LONDON (ShareCast) - Henry Boot hiked its interim dividend payment after profits rose 34 per cent to 7.4m pounds in the first half of the year.

The company, which is involved in land, property, construction and plant hire, said the results were helped by a £15m sale of land to a housebuilder following its acquisition of the former Terry’s chocolate factory in York.

It has since secured planning approval for a range of uses for the 270,000 square-foot listed factory, office buildings and adjacent development land and is progressing initial interest from a range of prospective occupiers.

Henry Boot reported revenues jumped to £81.8m in the six months to June 30th from £43.3m and it has lifted its interim dividend by 8% to 1.95p.

The property company said it had added more than 550 acres in the period to its portfolio which now total 9,565 acres.

It said its construction arm had achieved its forecast order book for this year and was now starting to take commitments for 2014.

Chairman John Brown said: “We continue to trade in line with the board’s expectation for the year ended 31 December 2013.”

Net debt has increased to £38.8m from £21.9m at the end of 2012.

Shares in Henry Boots rose 4.6p to 195p.

TB

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