltd.

Whitbread increases its 2015 full year dividend by 10%

Whitbread PLC results for the 53 week financial year to 3 March 2016

Financial Highlights

2015/16

2014/15

Change

Total revenue (£m)

2,921.8

2,608.1

12.0%

Underlying profit1 before tax (£m)

546.3

488.1

11.9%

Hotels and Restaurants underlying operating profit (£m)

446.9

401.4

11.3%

Costa underlying operating profit (£m)

153.5

132.5

15.8%

Profit for the year

387.3

366.1

5.8%

Underlying basic EPS1 (pence)

238.65

213.67

11.7%

Total basic EPS (pence)

215.66

204.81

5.3%

Full year dividend (pence)

90.35

82.15

10.0%

Group total sales growth of 12.0% and like for like sales2 growth of 3.0%

Premier Inn total sales growth of 12.9% and like for like sales up 4.2%

Costa total sales growth of 15.9%, system sales up 15.3% and UK like for like sales up 2.9%

Group return on capital3 of 15.3% (2014/15: 15.7%) includes investments in future hotel openings

Strong cash generated from operations of £782.2 million which funded capital investment4 of £724.9 million

Strong balance sheet with year-end net debt of £909.8 million (2014/15: £583.2 million)

Richard Baker, Chairman, said:

"With another good set of results, that continue to show the strength of Whitbread's brands, the Board is pleased to announce an increase in the full year dividend of 10%.

This is a very exciting time for the Company; with our recent senior appointments, we now have a refreshed leadership team, and I am delighted it is being led by Alison Brittain as CEO, to take us on the journey to building a bigger as well as a better Whitbread."

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