S & UPlc said Sept. 27 that its board of directors declared a firstinterim dividend of 24 pence per share for the six months to July-end, up from20 pence per share in the same period in 2015.

The first interim dividend will be paid Nov. 11 toshareholders on the register at Oct. 21.

S & U posted an unaudited consolidated profit of £9.5million, or 78.5 pence per share, for the six months to July-end, compared to£60.6 million, or 504.1 pence per share, a year earlier. The company did notbook profit from discontinued operations, which stood at £53.7 million a yearearlier.