Keller Group plc (“Keller” or “the Group”), the international ground engineering specialist, is pleased to announce its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2006.
Highlights include:
- Sales of £450.0m (2005: £335.0m) up 34%, driven by excellent organic growth across all our international markets
- Record first-half operating margin of 7.9% (2005: 5.2%)
- Good first-time contributions from recent acquisitions
- Profit before tax up 114% to £33.4m (2005: £15.6m)
- Basic earnings per share up 135% to 30.3p (2005:12.9p)
- Interim dividend per share increased by 11% to 4.2p (2005: 3.8p)
- £9.6m acquisition of Piling Contractors in Australia announced separately last week
Justin Atkinson, Keller Chief Executive said:
“In addition to another excellent performance from our North American businesses, we can report very strong organic growth and a significant increase in margins in all our other geographic regions.
“We have started the second half with excellent trading and continue to have an order book representing around six months’ budgeted sales. As a result, the Board now expects that the Group’s results for the year as a whole will exceed current market expectations.”
A presentation for analysts will be held at 9.15 for 9.30am at The Theatre & Gallery, London Stock Exchange, 10 Paternoster Square, London, EC4M 7LS
Print resolution images are available for the media to download from www.vismedia.co.uk