Aristocrat Leisure Lifts Dividend With Jump in Profit

By Robb M. Stewart

MELBOURNE, Australia--Slot and gambling machine maker Aristocrat Leisure Ltd. (ALL.AU) hiked its final dividend after logging a jump in net profit that was driven by sales growth in operations in the Americas and its digital business.

Net profit rose 29% to 698.8 million Australian dollars (US$475.9 million) in the 12 months through September from A$542.6 million the year before, on the back of a 25% lift in revenue to A$4.4 billion from A$3.51 billion, the Australian company said Wednesday.

Aristocrat, which operates in about 80 countries but generates the bulk of its sales in the Americas, said it would pay a dividend of A$0.34 a share for the second half for a full-year payout of A$0.56, up 22% on last year.

The Americas, Australia and New Zealand and digital businesses each logged growth over the year thanks to increased investment in product portfolios, Aristocrat said, adding its performance was supported by currency and tax benefits.

The company, which launched in 1953 and began expanding beyond Australia in the 1960s, in October unveiled a new slot game based on the romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians" and before that a new game for one of its gaming cabinets based on a license for "Star Trek: the Next Generation."

Write to Robb M. Stewart at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 19, 2019 17:42 ET (22:42 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.