Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co (Haeco), Swire Pacific's aircraft maintenance unit, posted a 13.4 per cent rise in net profit for the first half from a year ago, lifted by strong demand for its services in Hong Kong.
The company reported HK$482 million in net profit in the first six months to June, up from HK$425 million a year earlier.
Sales increased 14 per cent to HK$2.9 billion.
The board of directors declared a first interim dividend of 88 HK cents per share, up 26 per cent from the same period last year.
'It is the intention that ordinary dividends should be paid generally in the proportion of one-third for the first interim and two-thirds for the second interim,' the company said in a filing to the Hong Kong exchange yesterday. 'The higher increase in the dividend in the first half reflects an adjustment in this regard and shareholders therefore should not expect a similar increase in the second interim dividend.'
The second half is expected to be challenging, said Christopher Pratt, chairman of Haeco.