UK: Greene King Plc’s interim results for the 24 weeks ended 15 October 2006

GREENE KING PLC announced on December 5th, 2006, strong first half results, driven by underlying growth and successful acquisitions.

• Revenue £419.2m, +16%
• Operating profit* £100.9m, +17%
• Operating profit margin* 24.1%, +0.1 %pts
• Profit before tax* £67.1m, +20%
• Adjusted earnings per share* 31.1p, +17%
• Interim dividend per share 6.45p, +11%
• Strong balance sheet gives flexibility
* before exceptional items

• Pub Company like-for-like sales +3.3%
• Pub Partners operating profit per pub +5%; like-for-like sales +1%
• Belhaven Best volume up 5%; solid trading post the smoking ban
• Brewing Company growing share of ale market, and beer volumes up
• Hardys & Hansons acquisition completed; integration and synergy capture on track
Rooney Anand, Greene King chief executive, comments:
“This has been another very strong first half year, with encouraging organic growth and profit conversion. We have benefited from our acquisition of Belhaven, which is proving a great addition to Greene King. In the second half there will also be a full contribution from Hardys & Hansons, which is performing well, and integration is on track.

“Trading in all our divisions remains in line with our expectations. The strength of our customer offer, our pub estate, our brands, and most of all our people, gives me confidence for further success and growth into the future.”

On 1 December, 2006, GREENE KING PLC completed the sale of 155 pubs to Admiral Taverns, for the sum of £56.5m. Along with the deal, an attractive beer supply agreement has been secured with Admiral for their entire estate in England.

GREENE KING PLC will continue to dispose of, as well as to acquire, sites in a timely manner and at the right price, in order to optimize their estate quality. These pubs generated historic pre-overhead EBITDA of £5.3m. As the transaction took place after the end of the 24 week period, it does not impact on these interim results.

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