Australian logistics software group WiseTech Global has boosted dividend for the six months to December by 39% after revealing a 40% surge in earnings for the period.
WiseTech told the ASX on Wednesday that it will pay a dividend of 6.60 cents per share, up from 4.75 cents a year earlier.
The company reported an underlying net profit of $108.5 million, compared with $77.3 million for the December, 2021 half year.
That was on a 35% jump in revenue for the half to $378.2 million.
Excluding currency movements, revenue rose by 32% on year, helped by strong demand from the world’s largest freight forwarders.
WiseTech said agreements included signing a global customs rollout with Kuehne + Nagel International AG.
Including one-off items, statutory profit rose by 41% to $109.0 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization rose by 36% to $187.3 million, while EBITDA margin improved to 50% from 49%.
WiseTech said it had lifted its 2022-23 2023 guidance to account for a trio of acquisitions announced since November, including the two strategic deals announced in late January and earlier this month.
It said that it now expects full-year revenue growth of 26-30% and EBITDA growth of 19-20%, excluding acquisition costs. WiseTech had previously guided for a 20-23% increase in full-year revenue and a 21-30% increase in EBITDA.
It anticipates a full year EBITDA margin of 48-50%, with acquisitions knocking three percentage points off its prior forecast.
In January, WiseTech announced the acquisition of transport-management software provider Envase Technologies for $US230 million. Last week it said it would acquire intermodal rail-solutions provider Blume Global for $US414 million.
The cost of more than $A900 million for the last two deals is being sources from cash on hand, bank debt and two share issues.
The shares closed up 4.3% at $58.21.
