The proposed final dividend, which amounts to £30.2m, will be paid on 19 June 2020 to shareholders on the register as at 22 May 2020, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 4 June 2020.
After consultation with their shareholders, they also paid a special dividend of 12.73p per share (2018: 12.73p per share) on 9 October 2019, totalling £40.7m. They will continue to monitor their cash position in 2020 and will make returns to shareholders in line with the above policy.
Other financial highlights include:
Group gross profit up 5.0% to £855.5m, a record year for the Group
Operating profit up 2.2% to £146.7m
Conversion rate down to 17.1% (2018: 17.5%)
Gross profit per fee earner up 1.5% to £140.4k (2018: £138.3k)
Record gross profit in 19 countries
Net decrease of -89 fee earners (-1.5%); total headcount of 7,698
