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JOHANNESBURG, Aug 27 (Reuters) - South African transport services group Imperial Holdings said on Tuesday annual headline earnings rose 15 percent on the strength of its tourism business and said it expected satisfactory results in the year ahead.
Diluted headline earnings per share for the year to June 25 rose to 605.3 cents from 523.3 cents a year earlier. Headline figures strip out exceptional items and their tax effects.
It proposed a capital distribution of 120 cents per share instead of an ordinary dividend. This will increase the distribution for the year to 230 cents a share.
Imperial has car rental, leasing and fleet management concerns as well as motor trading, transportation, warehousing, finance, property and short-term insurance.
An unprecedented fall in the rand coupled with the September 11 attacks on the U.S. boosted the group's rental and tourism businesses as more tourists chose holidays in Southern Africa after the attacks.
Revenues surged 29 percent to 28.1 billion rand ($2.61 billion) from 21.9 billion rand.
"South Africa became the preferred travel destination being perceived as relatively safe and offering value for money," it said.
The group added it was well positioned to take advantage of a boom in visitors attending the Johannesburg Earth Summit, which started on Monday, and the 2003 World Cricket Cup matches.
"We continue to see opportunities in almost every area of the business and, given a fair wind, Imperial should again report satisfactory results," the group said in a statement.