In line with its policy of providing a progressive dividend, having regard to both underlying profit and cash generation and to sustainability through the economic cycle, the Ashtead Group Plc Board has increased their interim dividend to 7.15p per share (2018: 6.5p per share). This will be paid on 5 February 2020 to shareholders on the register on 17 January 2020.
Other financial highlights include:
Revenue up 14%; rental revenue up 13%
Operating profit of £771m (2018: £679m)
Pre-tax profit of £690m (2018: £633m); £705m excluding the impact of IFRS 16
Earnings per share up 11%2 to 111.8p (2018: 98.8p)
£1,010m of capital invested in the business (2018: £1,063m)
£231m spent on bolt-on acquisitions (2018: £362m)
Net debt to EBITDA leverage2 of 1.9 times (2018: 1.8 times)
