Berkeley warns on profits; will stay pay dividend due in March

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Home builder Berkeley warned on profits as it suspended development work, though the company said it would still make a looming dividend payment.

Profits for the year through April were now seen in the region of £475m, Berkeley said.

A dividend of 99.32p per share announced in a 12 March trading update would be paid on 31 March.

Berkeley said it planned to make its next £140.1m shareholder return by 30 September via a combination of share buy-backs and dividend, though it would reassess its position when it announced its full-year results.

'We are suspending future guidance until there is greater clarity of the impact of Covid-19 on business and the wider economy beyond 30 April 2020,' the company said.

'Our priority is to maintain the dividend and deliver a pre-tax return on equity of 15% over the next six years, which the board believes is the appropriate risk-adjusted target return across the cycle for Berkeley.'

At 1:12pm: (LON:BKG) Berkeley Group Holdings The PLC share price was -102.5p at 3592.5p