Highlights for continuing operations for the six months to September 2000 are: Turnover up 20 per cent to £90.6 million, with growth in all major divisions; Operating profit before exceptional items up 89 per cent to £29.1 million; Operating margin before exceptional items up to 33 per cent from 21 per cent last year; Adjusted earnings per share, before exceptional items, up 73 per cent to 76.4 pence per share; Interim dividend declared of 10 pence per share
The Chairman of the London Stock Exchange, Don Cruickshank, commented: "An excellent set of results has been recorded in the first half of the year. We have continued to build on the strengths of our existing businesses during a period of significant growth in the UK equity market and strong performances from AIM and techMARK. "It is to the great credit of the management team and all our staff that these results have been achieved in the first period following demutualisation, which has been a turbulent and challenging time for the Exchange."
