Australia’s other major wine company, BRL Hardy, has set record sales, profits and dividends for the year ended 31 December 2000. With sales of $627 million (up 22%), an operating profit after tax of $59.5 million (up 22.6%) and an EBIT of $102 million (up 25%), BRL is paying a dividend of 18 cents per share in 2000, up from 15.5 cents in 1999 and 13 cents in 1998. Including tax adjustments, operating profit after tax in 2000 was $63.5 million, up 27% from $50 million in 1999, while the company has produced a further 19% increase in basic earnings per share from 36 cents to 43 cents. The company’s share market capitalisation now stands at about $1.4 billion compared with less than $100 million when it floated in 1992.
