Private hospital group Life Healthcare’s revenue rose sharply in the half-year to end-March 2017 but operating profit growth was anaemic and the bottom line reflected a loss, as a result of the costs of a R14bn UK acquisition and further impairments to its Polish investment. What the group calls total comprehensive loss/income swung to a loss of R341m, down 127.2% from a R1.253bn profit a year earlier. Revenue was up 22.6% to R9.64bn and operating profit rose a slight 0.6% to R1.79bn. Earnings per share fell 85.3% to 13.7c, and headline earnings per share (HEPS) dropped 71.3% to 26.7c.

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