By Philippa Stevenson
Hawkes Bay rural services company Williams & Kettle has notched up a half-year profit greater than for its last full year.
The stock and station, finance and real estate company recorded $2.82 million after-tax profit for the six months to January. This is a 163 per cent rise on
the $1.07 million for same period last year, and up on the July full-year figure of $2.1 million.
Chairman James Zohrab said all operations had exceeded expectations. The company would pay 7c per share fully imputed interim dividend at the end of March. Its last interim dividend was 6c, and the full-year 13c.
In the past six months, Williams & Kettle had bought horticultural services company Fruitfed Supplies and restructured wholly owned farm investment subsidiary NZ Rural Property Trust. Half-year profit was achieved on $89.5 million sales revenue against $44.4 million for the previous period.
