Reunert shareholders are to be paid an interim dividend of 52c a share, up 30% on last year`s dividend, after the group reported a 31% increase in headline earnings per share.
Revenue for the six months to March was up 9% at R3.28 billion, compared with R3.01 billion for the same period a year earlier.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose by 18% from R390.4 million to R459.9 million, while pre-tax profit was up 16% from R388.3 million to R449.5 million. Attributable earnings rose by 22% from R256 million to R313.2 million.
Headline earnings per share were up 31% at 181.2c, compared with 138.7c previously, while basic earnings per share of 181.2c were up 34% on the previous 135c.
The electrical engineering operations were the main contributor to the growth, with that division expanding turnover by 31% and operating profit by 31%.
However, the electronics division grew turnover and operating profit by just 2%.
Reunert CEO Gerrit Pretorius says strong consumer demand fuelled by low interest rates boosted the performance of the consumer division. The group gained greatly from the increased spends on infrastructure.
Telecommunications is holding its own, while the troubled defence industry is unlikely to improve, he says.
Profits at associate company Siemens Telecommunications were down slightly, reflecting the effect of a strong rand, although Pretorius says order intake remains firm.
The group has also announced the resignation of long-time chairman Derek Cooper owing to his commitments as chairman of Standard Bank.
Martin Shaw, chairman of the Reunert audit committee, will take up the chairmanship of the group from 1 June.
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