JLT Eyes Further Growth In Asia, Latin America; Profit Rises

Insurance broker Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group PLC (JLT.LN) said Thursday it will use the platform provided by major shareholder Jardine Matheson Holdings Ltd. (JAR.LN) to pursue further growth in Asia and Latin America as it reported increased full-year pretax profit.

"We already have a leading position in Asia and Latin America, but the strength of the Jardine Matheson brand [in those regions] will self-evidently be of benefit to us," Chief Executive Dominic Burke told Dow Jones Newswires.

One of Asia's best-known companies, Jardine Matheson in December bought a further 10% stake in JLT, taking its holding to 40%.

JLT, which also sells and administers employee-benefit packages, reported pretax profit of GBP134.5 million for 2011, compared with GBP119.4 million a year earlier, on revenue up 10% at GBP818.8 million. It declared a dividend of 24 pence for the year, up 7% on 2010.

The company posted revenue of GBP81.9 million in Asia and GBP48.8 million in Latin America, increases of 28% and 19% respectively.

-By Peter Evans, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9308; [e-mail]

Order free Annual Report for Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc

Visit http://djnweurope.ar.wilink.com/?ticker=GB0005203376 or call [phone]