Sasol raised its interim dividend slightly despite a 17% drop in net profit for the six months to end-December.In its results released on Monday morning, the chemicals group declared a R5 interim dividend, 4% higher than the R4.80 it paid in the matching period in 2016.Its interim revenue grew 3.8% to R88bn, but higher costs results in its after-tax profit declining 17% to R7.7bn.One-off costs booked during the reporting period included scrapping a US gas-to-liquids project valued at R1.1bn and a further R2.8bn write-down of its Canadian shale gas assets, leaving their remaining carrying value at R3.5bn.Sasol reported its basic earnings per share (EPS) declined by 21% to R11.29. But its headline earnings per share (HEPS), which excluded the one-off write-downs, grew 17% to R17.67.Sasol’s liquid fuels sales fell 3% to 59-million barrels due to lower production at its Natref refinery and slower South African economic growth;Natref’s production volumes plunged 21% owing to plant shutdo...
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