Provident Financial surprises brokers

Provident Financial surprises brokers

Provident Financial, the personal credit and insurance group, announced better-than-expected full-year figures for 1995 yesterday, prompting brokers to upgrade current year estimates from pounds 110m to about pounds 115m. In the year to December, pre-tax profits increased 25 per cent to pounds 101.5m while the dividend jumped 37 per cent to 17p, meaning shareholders have enjoyed a 21 per cent compound growth in dividends over the past 10 years.