- The Group's revenues increased by 1.5 per cent to £2,462.2 million (H1 2019: £2,427.0 million) and were 0.6 per cent higher in constant currency
- The Group made a profit before tax of £72.4 million, an increase of 42.5 per cent (H1 2019: £50.8 million)
- The Group's adjusted profit before tax increased by 39.4 per cent to £74.6 million (H1 2019: £53.5 million) and by 37.9 per cent in constant currency
- With the increase in the Group's profit after tax, the diluted earnings per share ('EPS') increased by 36.4 per cent to 45.3 pence for the period (H1 2019: 33.2 pence)
- Adjusted diluted EPS, the Group's primary EPS measure, increased by 35.4 per cent to 46.7 pence (H1 2019: 34.5 pence)
- Interim dividend increased by 21.8 per cent to 12.3 pence (H1 2019: 10.1 pence)
And news on the dividend:
The Group announced on 23 April 2020 that as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the previously proposed 2019 final dividend would not be paid.
The Board recognises the importance of dividends to shareholders and the Group prides itself on a long track record of paying dividends and other special one-off in nature cash returns. The Group continues to monitor the COVID-19 crisis and the resultant cash flow implications. However, with the results for the period to 30 June 2020 and the corresponding cash flow performance, the Board now considers it appropriate to resume distributing cash to shareholders by returning to the Group's normal interim and full-year dividend cycle.
We are therefore pleased to announce an interim dividend of 12.3 pence per share (H1 2019: 10.1 pence per share). Whilst the 2019 full-year dividend was not paid, we have continued with our normal policy that the interim dividend will be approximately one third of the previous year's full dividend. The interim dividend will be paid on Friday 23 October 2020. The dividend record date is Friday 25 September 2020, and the shares will be marked ex-dividend on Thursday 24 September 2020.
The full text of the announcement is available at: https://investors.computacenter.com/node/13291
Dave