29th Jul 2015 07:07
LONDON (Alliance News) - National Express Group PLC on Wednesday said it posted a higher pretax profit for the first half of 2015 as one-off charges it booked a year earlier did not recur and as revenue ticked higher for the transport operator.
The FTSE 250-listed company said its pretax profit for the six months to the end of June was GBP54.3 million, up from GBP23.4 million a year earlier, as revenue rose to GBP960.2 million from GBP939.5 million. In constant currencies, National Express said its revenue rose in all of its operations.
National Express said its results for the first half were in line with its expectations and said it is making solid progress in securing new contracts and in winning places on potential opportunities, strengthening its pipeline.
The group said it will pay an interim dividend of 3.685 pence, up from 3.35 pence per share a year earlier, and said it is on track to generate GBP100 million of free cash for the year.
"We have made a strong start to 2015 and are on track to deliver the board's expectations for the year. We are focused on driving best value for our customers, employees and shareholders and are passionately committed to the communities we serve," said Chief Executive Dean Finch.
National Express shares were up 1.5% after the open on Wednesday to 306.2276 pence.
By Sam Unsted; [email protected]; @SamUAtAlliance
Copyright 2015 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Related Shares:
NEX.L