National Express Announces Half Year Results for the Six Months Ending June 30, 2018

Diversity paying dividends

Dean Finch, group chief executive said:

"National Express has had another strong start to the year, delivering its best ever half year statutory profit, up 24 percent year-on-year. Our increasingly diversified portfolio has again delivered strong results and has entered a new phase of expansion in to complementary growth markets.

All of our divisions have grown revenue, profit and commercial passengers through a relentless focus on good customer service and technology investment. We also continue to make disciplined acquisitions that help grow our portfolio strategically. We have made seven acquisitions so far this year and have entered new fast-growing markets, providing avenues for interesting future expansion. Our pipeline of new opportunities remains strong and growing.

This combination of growth in our core business and the number of exciting new opportunities allows us to again increase the interim dividend by 10 percent. We remain on course to deliver the board’s expectations.”