SSE Backs Fiscal Year 2019 Adjusted Earnings Guidance

   By Adria Calatayud 
 

SSE PLC (SSE.LN) said Thursday that adjusted earnings per share for fiscal 2019 will be in line with previous guidance, and that it continues to evaluate options for its energy-services unit.

The FTSE 100-listed energy company previously guided for adjusted EPS--excluding its held for sale energy-services unit--to be in the range of 64 pence to 69 pence for the year to the end of March.

The company confirmed that it intends to declare a full-year dividend of 97.5 pence a share for fiscal 2019. For the next fiscal year, SSE expects to set its dividend at 80 pence a share.

The company said adjusted operating profit for its networks segment will increase by a mid-single digit percentage and fall significantly at its wholesale segment. The company will post broadly flat adjusted operating profit for its business energy, Airtricity and enterprise segments.

In February, SSE said it was considering options for its SSE Energy Services business after plans for a merger with Npower Ltd.--the U.K. retail business of Innogy SE (IGY.XE)--were scrapped. The company now expects to provide an assessment of its preferred option by the end of May.

Write to Adria Calatayud at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 28, 2019 03:35 ET (07:35 GMT)

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