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Financial highlights


Strong financial performance

  • 29% increase in profit before amortisation of goodwill, exceptional items and tax to £827m (2003: £642m)
  • Profit before tax increased to £692m (2003: £409m)
  • 27% increase in basic earnings per share before amortisation of goodwill and exceptional items to 60.7p (2003: 47.8p)
  • Basic earnings per share 47.4p (2003: 25.1p)
  • 16% increase in full year dividend to 27.0p (2003: 23.3p)

Record profits again at Argos, Experian and Burberry

  • Argos Retail Group: sales up 10% and profit up 19% on a pro forma basis (including Homebase for a full year in 2003)
  • Experian: sales up 14% and profit up 20% for continuing activities at constant exchange rates
  • Burberry: sales up 16% and profit up 24% at constant exchange rates
Financial highlights

for the years ended 31 March
  2004 2003 Change
Sales
£7.5bn £7.1bn up 6%
Profit before tax1
£827m £642m up 29%
Earnings per share1
60.7p 47.8p up 27%
Dividend per share
27.0p 23.3p up 16%
1 before amortisation of goodwill and exceptional items 		Image of a bar chart showing sales: Year 2000 - £5,658 million Year 2001 - £6,041 million Year 2002 - £6,457 million Year 2003 - £7,108 million Year 2004 - £7,548 million

Image of a bar chart showing profit before tax before amortisation of goodwill and exeptional items: Year 2000 - £448 million Year 2001 - £487 million Year 2002 - £552 million Year 2003 - £642 million Year 2004 - £827 million

Image of a bar chart showing dividend per share: Year 2000: 20.6 pence Year 2001: 21.0 pence Year 2002: 21.7 pence Year 2003: 23.3 pence Year 2004: 27.0 pence Image of a bar chart showing earnings per share before amortisation of goodwill and excetptional items: Year 2000 - 34.5 pence Year 2001 - 37.2 pence Year 2002 - 41.7 pence Year 2003 - 47.8 pence Year 2004 - 60.7 pence
Image of a bar chart showing free cash flow: Year 2000 - £272 million Year 2001 - £481 million Year 2002 - £478 million Year 2003 - £636 million Year 2004 - £336 million


GUS share price performance
Legend to the above graph
 
     
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