Interim div 1.50 pence/shr vs 1.33 (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - London, 25 Jul - Centrica added that in the first half of 2024 basic earnings per share fell to 25.1 pence from 73.0 pence and adjusted EPS declined to 12.8 pence from 25.8 pence.

Adjusted operating profit halved to 1.035 billion pounds from 2.083 billion.

Free cash flow dropped to 816 million pounds from 1.377 billion.

The interim dividend per share was lifted to 1.50 pence from 1.33 pence, while the share buyback programme was extended by 200 million pounds, to be completed by around February 2025.

At the end of June, the company had a net cash of 3.214 billion pounds.

Regarding the whole of 2024, Centrica noted that group profitability will be "heavily weighted to the first half" of the year and that net cash is expected to decline in the second half.

"In addition to profitability phasing, group cash flow will see an expected ramp up in capital investment in the second half of 2024, while we also pay both of our dividend payments in the second half of 2024," it added.

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(RADIOCOR) 25-07-24 12:33:04 (0380) 5 NNNN