3i Group PLC (III.LN) said Thursday that its pretax operating profit in fiscal 2018 fell 2.4%, and raised its total dividend for the year.
The international investment manager, which focuses on midmarket equity and infrastructure, said its profit for the year ended March 31 fell to 1.49 billion pounds ($2.01 billion) from GBP1.52 billion in fiscal 2017.
The company said its net asset value at March 31 stood at 724 pence a share compared with 604 pence at March 31, 2017.
3i Group said it delivered a strong year with a total return of GBP1.43 billion, or 24%, on opening shareholders funds. The company said it has entered fiscal 2019 with good momentum across the group and that it remains confident in its ability to deliver continued growth.
3i Group declared a final dividend of 22 pence a share and said that its total dividend for the year was 30 pence a share, up 13% on fiscal 2017.