LONDON--Associated British Foods PLC (ABF.LN), a food and retail
company, recorded Tuesday a increase in full year pretax profit and
said in recent months have seen an increase in its commodity costs,
notably cereals.
MAIN FACTS:
-Revenue for the year ended Sep. 15 GBP12.25 billion (2011:
GBP11.07 billion)
-Pretax profit GBP761 million (2011: GBP757 million)
-EPS 70.3 pence (2011: 68.7 pence)
-Dividends per share 28.5 pence
-Net capital investment GBP707 million
-Net debt GBP1.061 billion
-Capital expenditure on Primark reached GBP326 million last
year, expect a high level of expenditure on Primark to
continue.
-Global economic uncertainty looks set to remain a feature of
the new financial year.
-In recent months have seen an increase in some of its commodity
costs, notably cereals.
-Expect a reduction in profit from AB Sugar, as a result of
lower E.U. production, to be more than offset by further growth at
Primark and some recovery in Grocery.
-Expect the group to make some further progress in this new
financial year but, in contrast to last year, this will be weighted
towards the first half.
-Shares closed Monday at 1366 pence, valuing the company at
GBP10.8 billion.
-Write to Mark Shapland at mark.shapland@dowjones.com
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