Smurfit Kappa profits up by 39%

Dublin-based paper and packaging group Smurfit Kappa has reported a 39% year-on-year increase in first-half pre-tax profits, to €190 million.

Basic earnings per share — for the six months to the end of June — were up by 65% on the same period, last year, at 51.6c, but the group’s first half revenue was unchanged — on a year-on-year basis — at €3.68 billion.

SKG’s share price rose by just over 2%, yesterday, on the back of the results to close the day at €6.17.