Recent articles for private investors with a focus on dividend announcements
London Metric property maintains its 2015 final dividend and pays a special
Strong portfolio performance drives reported profits to £159.5 million
OPG power ventures 2015 final results
OPG Power Ventures PLC, the developer and operator of power generation plants in India, announces its preliminary results for the year ended 31st March 2015.
Shaftesbury increases its 2015 interim dividend by 5%
Shaftesbury PLC today announces its results for the six months ended 31 March 2015.
HICL Infrastructure increases its 2015 full year dividend by 2.8%
A strong set of results, driven by good operational performance of the portfolio
Daily Mail and General Trust increases its 2015 interim dividend by 5%
Half Year Financial Highlights:
United Utilities increases its 2015 full year dividend by 4.6%
Step change in performance in 2010-15 regulatory period delivers benefits for all stakeholders
National grid increases its 2015 full year dividend by 2%
Steve Holliday, Chief Executive, said: "National Grid delivered another successful year. Overall, our businesses achieved a strong operating performance and we developed new strategic growth opportunities in transmission and interconnection. We invested around £3.5bn in essential infrastructure during another year of strong network reliability, safety and resilience. Effective regulation continues to drive efficient investment. In the UK, for example, savings generated in the first two years of the RIIO price controls will reduce future customer bills by around £200m."
Edinburgh Investment trust final dividend payment
DividendIncome from the portfolio during the year was £56.0 million (2014: £55.4 million). Of this £7.0 million, which is equal to 3.6p per share (2014: £3.75 million; 1.9p), was from special dividends. Theoretically special dividends are non-recurring, however, the Company has received a good flow of these dividends over the past couple of years and company results announced to date indicate that there will be more special dividends receivable for the year to 31 March 2016. The Board remains alert to the income requirement of the Company, and during the year reviewed the situation on a regular basis with the portfolio manager.The Board is recommending a final dividend of 8.6p per share which, if approved at the AGM, will be paid on 31st July 2015 to shareholders on the Company's register on 12th June 2015. This increases the total dividend to 23.85p for the year, an increase of 1.5% on last year's total dividend of 23.5p. The annual increase in the Retail Prices Index was 0.9% and demonstrates the Company's commitment to its long term objective of providing income growth which exceeds the rate of inflation.The Board understands the importance of a consistent stream of dividend income to shareholders, and as a result has raised slightly the second and third interim dividends to 5.1p and 5.15p respectively. It is the intention of the Board to move to a more even distribution of dividends during the coming years,but highlights that this will take time to achieve if a reduction in a future final dividend is to be avoided.
Pennon increases its 2015 full year dividend by 4.3%
DIVIDENDS
The Board has recommended a final dividend of 21.82p, up 4.3%, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 30 July 2015. Together with the interim dividend of 9.98p, this will result in a total dividend for the year of 31.80p, an increase of 4.9%(1). This is in line with the previously announced sector leading policy to grow the Group dividend by 4% above inflation per annum.
The final dividend will be paid on 2 October 2015 to shareholders on the register on 7 August 2015. The Company is also intending to offer a scrip dividend alternative. The final date for the receipt of Forms of Election/Mandate in respect of the scrip dividend alternative for the final dividend will be 14 September 2015.
At the time of the Pre-Close Trading Statement on 23 March 2015, the Board announced a continuation of its current dividend policy of year-on-year growth of 4% above RPI inflation to 2020.
Great Portland Estates increases its 2015 full year dividend by 2.3%
Strong capital value growth - driven by rental growth and development surpluses
Intermediate Capital Group increases its 2015 full year dividend by 4.9%
Group profit before tax up 9% to £178.5m (2014: £164.4m)
Fund Management Company strategy delivering with profits up 48% to a record £52.0m (2014: £35.1m), with an increase in performance fees
Investment Company profit is 2% lower at £126.5m (2014: £129.3m)
Continued momentum in further diversifying and extending the maturity profile of the Group's financing
Return on equity of 11.0% (2014: 10.2%) and gearing of 0.49x (2014: 0.39x), both up on prior year
Board proposes a £300m special dividend for 2015 and reaffirms its commitment to increasing the Group's return on equity to over 13% through growth and, by July 2016, re-gearing the balance sheet to within a range of 0.8 - 1.2 times
Final ordinary dividend up 4.9% to 15.1 pence per share, resulting in total ordinary dividends in the year up 4.8% to 22.0 pence per share. Share buyback has returned £100m to shareholders during the year
Thomas Cook 2014 final results
Substantially improved performance in line with management's expectations
Burberry increases its 2015 full year dividend by 10%
Our intense focus on core heritage British-made trench coats and cashmere scarves was a principal driver of the year's growth, alongside the investment in digital, which continued to outperform across all regions
Homeserve increases its 2014 final dividend and pays 30p special
Group delivered profit growth whilst significantly increasing marketing investment in the USA
Victrex increases its 2015 interim dividend by 3%
H1 2015
H1 2014
% change
Revenue
£130.3m
£120.0m
9%
Profit before tax
£53.9m
£48.9m
10%
EPS
49.8p
45.1p
10%
Gross margin
64.9%
64.0%
+90bps
Dividend per share
11.73p
11.39p
3%
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