From the Australian:H1 profit up 23 per cent on continuing basis...

From the Australian:

H1 profit up 23 per cent on continuing basis to $28.2 million.

Interim dividend 7 cents per share, fully franked, up from 5 cents same time last year.

The Australian's Damon Kitney says: "Investors including Alex Waislitz's Thorney Group and the Hargrave family are likely to be cheering today's 23.1 per cent increase in net profit to $28.2m, which was pretty much in line with analysts' consensus forecasts of around $28.5m.


"The big bonus was the lifting of the Interim dividend to 7c per share, up from 5c, under Ceo Mick McMahon's back-to-basics strategy after the excesses of the Greg Hargrave-led years. Skilled generated $5m in cost savings during the half and is on target to double that for the full year.

"A slowdown in Skilled's core workforce services business was offset by growth in its professions and engineering and marine services operations due to contract wins. Analysts were forecasting ebitda of $96m and net profit of $57m for the full year but some could be reviewing their numbers today."