Business

Hellaby Holdings lifts first-half profit

11:00 am on 28 February 2014

Hellaby Holdings lifted first-half net profit 52.6 percent, boosted by contributions from the recently purchased Contract Resources and Federal Batteries businesses.

Net profit for the six months ended December rose to $9.4 million compared with $6.2 million in the same six months a year earlier. Operating profit was up an even stronger 74 percent.

Managing director John Williamson says the result would have been up even without the new acquisitions.

He says the firm's existing businesses, with the exception of footwear, have performed on a par with, or better than, last year and it's a reasonably strong operating result across the group.

Mr Williamson says the half-year result shows that Hellaby Holdings has integrated Contract Resources and Federal Batteries very well and within a short space of time.

He says the company is on track to perform to market expectations.

Hellaby lifted its first-half dividend 10 percent to a tax-paid 5.5c a share.

Despite the strength of the results the market was disappointed: Hellaby shares fell 18c, or 5.5 percent, to $3.10.