DUBLIN, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Ryanair (RYA.I) on Monday forecast a record annual profit and promised to pay investors a regular dividend for the first time after fares soared 24% during its key summer season.
Europe's largest airline by passenger numbers said it expects an after-tax profit of between 1.85 billion and 2.05 billion euros for the year to end-March, easily beating its previous record of 1.45 billion euros in 2018.
The low-cost pioneer earned 2.18 billion euros in the six months to the end of September, the first half of its financial year, 59% ahead of its previous record for the period, set last year.
The airline announced its maiden ordinary dividend of 400 million euros, split between an interim payment of 200 million euros in February and a final dividend of 200 million euros in September next year.
For subsequent financial years under a new dividend policy, Ryanair plans to return approximately 25% of the after-tax profit posted the previous year by way of ordinary dividend, the airline said.
Persons:
Conor Humphries, Simon Cameron, Moore
Organizations:
DUBLIN, Ryanair, Europe's, Thomson