CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s second biggest private hospital group Netcare on Monday reported a 15.5% increase in diluted headline earnings a share for the six months to March 31, driven by a strong performance in its South African business despite the country’s weak economy.
Netcare owns hospitals in SA and the UK, and has a public private partnership with the Lesotho government for a facility in Maseru. Diluted headline earnings per share rose to 79.6%, up from 68.9% in the corresponding period last year. Revenue rose 5.8% to R16.3bn, up from R15.4 bn the year before. Growth in the South African segment was largely organic, complemented by cost control measures and greater efficiencies in the business, said Netcare CEO Richard Friedland.