Go-Ahead H1 Profit Rises, Maintains Dividend; Lifts FY View For Rail Division

(RTTNews) - Go-Ahead Group Plc. (GOG.L), a provider of passenger transport services, reported Thursday that its first-half profit before tax climbed 19 percent to 79.7 million pounds from 67.0 million pounds last year.

Profit attributable to shareholders grew to 49.6 million pounds from prior year's 46.1 million pounds. Basic earnings per share grew to 115.5 pence from 107.6 pence a year ago.

Revenue for the period was 1.829 billion pounds, up 6.6 percent from 1.716 billion pounds, as a result of continued revenue growth in both the rail and bus divisions.

Further, the company maintained interim dividend at 30.17 pence.

David Brown, Group Chief Executive, said, "Our bus operations have performed as anticipated and our full year expectations for the division remain unchanged. In rail, GTR and Southeastern are trading in line with our expectations, while a better than expected trading performance towards the end of the London Midland franchise, combined with gains realised on the sale of the franchise's assets, have resulted in an increase in our full year expectations for the rail division."