DCC’s strong results lead to shareholders’ dividend hike

A STRONG performance by DCC in its latest financial year — which included a 15% increase in pre-tax profit — has allowed the support services group to increase its dividend payment to shareholders for the 17th consecutive year.

That dividend per share, for the year to the end of March, amounted to 74.18c which was up by 10% on the previous year’s pay-out. It came on the back of a good set of annual results from the group, which saw profit growth across each of its five operating divisions, even in the light of a continuing difficult economic and trading climate.

Group pre-tax profit rose to €189.6 million, with revenue up by just more than 29% at €8.68bn. Operating profit was up by 19.1% at €229.6m, while adjusted earnings per share rose by 14.1% to 203.15c.