Good news for investors as Sanlam increased its dividend by 7,6%

Financial services group Sanlam released its full year numbers on Thursday - reporting an 8% fall in normalised headline earnings. Weak equity and bond markets in 2018 have pulled Sanlam's profit lower while net investment plunged 57%.



Commenting on the results CEO Ian Kirk, stated that of course Sanlam would want to do better but it could only operate in the environment it finds itself in. The group has had to contend with pedestrian growth here at home, rising interest rates in the US, uncertainties over Brexit, Sino-US trade tensions and volatile currencies in a number of markets it operates in.



Looking forward, Sanlam expects economic growth in South Africa to remain remain weak in the short to medium term and this will continue to impact efforts to accelerate the firm's organic growth. But the outlook for economic expansion in other regions where the Group operates is more promising. Sanlam says that recent acquisitions such as the SAHAM transaction should also support operational performance going forward.



Sanlam CEO Ian Kirk spoke with Business Day TV about the company’s full year results