The First Group plc Board has proposed a final dividend of 4.0p per share. Subject to shareholder approval at the Company’s 2024 AGM, a final dividend payment of c.£24.3m, will be paid on 23 August 2024 to shareholders on the register at 19 July 2024. The total dividend for the year paid and proposed is 5.5p per share (FY 2023: 3.8p per share), an increase of 45%.
Other financial highlights:
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Significant increase in Group adjusted operating profit to £204.3m (FY 2023: £161.0m) includes extra week of trading and receipt of higher than accrued FY 2023 variable fees in First Rail (c.£13m)
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Adjusted EPS of 16.7p (FY 2023: 11.6p) enhanced by repurchases of 80.6m shares during FY 2024
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c.£118m returned to shareholders via buyback programmes in FY 2024
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Strong balance sheet position, with adjusted year-end net cash of £64.1m
