DCC reports profits hike

Pre-tax profits at business support services company DCC are up 16.6% on last year with the group reporting €61.8m profits for the year ending March 2006, as sales rose 17.7% to just over €4bn.

The pre-tax profit figure included €24.5m from the sale of a site in south Dublin. Adjusted earnings per share were 1.8% ahead at 160 cent and a 31.41 cent dividend has been declared, giving a 15% higher total dividend of 49.28 cent.