Full year performance highlights:
Consecutive year of record profits with Underlying PBT up 28.2% to £122.2m
- Strong organic performance in Europe & North America segment with improved margins and stable volumes
- Asia & Rest of World segment ahead of expectations; good performance in Nitrile latex
IFRS profit before tax increased 88.6% to £136.7m reflecting profits on the Malaysian land sales (£33.2m) and the disposal of South African business (£4.7m)
Research and Development delivering results, with products launched in the last five years now representing 20% total sales (2015: 18%)
Underlying earnings per share up 31.6% at 28.3p per share
Final dividend of 7.8p (2015: 5.4p) resulting in a total dividend for the year of 11.3p (2015: 8.6p), in line with dividend policy
PAC acquisition completed; significantly strengthens access to new products, customers and markets in performance adhesives and coatings. Integration on track to deliver synergies of $12m in next two years
Acquisition of Perstorp Oxo Belgium AB ('Perstorp Belgium') for enterprise value of €78m announced today