Irish agri-services firm Origin sees better times ahead

CEO Sean Coyle said he was confident for growth in 2022 'and beyond'

Rose Hynes, non-executive board chair of Origin Enterprises: 'The group has worked to restore growth to earnings in 2021, responding to the challenges of continuing Covid-19 disruptions to deliver an improved performance and a solid earnings recovery.'

Irish agri-services firm Origin Enterprises has predicted better times after its international operations suffered from cold weather and the onset of the Covid pandemic last year.

In its annual report, CEO Sean Coyle said it had a better financial year in 2021, adding he was confident for growth in 2022 “and beyond”.

Origin provides agri-services in Ireland and the UK, continental Europe and in Latin America. In Dublin trade, its shares are little changed since the start of the year and are lower than this time last year.

“The group has worked to restore growth to earnings in 2021, responding to the challenges of continuing Covid-19 disruptions to deliver an improved performance and a solid earnings recovery,” said non-executive board chair Rose Hynes in the annual report.

'Financial discipline'

“With a continued adherence to financial discipline and a focus on strategic investments supporting an improved financial performance, the board is pleased to be recommending a final dividend of 7.85 cent per share subject to approval at the annual general meeting on 25 November 2021,” Ms Hynes said.

“Together with the interim dividend of 3.15 cent per share paid in April, this will bring the total dividend per ordinary share for the financial year to 11.00 cent, an increase of 7.85% per share on 2020.”