Smurfit Kappa posts 11% rise in profit

Irish packaging group Smurfit Kappa posted an 11% rise in full-year pre-tax profit, buoyed by strong demand and increased exposure to high-growth markets such as Mexico.

Shares in the group, which designs and manufactures paper-based packaging for the likes of Unilever and Procter & Gamble, were up 2.5% in trading yesterday, not far short of a five-year high set last week.

Strong demand and a stable outlook also promoted Europe’s leading containerboard and corrugated packaging producer to increase its final dividend 37% to 20.5c per share.